Blank screen after logo at startup

[mth0csc]

I have an HP laptop (G72-B66US) running on 64-bit Windows 7 Home Premium. Since I bought it over a year ago, it had been running fine, until one day it failed to boot up to Windows, leaving only a blinking cursor in the upper-right corner of an otherwise blank LCD screen.

By pressing ESC before the HP logo screen ends, I am able to access a Startup Menu:

F1  System Information
F2  System Diagnostics
F9  Boot Device Options
F10 BIOS Setup
F11 System Recovery

ENTER - Continue Startup

Various tests (HDD, memory, etc.) provided in System Diagnostics (F2) all completed successfully.

I also booted up from a repair disc and ran Windows Startup Repair Tool, which found no problem.

I even restored a system image I created right after purchasing the laptop, but the problem persists.

A hard reset after the removal of the battery didn't help.

There are two things I haven't been able to do, however:

1. I connected an external monitor to the laptop, but the display didn't switch to the external monitor, even after I pressed F4 repeatedly. Same result with fn + F4.

2. Pressing F8 at any stage of the startup didn't get me into the Windows Safe Mode. Same result with fn + F8.

I wonder whether the two functions are somehow disabled by the HP Startup Menu, otherwise why are they not listed as options in the menu?

In any case, any suggestions on how to proceed from here?

[DavidPK · Accepted solution]

Hi,

Boot from the Rescue/Repair CD you have, select Repair Your Computer and choose the Command Prompt.  When this loads, enter the following commands and hit enter after each one - include spaces as shown.

Bootrec.exe

bcdedit /export C:\BCD_Backup

c:

cd boot

attrib bcd -s -h -r

ren c:\boot\bcd bcd.old

bootrec /RebuildBcd

bootrec /fixmbr

bootrec /fixboot

Remove the Rescue CD and try rebooting now.

Regards,

DP-K

[mth0csc]

Thanks a bunch! It worked like a charm!

[DavidPK]

Hi,

You're welcome, glad it helped

All the best,

DP-K

[ashokinsj]

Hello,

I have a an HP G72-C55DX, Windows 7 Home Premium laptop, which is little over a year now .. yes, mfr warranty has just expired:-(

Few days ago, it developed exact same problem as described in this email thread. After starting, after the HP logo, it jumps to blank screen with a blinking cursor on the top-left corner! If I hit esc soon enough, it will take me to the menu ..

F1  System Information
F2  System Diagnostics
F9  Boot Device Options
F10 BIOS Setup
F11 System Recovery

ENTER - Continue Startup

I ran the various system diagnostics tests (one taking 5 hours, others 2-4 hours!) -- all checked out fine. During these tests, the whole screen works (display seems normal!). Still same problem.

I also removed the battery overnight, re-started, etc. still the same problem

With the laptop, HP didn't ship any restore/backup CD. When I look at the options by HP, I see option for recovery CD which seems to be 'windows 7 OS re-installing' s/w. Is there a different system restore CD and how can I order that?

I have a second laptop to access internet .. is there any restore CD that I can download and burn?

Thanks for any help and suggestions.

Regards,

[sharirenee89]

your great it work for me i was stuck on the black screen but was able to boot from the cd drive an got to the command prompt i put in everything u have with the spaces

attrib bcd -s -h -r

ren c:\boot\bcd bcd.old

those two did not work so i still have stuff popping up not responding but now that iam not on the blank screen im sure i will be able to repair everything.. fingers crossed

[jrp162]

I am having the exact same problem; however, I do not haver a disk to fix the problem. Can this problem be solved without a disk? or do I need to find a way to purchase one?

[ashokinsj]

Hello,

I just wanted to update the status of my problem .. I got help from my neighbor who said he had to re-install windows 7 OS and the system works fine now! Only problem is he ended up erasing all of my programs and files and bringing the system up. FYI.

I now created recovery CD .. hopefully I won't have any serious issue.

Thanks.

[glebeboi]

Hi, I have similar black screen issues my laptop HP Pavilion dv9260nr and am wanting to know before I go pouring out all the details (again) - what did you actually solve in your reply fix?

Was it the 2 Fn options that the poster said she wasnt able to raise on her computer    or 

was it the removal of the black screen issue she was facing which originally led her to look at safe mode options.

thanks 

[jeromeb1238]

I have a similar problem as referenced in this string.  However, when I run HP Diagnostics and run the Memory Test, Start Up Test, or Run-In Test every time it gets to the Memory diagnostic the computer screen goes blank, it sounds like the hard drive stops/slows down, yet power is still on.

does the solution provided below work?  If so, I don't have a RescueRepair CD.  Is there a place to download the Rescue/Repair?  Can I use a flash drive or would it have to be a CD?

Thanks