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- HP Community
- Desktops
- Desktop Operating Systems and Recovery
- Black Screen Before Login

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04-04-2021 09:02 PM
Hello, I am using windows 10 on an HP laptop. When I open the computer to login I have a black screen with a cursor, meaning I cannot login
To save you some time, I have tried:
-Restarting the laptop (I tried this multiple times)
-Turning it off and on
-Taking the battery out
-Automatic Repair (Automatic Repair said "Your PC did not start correctly")
-Since the screen is black, task manager won't open (All of the videos I seen said open task manager, but it never popped up on the screen when I did the button combination, maybe I could not see it since the screen was black)
-I went to advanced options, went to troubleshoot and then advanced options, after that I did startup settings and hit restart, I then hit f4 to enable safe mode, the hp logo aprearrd, but then the screen was still black with a cursor.
-I even went back to an earlier save on the pc (System restore) but the screen was still black with a cursor
nothing has worked
I really dont know what to do, can someone please help me solve this problem
04-05-2021 01:58 PM
The black screen with a cursor means that Windows on your PC has become so corrupted that the none of the OS is even "seen" by the BIOS code.
The HP logo is contained in the firmware inside the BIOS chip on the motherboard. So that would display even if there were not drive in the PC.
Please provide us the model number of the PC so we can assist you further.
I am a volunteer and I do not work for, nor represent, HP
04-09-2021 05:25 PM
All the different options you tried need Windows to be somewhat functional -- but the blinking cursor means it is damages so bad that it will not work at all, regardless of what you do.
You will need to do a factory reset to reinstall Windows from scratch and will lose everything on the drive in the process.
The ways to do an external factory reset are the following:
- Factory reset using external HP image you make
- Factory reset using external HP image you buy
Each of these is discussed in some detail below ...
---------- Factory reset using external HP image you make ----------
HP provides a Cloud Recovery tool that you can use, together with a 32GB USB stick, to create your on HP reset media.
Here is the link: https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c06162205
This works the same as the factory reset described above.
---------- Factory reset using external HP image you buy ----------
For those PCs not supported by the Cloud Recovery, in some cases, HP offers Recover Media for sale. This can not be downloaded; instead, it must be ordered from HP.
HP Recovery Media is a set of DVDs and a CD, or USB stick, that will erase the hard drive (removing all data, settings, and applications, reinstall the original OS, drivers, and some HP Utilities.
In some cases, you may be able to order a USB stick instead of disks.
You can look online for Recovery Media starting with the linked paged: http://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers
Once there, input your Product name or number. On your Software and Drivers Download page, select your Operating System and and Version. Click "Update".<br><br>If HP Recovery Media is available for your machine, down near the bottom of the page, you will see an entry for Order Recovery Media-CD/DVD/USB. Click the "+" symbol to expand that entry and click on Order Media for details.
Or, if you prefer, you can do the same by contacting HP Customer Support.
HP contact info: https://support.hp.com/us-en/contact-hp?openCLC=true
If HP no longer carries the media you need, another site you should check for HP Recovery Media is: http://www.computersurgeons.com/
These work the same as the factory reset described above.
I am a volunteer and I do not work for, nor represent, HP