black screen and mouse cursor

[TomWestminster]

I have a brand new HP Pavilion laptop that I configured yesterday for use.  This morning, when I booted the notebook, it went immediately to an HP BIOS update.  Afterward, the power on/off icon on the lower right indicated it needed a reboot to complete installations/updates (presumably to update Windows 11).  The laptop went through a couple cycles of updates and reboots, then presented me with a black screen with a mouse pointer.  I've hard powered the laptop several times and this is the result:  HP logo, "dong ding" tone for Windows 11 (I guess), then black screen with mouse pointer.

I've used PCs for 30 years (started with MS-DOS 5.0) and this is the first time I've ever had an issue with a PC out of the box where it would basically not function.  HP's website says that this item is out of warranty, which is absolutely not correct.  Please provide guidance and an explanation why I should not return this item to Amazon and choose another manufacturer.

[A_Gayathri]

Hi @TomWestminster ,

Welcome to the HP Support Community.  

Thank you for posting your query, I will be glad to help you.

I'm sorry to hear that you're experiencing issues with your new HP Pavilion laptop. It can be frustrating when a new device encounters problems right out of the box. Let's try to troubleshoot the issue and see if we can find a solution:

Perform a Hard Reset:

• Turn off the laptop.
• Disconnect all external devices and remove any discs or USB drives.
• Disconnect the AC adapter.
• Remove the laptop battery if possible.
• Press and hold the power button for about 15 seconds.
• Reconnect the battery and AC adapter.
• Turn on the laptop.

Access Safe Mode:

• Boot into Safe Mode to see if the issue persists. If you can access Safe Mode, it might indicate a problem with a recently installed driver or software.
  • To access Safe Mode, press the F8 key during startup (or Shift + Restart from the login screen) and choose Safe Mode.

System Restore:

• If you can access Safe Mode, try performing a System Restore to revert your system to a previous state before the updates.
  • Press Win + S, type "Create a restore point," and select the corresponding result.
  • In the System Properties window, click on the System Restore button and follow the on-screen instructions.

Update Graphics Drivers:

• If you manage to boot into Safe Mode, update your graphics drivers. You can do this through the Device Manager or by visiting the HP support website for the latest drivers.

Check for Windows Updates:

• If you haven't completed all Windows updates, try to do so. Sometimes, pending updates can cause issues.

Perform a Repair Install:

• If the issue persists, you might consider performing a repair install of Windows 11. This will keep your files and applications intact but reinstall the operating system.

Take care and have a good day.-

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!

[TomWestminster]

Hi Gaya,

Thanks for your response.  What I did was access the Startup Menu (hitting ESC key multiple times during booting), then choose F11 System Recovery.  One of the options is to back out of a recent Windows Update.  That seemed to solve the problem.  Although now when I tried to refresh my memory on the process by following the same steps, I see a blue screen that says, "Your PC/Device needs to be repaired" Error code:  0xc000000e.

Thanks again for your help.

[A_Gayathri]

@TomWestminster ,

Thank you for your reply,

The error code 0xc000000e typically indicates an issue with the Windows Boot Manager. It can be caused by various factors, including corrupted system files, incorrect boot configuration, or issues with the storage drive.

Given that you were able to temporarily resolve the issue by backing out of a recent Windows Update, it suggests that the problem might be related to a specific update. However, the fact that you're encountering the same error again indicates that there might be an underlying issue that needs to be addressed.

Here are some steps you can try to troubleshoot and resolve the issue:

Boot from Windows Installation Media:

• Insert your Windows installation media (USB or DVD) and boot from it.
• Choose your language preferences and click "Next."
• Click "Repair your computer" in the bottom left corner.
• Select "Troubleshoot" > "Advanced options" > "Startup Repair."

Run Automatic Repair:

• Follow the steps above to access the "Troubleshoot" > "Advanced options" menu.
• Choose "Startup Repair" and let Windows attempt to fix any startup issues automatically.

Check Disk for Errors:

• From the same "Advanced options" menu, choose "Command Prompt."
• In the Command Prompt window, type chkdsk /f /r C: and press Enter. (Replace "C:" with the letter of your system drive.)
• This command will check and fix disk errors.

Rebuild BCD (Boot Configuration Data):

• In the Command Prompt, type the following commands one by one, pressing Enter after each:
• bootrec /scanos
  bootrec /rebuildbcd
   

Check for System File Corruption:

• In the Command Prompt, type sfc /scannow and press Enter. This command will scan and attempt to repair corrupted system files.

Restore to a Previous System Restore Point:

• If you have a system restore point created before the issue started, you can try restoring your system to that point. From the "Advanced options" menu, select "System Restore."

I hope this helps. 

Take care and have a good day.-

Please click “Accepted Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos/Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!

[TomWestminster]

Hi Gaya,

Thanks again.  Unfortunately Windows Installation Media did not come with my laptop.  Some of the tests that you describe below I might be able to run from the system tools that I can access prior to boot.  The extensive test takes 4 hours, so I'll run it while I'm asleep!

Is there another way to upload proof of purchase?  The laptop was bought in the past week, but HP says it's out of warranty, which is an obvious error.  However, when I try to upload proof of purchase, I receive the following error message:  "We're sorry

HP Customer Support site is temporarily unavailable. We apologize for any inconvenience. Please check back later."  I received this message yesterday and today. 

Your communications have been helpful, but I'd like to speak directly to HP technical support about my issues, but I need to submit proof of purchase in order to do that.

Tom

[A_Gayathri]

@TomWestminster,

Thank you for your response, I appreciate your efforts. As the issue persists, I am sorry to hear that  This needs one-on-one interaction  I'm sending out a private message to assist you with the next course of action. 

Please check your Private message icon on the upper right corner of your HP Community profile Next, to your profile Name, you should see a little blue envelope, please click on it or simply click on this link.

Hope this helps! Keep me posted for further assistance.

Please click “Accept as Solution” if you feel my post solved your issue, it will help others find the solution. Click the “Kudos, Thumbs Up" on the bottom right to say “Thanks” for helping!