Blank screen at login

[maddawg]

I accidently turned my Dell laptop off while it was performing windows updates. When I restarted the laptop it goes to the login screen and then goes blank (i cant enter the username/password).

I have tried the following:
1. Starting in safe mode (same issue)
2. Using the boot dvd and trying the different options in there (Repair, Restore to safe point, Memory check).
3. Using the boot dvd I have tried several different restore points, including the original store point.
4. I have looked through every forum and every post I can find and cannot find any suggested resolutions.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what I can try next (other than reinstalling the OS)

My laptop is a Dell Latitude E6500 running Windows Vista (32 bit i think)

 

[mitchell]

I accidently turned my Dell laptop off while it was performing windows updates. When I restarted the laptop it goes to the login screen and then goes blank (i cant enter the username/password).

I have tried the following:
1. Starting in safe mode (same issue)
2. Using the boot dvd and trying the different options in there (Repair, Restore to safe point, Memory check).
3. Using the boot dvd I have tried several different restore points, including the original store point.
4. I have looked through every forum and every post I can find and cannot find any suggested resolutions.

Does anyone have any suggestions on what I can try next (other than reinstalling the OS)

My laptop is a Dell Latitude E6500 running Windows Vista (32 bit i think)

Hallo Maddawg, i have seen this fix before & it has worked for me.
If you disconnect your power source & remove your battery, then hold down your power button for 10 seconds.
Leave everything for 30 minutes, put battery back in plug in your power turn on your laptop and cross your fingers.
Hope this helps otherwise i am sure someone else will have better knowledge, but worth a try while waiting :huh:

 

[maddawg]

Hallo Maddawg, i have seen this fix before & it has worked for me.
If you disconnect your power source & remove your battery, then hold down your power button for 10 seconds.
Leave everything for 30 minutes, put battery back in plug in your power turn on your laptop and cross your fingers.
Hope this helps otherwise i am sure someone else will have better knowledge, but worth a try while waiting :huh:

Mitchell, thanks for your input. I am not sure what you resolution is trying to achieve, other than draining any excess electricity in the system.

Does anybody else have any suggestions?

 

[richc46]

Hallo Maddawg, i have seen this fix before & it has worked for me.
If you disconnect your power source & remove your battery, then hold down your power button for 10 seconds.
Leave everything for 30 minutes, put battery back in plug in your power turn on your laptop and cross your fingers.
Hope this helps otherwise i am sure someone else will have better knowledge, but worth a try while waiting :huh:

Mitchell, thanks for your input. I am not sure what you resolution is trying to achieve, other than draining any excess electricity in the system.

Does anybody else have any suggestions?

I think that the solution will do more than just drain electricity. It would probably forget the problem cycle and return to normal operation. I know the first thing that I do when I have a problem is turn the computer off and it usually works fine after boot.

 

[Peppurr101]

Maddawg,
Dell machines usually have a series of lights and/or beep codes to help diagnose problems.
Not sure where yours are, but your user manual should tell you, and also give the reasons for different combinations of lights/beeps.
If you do shut your machine down and restart again, maybe have a look and see if any of these come up?
I know the lights and beep codes usually indicate a hardware issue, where yours sounds like a software issue, but I've had problems with my video card driver in the past, and it has come up on restart with a light combination..
FWIW..
Hope you have luck sorting out your problem.. I really don't like it when my 'puter isn't well..

 

[maddawg]

Thank you for your replies. Unfortunately the problem still persists. I am downloading the updated video card drivers and hope to get them installed, otherwise I think I am staring down the barrell of a reinstall...which means data loss

 

[maddawg]

Using the Windows Install DVD i managed to get to the command prompt and copy all my data files onto my USB drive.

Is there any commands I could run from the command line to help determine the problem?

 

[acdcfan]

Thank you for your replies. Unfortunately the problem still persists. I am downloading the updated video card drivers and hope to get them installed, otherwise I think I am staring down the barrell of a reinstall...which means data loss

you can reinstall vista without formatting.... Just put the dvd in your rom drive and choose installation.
Vista will do a new install and keep all your files in following directory C:\Windows.old

 

[kenny111111]

hello
you could try system restore from command prompt, rstrui.exe ... good luck..or sfc /scannow...to check for bad system files!

PS: I read one the other day, said take the battery out and boot from ac power only? (said it worked for him/her)