Windows 10 black screen on startup problem

Blueghoti said:

Hello

I'm writing this from my mobile and have some difficulty searching the forum for my issue. I hope someone can point me in the right direction.

I have a toshiba satellite c660 laptop (this pre dates Windows 10 officially supported equipment). I have an SSD which has been running Win 10 for several months. (64 bit)

The other day the laptop started to present a black screen on startup. The device powers up and the fan comes on. I assume that the ssd works as normal but of course it doesn't make any sounds to give me any clues.

I've waited sufficient time for the log in screen to appear. I have then entered my password (sometimes assuming the cursor is in the right place and sometimes pressing the space bar to activate it). I then wait sufficient time for the desktop to load and have pressed the Windows key + p several times on the assumption windows is trying to display my screen on a non existent projector. I have a small lcd projector with me (I am travelling) and have tried to display the screen on that.

None of these attempts have worked. I have seen other guidance which recommends using a start up disk which, of course I don't have and can't create.

Any suggestions?

Chris

Hi Blueghoti and welcome to Tenforums.

Can you try using System Restore to a point in time before this started happening? See option #1 here:
System Restore Windows 10 - Windows 10 Forums

To get to the advanced options, you can simulate a failed boot three times (simply hold the power button down to shut off the system before it gets to what should be the login screen).

Hi Chris.
If the problem indeed lies with the OS, then you should have a working screen to enter the BIOS. This is usually done by repeatedly tapping the F12 or F2 key upon the initial Toshiba splash screen. If you don't have the initial splash screen from Toshiba, then it may be that your laptop screen has failed. In that case, connecting an external monitor to the VGA port will *may* give you a display, to get into the BIOS and/or the "one-time-boot menu" to set the optical drive or flash drive as the boot device. If it's a failure on the MB, it may not work.

I also troubleshooted this once for someone who had Teamviewer installed on their system, with an auto-login. I was able to log into their machine and see everything fine, while they had nothing but a black screen.

Blueghoti said:

Thanks simrick. It's not looking good I am afraid. F2 and f12 don't seem to do anything for me. I have a small lcd projector which worked well the day before I got my black screen but now shows "no signal" from my vga port. I think I'll have to try a reinstall but am beginning to resign myself to there being a much more expensive fault.

Cheers
Chris

Sounds like MB failure. If it were the screen, or the backlight, or even the ribbon cable that runs from the MB to the lid, your projector would work. If you can't get into the BIOS and see anything, that's a major failure. Time for a new lappy. Sorry.

You didn't mention if you get the Toshiba splash screen on startup. If you do, it's not a hardware issue.

edit: I was reading here
TOSHIBA Satellite C660-2C3: Cannot enter BIOS - TOSHIBA FORUM
that you may have to hold the F2 key while pressing the power button to start.
Also, if fast boot is enabled you won't see the splash screen.