I've got a computer with a black screen with cursor. I've tried everything I can think of and they've all failed.. I'm now booting from windows 10 dvd and trying to use DISM. I can't figure out the correct path I think. Below is what I've tried. Everything i've read online has just confused me even more. Thanks for any direction.
x:\Sources\> Dism /Image:C:\offline /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:c:\mount\windows
You can only use DISM to repair an installed version of Windows from within that installed version itself using /Online. You can only repair offline IMAGES of Windows, not Windows installations that are offline.
Service a Windows Image Using DISM
I hope someone corrects me if I am wrong, but I don't think I am. @Kari probably knows for sure.You can use DISM offline on a WIM or VHD file, or online on a running operating system.
Is your computer legacy BIOS or UEFI? If it is UEFI, it has to be set to boot in legacy or CSM mode to match the format of your hard drive which is set up for legacy BIOS booting (MBR with an NTFS system partition).
And in your screenshot, D: drive is the partition containing the Windows installation, not C: drive.
Assuming you are correct, any thoughts on what exactly I can do about the black screen w/ cursor issue that I'm having? I've tried repair. Tried to roll back. Tried to re-install but save the files. It won't let me. Says I have to do it from within windows. Tried to just remote in. That just flashes a black screen like it's about to log in but then disconnects. I can access the files on the computer over the network. Safe mode is not black screen with cursor as well. I've removed the video card and tried with the built in.
Well, my first question was if it was an UEFI computer and if so is it set to boot in legacy BIOS or CSM mode? Also, if you have anything connected to USB ports, disconnect them - including mouse and keyboard.
I meant to say safe mode is also black screen with cursor.
Not UEFI. I've tried without peripherals, no change. Also, I'm able to access the BIOS just fine.
There are lots of proposed solutions if you google black screen windows 10. The sure solution is to back up what you want to save, wipe the hard drive, and do a clean install to the empty hard drive.
The only black screen blinking cursor problems I have ever encountered were when the disk type (MBR legacy Bios vs GPT UEFI type) did not match the computer's firmware type BIOS or UEFI.
I have been searching and trying as many things as I can. It's not a blinking cursor. I think maybe pointer is more accurate. After the windows symbol with the little loading image is done, it just goes black but has the pointer there. I can move the pointer around but the screen just stays black.
If it's a cursor (mouse pointer) you can move with a mouse, that usually means bad/non working GPU drivers. Can you get Task manager to start with Ctrl-Alt_Del ?
Ctrl-Alt-Del does nothing that I can see anyway. I had assumed it was a bad driver. I was hoping that pulling the video card would help me get around it but nope. I don't know how to replace or remove drivers any other way.
Ctrl-Alt-Del should let you start task manager from which you can start new task like uninstalling drivers etc. but if you can't see it than it's another problem.
There's this program to uninstall and clean up drivers after Display Driver Uninstaller Download version 17.0.4.0 but has to work from safe mode.
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