My Booting Up Blank Screen Problem When It Goes Into An Auto-Update

Hi Bob. Unless you have Windows 10 Pro you can't stop all updates and even with Pro you can only delay.

F12 is not your BIOS settings it is a temporary or one time Boot selection. Unless you are booting a recovery drive, a repair disk or doing a clean install I would leave that key alone.

Sitting miles away I can't be absolutely sure what is happening but lets try a few simple things. Ideally you would do one and test so we can get to root cause.

First I would look through the icons in your systray, lower right and catalog them. Some might be hidden so click on the little up arrow to expose those. You are looking for some program named something like Dell Maintenance, or Dell Support, Dell Live. Basically we are looking for a program that is helping you keep your Dell up to date. If it is there you should be able to pick it out.

To disable it try opening it and seeing if it has settings, specially one that says something like start with Windows. If there are no options lets have a look in the Task Manager Start Up tab.

CRTL+ALT+DEL, > Task Manager, click on Startup tab. If tabs aren't showing, click on show more details lower left. We want to find that maintenance program and disable it. Please always note any changes you make on paper so you can back track.

This next step should also be done with the one above. That is, we are going to Disable Windows updating your drivers. Here is the tutorial. I would use option 4. Please book mark this tutorial so you can enable at a later date if required.

The goal of the two steps above is to stop driver updates. I'm a firm believer that drivers should be updated but not constantly and not if there isn't an issue. If it ain't broke don't fix. I think a driver is being updated and either your hardware can't handle or the wrong driver is being used.

The two processes above will stop all driver updates until the next major feature update, like V1709, the Fall Creators Update. To find your version number, Windows Key + R, type winver, enter.

If the above does not correct the situation and it is a software update causing the issue you can set your connection to a metered connection. This will prevent the Feature Updates but it will let some updates through.

Start > Settings > Network and Internet > click on either Wi-Fi or Ethernet depending on connection type, then on your network on right, then click manage, in the window that opens turn metered on. The downfall with this solution is that metered has to be set for each network you connect too. Since this is a laptop, if you travel you have to set for each network you connect to. Otherwise Windows will look for software updates.

Once you have this issue licked I would suggest you look at Macrium Reflect. Free, reliable and recommended. Fast easy way to restore.

Backup and Restore with Macrium Reflect

Ken

Sorry I didn't understand it was dead.

Yes you want UEFI boot. Can you please try F12 again and record what options are.

Do you have access to another PC that you can download software on. I'm thinking you want to make a recovery disk to get any files you haven't backed up and if you don't care about a few files I think you want to reload Windows. But before we do something like that we can try some options.

In F12 you had the option to load defaults. If you were actually in BIOS and made changes I would invoke this, load defaults and save

When you let it boot from harddrive do you see that ring of dots?

Yes it is possible that if you get another Windows 10 PC this might happen again. That said people have had phones boot to black screens. It is a glitch likely caused by a driver, a piece of software that acts between the hardware and OS.

Did you ever test that recovery CD you made from Dell?


Ken

It is okay to have secure boot off.

if you want to read about it. Just the first section.

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/...or=-2147217396

If no other members have a better idea I would go to the Media Creation tool, down load it, execute it, answer don't update this PC, create a USB thumb drive. You need 8GB key. It will erase all contents on 8GB USB key.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/soft...load/windows10

Did you have data on device that you need to recovery?

Hi,

First, a most sincere thanks for everyone who has taken the time and trouble to try and help me out with this.
Great Forum, and great folks.

Am in my 80's now, so please bear with me a bit.

Here's most everything I think I've learned about my "problem".

Have a 2 year old Dell XPS 8900.
No gaming, pretty much a basic setup.
Has always worked just fine.

About a week ago, screen started to go blank.
Couldn't boot up, etc.

After trying most everything suggested, used the MS Media Creation Tool.
Have everything pretty well backed up, so wasn't afraid of losing files.

Tool seemed to work fine.
Was thrilled; booted up fine, correct screens came up, etc.

Then again, after about 10 minutes or so, a blank screen, and back to the original problem.
Did the Tool again with same results.
Really hangs up good; the only thing that works is the clicking on a reboot to F12.
Other F keys are not functional. Safe Mode is also non-functional.

What I've learned (I think):

It "seems" to be related (only) to when I am connected to the Internet.
I also think it's not just being connected that causes the hangups; seems to
happen only, I think, when an actual download is in process.

If I unplug my Ethernet, pc behaves normally.
Besides apparently needing to be connected to the internet for the problem to develop, it
also seems that it happens (only ?) when an actual download is in progress.

Have another pc running W7 connected to Router; works fine.

*Could some Driver have been updated that is not compatible ?

*What about all the Network Adapters (this was mentioned in a Post to another person) that show up
if I use Device manager ?
Should I check for updates to these, assuming I can before the pc hangs again ? If so, how do I check, please ?

Not that sharp with this stuff anymore, but think I have checked just about everything previously suggested.
If any suggestions, please a step-by step and explicit. Getting hard for me now at age.

So, what should I check out now ? Network Adapters, etc. ?

*Some board related to this that might have gone bad ?

Or,...?

Again,
Much thanks,
Bob

Hi Bob.

If reloading Windows with the USB key created from the Media Creation Tool gets you going and then it goes black once you connect to internet it very likely is a driver, a video driver.

This tutorial, Option four is a very good way to go. You would have to download the reg file in step three of Option 4, and have it on a USB key so you can apply without having to go on net.

So download file, place on USB key. Do what you were doing to load Windows but make sure you are not connected to Internet. Once Windows is up insert the key with the reg file. Double click on reg file, answer Yes to UAC, restart computer. Then connect to Internet and allow software updates to occur.

If you do not want to go the way of the reg file. Install Windows disconnected from Internet. When Windows is ready to use, Windows key + R, type sysdm.cpl, enter, click on Hardware Tab, click on Device Installation Settings, click "No".

In either solution I would check device manager for any adapters having issues. Right click Start, left click device manager, look for Yellow exclamation marks.

You can address these individually if they are present with members help.

Ken

Bob could you share your service tag number. If you don't want to in forum send me a private message.

Screen going blank is usually display adapter. From what you printed above it is using a MS driver. Lets find the right one.

Have you disable driver updates?