Latest Windows 8.1 update - after login black screen only.

MLyman

New Member
Messages
3
Yesterday I installed an update for Win 8.1 (It was around 90 some mb) after I login I only get a black screen with a useless white cursor. Screensaver works fine, when I do a CNTRL/SHIFT/ESC the task manager box pops up for a few seconds and disappears. I was able to create another user account and everything works fine, but I need to get my first account working properly ASAP. Any ideas? Thanks!!!
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro Pack with Media Center 64-bit Operating System
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavilion dv7-4285DX Notebook PC
    CPU
    Intel ® Core™ i5 CPU M460@2.53GHz
    Memory
    6.00 GB (5.8 GB usable)
    Sound Card
    HP Beats Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Generic PnP Monitor
    Hard Drives
    Hitachi HTS547564A9E384
    Keyboard
    Standard PS/2 Keyboard
    Mouse
    Synaptics PS/2 Port TouchPad
    Other Info
    AMD Radeon HD 6300 Series
    Intel(R) HD Graphics
    ACPI x64-based PC
Is there a way to access all of my programs from my original administrator user account? That would work too. I set up my new user account as an administrator too. Thanks.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro Pack with Media Center 64-bit Operating System
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavilion dv7-4285DX Notebook PC
    CPU
    Intel ® Core™ i5 CPU M460@2.53GHz
    Memory
    6.00 GB (5.8 GB usable)
    Sound Card
    HP Beats Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Generic PnP Monitor
    Hard Drives
    Hitachi HTS547564A9E384
    Keyboard
    Standard PS/2 Keyboard
    Mouse
    Synaptics PS/2 Port TouchPad
    Other Info
    AMD Radeon HD 6300 Series
    Intel(R) HD Graphics
    ACPI x64-based PC
I was able to transfer all of my documents to the new account.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro Pack with Media Center 64-bit Operating System
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavilion dv7-4285DX Notebook PC
    CPU
    Intel ® Core™ i5 CPU M460@2.53GHz
    Memory
    6.00 GB (5.8 GB usable)
    Sound Card
    HP Beats Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Generic PnP Monitor
    Hard Drives
    Hitachi HTS547564A9E384
    Keyboard
    Standard PS/2 Keyboard
    Mouse
    Synaptics PS/2 Port TouchPad
    Other Info
    AMD Radeon HD 6300 Series
    Intel(R) HD Graphics
    ACPI x64-based PC
I tried updating late last year when the update first was offered. Same thing happened to me and I was allowing MS to remotely control my computer to try to fix the mess the installation made. After 4 long hours she finally told me to just do a refresh and if that didn't work to do a full install. I had to do the full install. I really wish she would have thought about what you did as another option. Black screen, no task bar and just a cursor. I called it 'Cursor in the Dark'. Not fun at all.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 64 bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    CyberPower
    CPU
    Intell Core i7 5820K
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte X99-UD4-CF
    Memory
    16 Gigs of DDR3
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX760
    Sound Card
    on board
    Monitor(s) Displays
    ViewSonic 27" and 20"
    Screen Resolution
    27":1920X1080 20":1600X900
    Hard Drives
    Toshiba 1863GB SATA
    Cooling
    liquid
    Mouse
    Logitech M570 Marble
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    MS default
Most probably incompatible display driver. You have to update it before installing 8.1 upgrade. That's what happened to me once. When I installed Win8.1 directly, video card worked but with MS drivers that are pretty basic. Had to install newest ones from AMD (they were a week late with new ones).
Later on I installed Win8 again, installed updated drivers and than upgraded to 8.1 thru the store and there was no "white arrow-black screen syndrome" any more. In the interim I run Win8.1 compatibility check and sure enough it pointed to driver problem. Ever since Vista MS has compatibility checker.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home made
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen7 2700x
    Motherboard
    Asus Prime x470 Pro
    Memory
    16GB Kingston 3600
    Graphics Card(s)
    Asus strix 570 OC 4gb
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 960 evo 250GB
    Silicon Power V70 240GB SSD
    WD 1 TB Blue
    WD 2 TB Blue
    Bunch of backup HDDs.
    PSU
    Sharkoon, Silent Storm 660W
    Case
    Raidmax
    Cooling
    CCM Nepton 140xl
    Internet Speed
    40/2 Mbps
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    WD
Yea, that was one thing that the MS tech mentioned that the NVIDIA drivers were not good. Now I can't upgrade at all. The stupid store keeps telling me I need Admin privilages to install the update. Uh, I am the Admin! So I guess I'm stuck on 8 until I get a new computer. Just wish I could tell the OS to stop with the green banner upon booting in every other day. It's annoying. I've wasted too much time on this update crap. I really hate this new way of doing things. Feels like I'm back in Linux.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 64 bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    CyberPower
    CPU
    Intell Core i7 5820K
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte X99-UD4-CF
    Memory
    16 Gigs of DDR3
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX760
    Sound Card
    on board
    Monitor(s) Displays
    ViewSonic 27" and 20"
    Screen Resolution
    27":1920X1080 20":1600X900
    Hard Drives
    Toshiba 1863GB SATA
    Cooling
    liquid
    Mouse
    Logitech M570 Marble
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    MS default
Yea, that was one thing that the MS tech mentioned that the NVIDIA drivers were not good. Now I can't upgrade at all. The stupid store keeps telling me I need Admin privilages to install the update. Uh, I am the Admin! So I guess I'm stuck on 8 until I get a new computer. Just wish I could tell the OS to stop with the green banner upon booting in every other day. It's annoying. I've wasted too much time on this update crap. I really hate this new way of doing things. Feels like I'm back in Linux.
Win 8 actually runs pretty good on older and weaker HW but without proper drivers (and they are manufacturer's responsibility) you maybe up the proverbial creek.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Home made
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen7 2700x
    Motherboard
    Asus Prime x470 Pro
    Memory
    16GB Kingston 3600
    Graphics Card(s)
    Asus strix 570 OC 4gb
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 960 evo 250GB
    Silicon Power V70 240GB SSD
    WD 1 TB Blue
    WD 2 TB Blue
    Bunch of backup HDDs.
    PSU
    Sharkoon, Silent Storm 660W
    Case
    Raidmax
    Cooling
    CCM Nepton 140xl
    Internet Speed
    40/2 Mbps
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    WD
Well spent a few hours with an MS tech. My situation has been escalated to Tier 2 support and they will be calling me between 9 and 11 AM on Sunday morning. Gotta get the coffee going and hope for the best. If not I think I'm just going to give in and pay the $99.00 for the full disk over at Amazon and be done with it.

Now I just need really easy to understand system backup software. I've got an external RAID array (just two drives). The one thing I hate about some backup software is that it's all saved in an encrypted file format, that's really not the way I want to go. I'd just like a straight forward solution. Any suggestions?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 64 bit
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    CyberPower
    CPU
    Intell Core i7 5820K
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte X99-UD4-CF
    Memory
    16 Gigs of DDR3
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX760
    Sound Card
    on board
    Monitor(s) Displays
    ViewSonic 27" and 20"
    Screen Resolution
    27":1920X1080 20":1600X900
    Hard Drives
    Toshiba 1863GB SATA
    Cooling
    liquid
    Mouse
    Logitech M570 Marble
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    MS default
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