Black Screen and Cursor. No safe mode access.

Last week my laptop had trouble starting up, it had a problem with atidvag.dll if I recall. I wasn't sure what to do but I got lucky and after a few attempts in managed to boot. Now however it doesn't even get to the point where it could tell me what is wrong, no Windows logo. Just straight in black screen with a cursor in the top left. F2 will take me to BIOS (if I am quick), but no other keys work. Booted onto installation media to try startup repair, no joy, rollback also no joy, tried using command line following the instructions here to force a boot into safe mode but no joy.

I am out of ideas, so any assistance would be appreciated.

I hope you can get it going...when you do here are some options to get to safe mode

I think because of the change in bios or the way it boots up you cannot hit F8 fast enough to get safe mode.
Here is an option for a dual boot...safe mode and normal.
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/2758-safe-mode-add-windows-boot-manager-windows-8-a.html

Also if you are already in windows get to msconfig then select boot and check safe mode startup.

Just a couple of ideas that might be of some use at some point.

Thank you for the reply. I had tried the above method already but my computer doesn't get that far to be able to choose. I can only access the command prompt when booting off the installation media as well remember.

Geez I don't know but am interested in what the fix will be. Bios bricked ?

I can get to BIOS, and I think ultimately I can just 'refresh' Windows (to use the new Microsoft lingo) to resolve the driver issue, but I would rather not resort to that as it's such a pain to have to reinstall everything.