Black Screen, no task bar but cursor is movable

Hi - I'm looking at a PC for a friend and the Windows 8 PC is currently having the following issue:

1 - PC starts up and gets to the user login screen OK

2 - You can enter the user password, and then after that the screen goes black and remains black (i.e. no desktop appears). There's no task bar across the bottom of the screen, but the cursor shows and is moveable around the screen but neither left or right click does anything.

3 - An application from a company called IObit displays a 'Performance Monitor' window - application looks to be 'Advanced SystemCare'

4 - After a short time an error appeares - "Installservices - Server execution failed"

5 - From this point onward, the PC appears to be useless - you can't use or see any icons, no menu's appear if you click - left or right click.

I thought the monitor might only be showing part of the desktop but I'm not sure how to check that?

Any other ideas?

Unfortunately my friend can't find his windows 8 disk so i can't boot from that.

Does anyone know where i could download a windows 8 set of files to create a bootable USB/DVD to run some sort of repair?

Thanks in advance or any help

Whitters

link to ms download in my sig below

Hi,

Thanks for the link. I don't currently have the serial number from my friend so for the time being is there anything I can try that doesn't need a serial number?

Thanks

Whitters

Whitters23 said:

Hi,

Thanks for the link. I don't currently have the serial number from my friend so for the time being is there anything I can try that doesn't need a serial number?

Thanks

Whitters

Click to expand...

I have in the past had the same condition.

You might try shutting it off & on about 3 or 4 times quickly to get boot options to appear.
Turn it off.
As soon as you see it starting up hold the power button to shut it off, ETC. .
On the third time {or fourth} let it continue loading.
The blue boot options window SHOULD appear.

If your friend has restore points, you could then in a CMD prompt or Task Manager, type in rstrui.exe to get system restore to pop up.

Maybe someone has a better idea.