Black screen of death??

[sea-sidelady]

I have just had a call from my sister, who only just knows how to turn on her husbands laptop We have tried everything to het her on there, but she just can't stand it.

 

Anyway, she just turned it on and the call I got was "it started making funny dinging noises, went black with loads of white writing, and the words files error 32 was on it"

 

In a panic she turned it off, and when she turned it back on, it was just black. Nothing at all showing.

 

Any ideas, bearing in mind any explanation has to be in a language she can do.

[locutus]

I think she may need someone with a bit of tech knowledge to sort this one.

 

"Black screen of death" Is a Windows Vista thing, so 1st thing they'll need the vista install files (this will be either a DVD or a phisical partition on the hard drive... probably access that with one of the "F#" keys when you 1st press the power button.)

 

File Error 32 says the computer cannot access the bit of info that it's looking for, the file is either corrupt or in use or the hard drive is phisically damaged.

 

I've never installed or maintained vista so I can't advise the best way to fix this. My advice... PM Uncle Tezcatlipoca!

[Tezcatlipoca]

Hmmm...tricky without more detail, but this often happens as the result of a corrupted or otherwise bad Windows update.

 

I'll try to keep this as simple as possible, but the first test is ask her to turn off the laptop and unplug everything (and I do mean everything; so mouse, keyboard, network cable, printers, etc.) that's plugged in. She can keep the main power cord in, though.

 

Now switch on. I'm interested in three things:

 

1) Firstly, does it now boot up? If so, let me know. If not, how far does it get?

2) Regardless if it does or doesn't, does she get a black screen right from the start? She should get the POST (Power On Self Test) first, which is a load of white writing on a black background. This is the laptop running through its own diagnostic checks before it tries to load Windows.

3) When the laptop is turned on, what sounds are heard? She should hear the processor fan whirr into life, and she may (if she puts her ear close to the laptop) hear faint 'clicks'. This is the harddrive spindle reading from the disc.

[sea-sidelady]

She has done all this and has the POST on screen. It whirred.

It says "windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt. Windows 32 config system

[Tezcatlipoca]

She has done all this and has the POST on screen. It whirred.

It says "windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt. Windows 32 config system

 

Ok, the good news is that I know exactly what's wrong, and why. The bad news is that Vista isn't my forte. If this was XP, no problem, but Vista makes things harder for us (surprise, surprise!).

 

Essentially, an update was applied to Vista. This either happened because somebody tried to manually update it, or Vista did it because automatic updating is on.E ither way, the update went wrong and now one or more of the laptop's core Windows system files is screwed, preventing it from booting.

 

The solution is to try to repair that damage. She'll need the Vista installation disc for this, which I assume came with the laptop.

 

1. Insert the installation disc.

2. Start the laptop.

3. If prompted, press any key to start Windows from the installation disc.

4. Choose your language settings, and then click Next.

5. Click Repair your computer.

6. Select the operating system you want to repair, and then click Next.

7. On the System Recovery Options menu, run Startup Repair.

 

Vista should now scan its own startup files and replace the damaged ones, afterwhich the laptop should boot again.

 

If it doesn't, let me know.

[sea-sidelady]

I have since found out is is XP she wasn't sure, but had heard some one at work say it could be vista. Told you she was bad with it!

 

Will the advice above work with XP as well as vista?

[sea-sidelady]

Oh and she has no xp disc.

[Tezcatlipoca]

Ok, same issue, different system. The steps are a little different with XP than with Vista, but the ultimate process is the same.

 

The good news is that this is a known - albeit rare - problem with XP, and is very easy to fix. Plus, in the unlikely event I'm not diagnosing the problem correctly, this fix does nothing to harm the system at all, so if it doesn't work we can try something else and won't have made anything worse.

 

The bad news is that you need that disc.

 

Essentially, the problem is that one or more core Windows system files are corrupted, probably as the result of a malformed update. Fresh copies exist on the XP disc, which is why we need to get them off that disc and onto that laptop.

If this were a desktop, we'd have a few other tricky methods of resolving this, but without that disk our life is much harder.

 

So, where does this leave your sister? Realistically she has four options:

 

1) Try to get hold of an XP disc. She only needs it for a short while, so if there's a chance she can borrow it from a friend/neighbour/whatever we can get the repair done.

2) Take it to a computer repair place, who can perform the job for her but will obviously charge. Probably far too much for what - if I'm right about the issue - is a ten minute job anyone can do for free with the disc.

3) She 'could' try sourcing a bootable USB key with XP loaded onto it and run the repair off that, but that is not the preferred method, and if her model of laptop doesn't support bootable USB drives then we're on a non-starter.

4) You could - hypothetically - PM Uncle Tez a UK mainland postal address, who - hypothetically - could 'supply' a copy of an XP disc to you/your sister. Hypothetically, of course.

Edited March 23, 2010 by Tezcatlipoca

[sea-sidelady]

She is'nt in till 7pm, so I will get back to you then.

[spamheed]

The above issue is often sorted very simply by using the last known good configuration, the instructions on this can be found on the microsoft site:

 

How to start your computer by using the Last Known Good Configuration feature in Windows XP

[Tezcatlipoca]

The above issue is often sorted very simply by using the last known good configuration, the instructions on this can be found on the microsoft site:

 

How to start your computer by using the Last Known Good Configuration feature in Windows XP

 

Indeed, but my advice is running on the basis that SSL's sister can't even get that far.

 

If she can, SSL, then your sister should absolutely keep pressing F8 as the system boots up to get the boot options, then select Last Known Good Configuration from the list.

 

This should - in thoery - boot XP using a previous system snapshot, but I'm not hopeful for success, given the nature of the affected file(s).

[spamheed]

Indeed, but my advice is running on the basis that SSL's sister can't even get that far.

 

If she can, SSL, then your sister should absolutely keep pressing F8 as the system boots up to get the boot options, then select Last Known Good Configuration from the list.

 

This should - in thoery - boot XP using a previous system snapshot, but I'm not hopeful for success, given the nature of the affected file(s).

 

 

I have no interests in winning points my friend, If one of the system files in a windows installation has become corrupted or unworkable, the very first thing anyone should try is to restore to the previous good configuration - without exception

 

The Win config and Win32 files are always included in "The last Good Configuration" the clue is in the name .

 

Only if this fails would the OP need access to a Windows disk, one of these "repair" type companies will charge stupid money for what is essentially a simple problem to fix, put the disk in and select the repair option

[Tezcatlipoca]

Heh...slight misreading of my post, but the point is still the same regardless; can your sister get as far as the boot menu, SSL? If so, does the last good configuration work for her, and, if not, do you still require *cough* a copy of the disc *cough*?

[sea-sidelady]

Ok she has done that and nothing. The screen stays the same.

[Tezcatlipoca]

Ok she has done that and nothing. The screen stays the same.

 

Exactly as I suspected. Ok, it makes things slightly trickier, but I'll arrange for a suspciously disc-shaped package to turn up in a day or so and guide you through the rest of the process.

[sea-sidelady]

Thanks uncle Tez.

 

If you ever need a stick of sea side rock let me know!

[Tezcatlipoca]

Thanks uncle Tez.

 

If you ever need a stick of sea side rock let me know!

 

We're not there just yet, but let's hope all goes well.

 

Disc dispatched today by first class post with instructions attached.

[sea-sidelady]

My sister called me last night and was over the moon. She now has a full working computer.

 

Thank you so much for all your help.

[Tezcatlipoca]

My pleasure, and glad she got it working.

 

In a shameless plug for self-promotion, do feel free to tickle the old scales. Or something.

[sea-sidelady]

Already did

 

And well deserved

[royalscot]

Well done tez ....Well done indeed