Black Screen - No safe mode / USB Recovery, still black screen. Ranning out of options.

[SwimmingDino]

My brother's laptop got dropped now it's stuck at startup with a black screen.

OS: Windows 8.1
Type: Lenovo Laptop

- I can't access safe mode.
- It's a Lenovo laptop and it has a Lenovo Recovery menu which I can access.
- I tried doing a system recovery there but I keep getting recovery failed message.
- I tried factory resetting, still got the same recovery failed message.
- Tried the other factory reset method which deletes all files, still the same message.
- I tried plugging a USB Recovery drive and tried booting from it. But all I get is a black screen.

I'm out of ideas on what to do next.

Edit: Additional details:

I used to be able to get to the blue recovery screen where I tried to do a factory reset. Mid factory reset I got a "recovery failed" message and since then have been unable to go back to the blue recovery screen.

I can't access the bios / safe mode. I can only access the Lenovo recovery menu through pressing the recovery button on the left side of the laptop.

I get the "Diagnosing PC" / "Preparing to repair" message at startup when booting normally but anything after that are just black screens.

 

[corroded]

Sounds like a failing HDD... Get Hirens'cd boot disk and run some hardware test on it... The other option is to remove the HDD and slave it onto another computer and test the disk there

 

[turkey3_scratch]

It could very well be the hard drive got damaged. The hard drive is a mechanical part and most prone to getting damaged when dropped.

 

[SwimmingDino]

Even with the Recovery USB plugged if will it still not boot if the hard drive is damaged?

Also I'm about to try that Hiren's cd boot disk.

Will replacing the hard drive fix it?

 

[SwimmingDino]

I tried plugging the laptop hard drive to my main desktop. My desktop would not boot saying some sort of changes happened to my drives, etc. Tried removing it and my desktop was back to normal.

Think it was the laptop's HDD problem? I'm thinking of getting a new HDD but not sure if its the best way. Any advice?

 

[corroded]

Order a set of OEM Recovery disks from the Mfg. Order the best SSD you can afford and Load the base OS onto it from the Disk(s) and upgrade to 10...

 

[SwimmingDino]

Why an SSD, will it fit inside the laptop? I was thinking of getting a Lenovo laptop hard drive. But not sure.

 

[corroded]

SSD will get the fastest response time... You trade space for speed...

 

[SwimmingDino]

Thanks, will order one and will see if it works.