Windows 8.1 stuck on black screen with cursor after login

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Kidneybot

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Sep 28, 2014
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Not sure why this is happening. Everything was fine on my PC last night, I haven't installed anything new recently, etc. I turned it on this morning and Windows boots fine and everything, I can even enter my password but after that I'm stuck on a black screen with my mouse. I can move the cursor around and go to press CTRL+ALT+DEL but the task manager will freeze when I open it.

I've tried the following:

  • Booting into safe mode with command prompt to do a verification scan. it detected no violations.

    Booting into safe mode with networking. The same thing happened, black screen with just my cursor.

    Performing a system restore. It didn't change anything.

Where should I go from here? I don't know why this is happening and I really hope I don't have to lose everything and start over for no good reason.

My PC specs:
Windows 8.1 Pro (was on latest update)
CPU: AMD A6-6400K 3.9 GHz
Motherboard: ASRock FM2A55M
GPU: ASUS Radeon HD 7950
RAM: 8.0 GB
 
Solution
After restoring my pc to the pre-patch state, i was able to install these succesfully by taking the following steps:
1. Reboot into safe mode with command prompt
2. Delete fntcache.dat from c:\windows\system32
3. Reboot back to windows 8.1. The fntcache.dat file is auto-recreated.
4. Install the two famous updates and pray
I believe the theory expressed above about some older font cache format may be correct, and probably microsoft didnt test compatibility with it... So only when you have a 'freshly created' fontcache right before the patch it works correctly...

Sombrabrz

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Oct 20, 2014
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After restoring my pc to the pre-patch state, i was able to install these succesfully by taking the following steps:
1. Reboot into safe mode with command prompt
2. Delete fntcache.dat from c:\windows\system32
3. Reboot back to windows 8.1. The fntcache.dat file is auto-recreated.
4. Install the two famous updates and pray
I believe the theory expressed above about some older font cache format may be correct, and probably microsoft didnt test compatibility with it... So only when you have a 'freshly created' fontcache right before the patch it works correctly...
 
Solution

Newbie10011

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Jan 26, 2015
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I tried rebooting and it worked last night. Today I got the black screen again. does it have anything to do with the PC Clean Maestro? I don't know what it is but it keeps popping up, and now I have the black screen. what else can I try? I really don't want to lose my files.

Thank you.
 

Tonny0

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Jan 20, 2015
6
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Something wrong with your hard drive. I have the same problem in Windows 7. I send it to a repair store to fix it and they just reinstall the system. Any way, it works.
 

apg451

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Jan 30, 2015
1
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I've got the same pb this morning a long time spent in enquiring..
The way out wasfor me to type in CTRL-ALT-DEL sequence then select task manager then in processes tab check icon windows explorer if more than one exists end tasks until only one remains then try to restart the remaining one right clicking then if the startup page doesn't come up yet go into file menu and run explorer.exe. Should improve a lot however when restarting black screen is still coming and you need to do it again..

Best wishes
 

joooosh

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Feb 12, 2015
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Open task manger, in process tab there is a multi colored box labeled Microsoft based script or Microsoft based screen. end that task. screen should come back up
 

Magic_Al

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Feb 12, 2015
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Open task manager using ctrl-alt-del. Close all instances of explorer.exe and then File->run new task->"explorer.exe"
Whilst you have task manager open have a look to see if Vosteran is running. If it is then that is probably the problem.
Google how to uninstall and then live happily ever after
 

Cicada52

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Feb 18, 2015
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This was happening to me on a brand new desktop and I hadn't been able to find a solution. Today I happened to be uploading some new security software, which required me to uninstall the McAfee that came with it. Poof! As soon as the McAfee was gone, so was the problem. Starts and runs quickly now.
 

Lukz82

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Mar 6, 2015
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I'd been having the same problem and I found the dumbest solution - that worked perfectly for me.

MY CASE:
I had just upgraded from win 7 (32bits) to win 8.1 pro (64 bits). Instalation went fine, but I couldn't set a decent display resolution, so I figured I should install the latest drives for my GeForce GTS 250. After installing and restarting, I found myself stuck on this green screen with nothing on it (I had chosen green as my enviroment color during instalation). It felt like Windows was there, but I just couldn't see it, and there was nothing I could do.

I ended up doing a fresh reinstall, and this time I decided to update Windows with the stuff Microsoft said was good for me.
After restarting, I ended up on the same screen, only now it was blue, cause I changed my mind and now I like blue better.

So the problem was not exactly the graphic driver, but anything I installed that required restarting.
I spent several hours reading forums, just to find out lots of people had this problem, although I could't find any convincing solution.
During the process, I reinstalled Windows 4 times, and always ended up with the same problem.

At some point, I tried turning off the computer and then on again, not restarting, and surprisingly it worked just fine and I could log in and see my desktop and everything.
Then I decided to restart without installing anything, just to check it out. And I ended up on the blank screen again.
So the problem was not installing anything, but simply restarting.

I was surprised, and still had the feeling that Windows was there, although I couldn't see it. So I started pressing every key posible again, which accidentaly turned on the speach feature. It started describing the login screen that I couldn't see, and eventualy I managed to type my password in the right place.

Then I logged in, the desktop appeared and... I magically had this 1920x1080 resolution!
I checked my display configuration on Control Panel, and found out that, after restarting, Windows had recognized my LED TV (conected by HDMI) as my main screen and my regular display as the secondary screen. So, all the time, the login screen was on my (turned off) TV, and I was looking at a blank secondary display.

I felt really dumb after hours of driving myself crazy for such a ridiculous thing, but also proud I could fix it on my own =)

MY SOLUTION:
Simply disconnect any other screens (probably a TV) from the computer before booting. (Easy solution)

Or you can also tipe (Windows + U) to turn on the narrator, use space bar for tabbing between stuff and find out where to type your password (remember number lock might be off, so just don't use the number pad). Press enter, log in and reconfigure the damn display options.

Hope this ridiculous solution work for someone else.
 

squirrelonfire

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Sep 25, 2008
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This works for me. Thanks so much. I haven't worked anywhere that people actually use Windows 8.1 in their company. Now I know why, it blows
 

Ratsle

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Apr 9, 2015
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Thanks Guys

This just happened to me as well after windows did some overnight update.

Running appwiz.cpl from task manager and uninstalling StartisBack fixed it for me too.
 

traderstar1

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Apr 19, 2015
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yepp worked for me too

just uninstalled "classic shell" app and rebootet my pc.

works like a charme!

lov u guys :D

finally after wasting lots of hours, you are the best!
 

RSV Menon

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May 2, 2015
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I had the problem of black screen after login- only cursor-ctrl,alt,det show the various options. Mac book pro 13" normal upgraded to yosmite - bootcamp win 8.1.

The solution: Press ctrl,alt del- from the menu ,select task manager- file-run type explorer.exe,the normal window appears.
 

Joniostis

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Oct 13, 2013
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10,710
Had the same problem, ran a new task in task manager "explorer.exe" that got my screen back to normal, then uninstalled StartisBack, rebooted and everything works perfect again now. Without uninstalling StartisBack I had to run the explorer.exe task eveytime I boot.

Thanks for the tips
 
May 8, 2015
1
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4,510
birmingham computer shop Post

- turn on laptop and go as far as you can before the black screen appears. Once it appears press Ctrl alt and delete
-click on task manager
- click on file and new task then type msconfig
- then click on the boot tab and check the box that says safe boot
- Then restart the laptop
Once back on it will be in safe mode-
Click on the control panel - uninstall programmes , then on the left it should say view installed updates
Click on that.
- look for the security updates which ends in 5999 And/Or 5131 then uninstall it
Once uninstalled press Ctrl alt and delete and repeat the first steps but take it out of safe boot by unchecking the box. Then restart.
- once restarted as normal go to start menu and type in search box to check for updates
- you may need to let in search for new updates
- the security update ending 999 will appear as an important update
Right click on it and hide the update
Job done.
 

Mikevenx

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May 15, 2015
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Thanks a million.. I thought i went crazy: uninstalling drivers, restore points, almost formatted my laptop. Found out thanks to you guys to uninstall startisback+. This worked like a charm. Unbelievable! Thanks so much
 

Skrell

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Feb 21, 2013
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Can you please list the 2 "famous updates" you're referring to? I have this same stupid problem!
 
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