Question Windows boots up to a black screen with system 32 cmd prompt after installing latest AMD graphics drivers.

[David_647]

So I installed the latest AMD graphics drivers so I could play Doom Eternal yesterday and when my PC boots up I get a blackscreen with a command prompt. Typing explorer.exe into the command prompt immediately brings up my desktop and my PC runs fine from then on.

I just recently got an SSD and installed Windows onto that and I've migrated most games and other HDD intensive programs to it so I would really prefer to not have to go to the bother of reformatting everything since all I have is the inconvenience of manually starting explorer every time my PC gets switched on on or is restarted. Are there any other ways to possibly fix this? Considering that Windows seems to be intact reformatting it seems like going straight to the "take off and nuke it from orbit" option.

Edit:
For the sake of transparency I acquired Doom Eternal which I installed just before the drivers from 'the high seas' as I can't currently afford the retail price, my only other option would have been to use a site like "cdkeys" though it's no secret that alot of their game keys are bought using scammed gift cards so I figured a free demo of single player and buying multilayer when there's a sale would be the lesser of two evils, I would rather affect the "projected profits" of a big company like Bethesda be a cog in the machine of scamming and money laundering of elderly and vulnerable individuals although I admit neither is a morally optimal choice.

 

[onespeedbiker]

Found this
Navigate to the run box and type msconfig and hit enter

Note: You may see it running in task manager but not see a window for it. If this happens you will have to hit ALT-TAB until you get the system config screen on top. It may take a few tries.

Now make sure the following is clicked on the general tab.

Normal Startup

Now click the boot Tab at top.
Make sure Safe Boot Is unchecked.
** If Safe Boot is checked and Alternate shell is selected, this is a sign of a possible malware kidnapping. Most likely before this happened you got a message saying your system is infected please call 888-558-2612 or some such message.

Make sure no other check boxes are selected on this screen.

Click the Apply button.

If your screen starts flashing a bit, hit ALT-TAB, you are looking for a dialog box asking you to restart.

When you see the restart dialog box click Okay.

Your system should now restart and run normal for you. Once it is back, I would encourage you to run a virus and malware scan. If you do not have the appropriate software, do a search on cnet and they will have some good pointers on software for you

 

[David_647]

I tried what you suggested however it doesn't seem to have any effect.
Ms config is set to "selective startup" rather than "normal startup" and changing and restarting my PC simply reverts it back to "selective startup" from "normal startup" so this may well be the issue.
I've not encountered any ransomware sites (dial this number to have a tech support scammer fleece you) whist browsing and if it is malware causing the issue (AVG did quarantine a file yesterday too, (users/username/appdata/roaming/firewallmodule/Windows firewallmodule.exe) I removed the file from quarantine when I saw this issue last night as it was right after I restarted because of the AMD drivers and AVG detects false positives all the time (I also couldn't find any info for it online) and put it back in quarantine tonight in case it was the cause of these issues but it doesn't seem to have resolved the problem.

If it is malware (assuming nothing more troublesome is going on in the background) it really does seem like ransomware or someone's idea of a minor annoyance as typing in "explorer* isn't really a backbreaking task.

Thanks for the reply and any further help would always be appreciated. I'll see if AMD graphics drivers cause this issue. AMD/ATI graphics drivers have always had a bit of a dice roll to them when installing which is why I don't update them often.

 

[ex_bubblehead]

.....For the sake of transparency I acquired Doom Eternal which I installed just before the drivers from 'the high seas' as I can't currently afford the retail price.....

Your reasons are irrelevant. Piracy is piracy and will not be encouraged here by providing any sort of support.