Windows boot up but only black screen.

I've had this problem for the past few days. My computer knowledge is very low so I thought I ask.

Since Thursday when I boot my computer, it goes to the windows boot screen telling my if I want to boot in safe mode or last good config. I choose last good config and windows logo appears, takes longer than normal, then I get a black screen. I can still move my mouse, but thats it. I even lets it sit there for 10 minutes and still nothing. I booted in safe mode, same promblem.

Now for about 2 months, I get a pop-up telling my my nvidia card has been put on lowest settings because its not getting enough power. For the past 3 weeks I've heard a clicking sound inside my computer off and on. I listened to it and heard something power up and down over and over. Sounded like it was coming from my HD.

What I have:

3.0 ghz p4
2 gigs of ram
dvd rom drive
dvd drive to burn dvds
128mb 6600gt nvidia
120 gig hd
320 gig hd
ati tv wonder capture card
firewire pci card
no name brand soundcard

and a 420 watt ps <--- is that the problem?

Could be the PSU if it's a crappy one. What brand is it?


Otherwise the clicking and not loading would point to a HD failure, but that doesn't explain the nvidia popup.


Have you been messing around inside your comp lately? Make sure all the cables are connected firmly.

If you're not using your graphics card to it's potential, I'd suggest changing the psu anyway.

Your HDD clicking, may also support your system isn't receiving enough power (hopefully your HDD isn't on its way out)

So upgrade your PSU, and don't skimp.

Worst case scenario, you get to run your games at higher settings.
Best case, it solves all your problems.

i have an Okia brand psu. Ive had my computer for 2 1/2 years now. I recently upgraded to a extra hd, another gig a ram in june. I got my video card
last december.

I have made sure my connections are connected firmly, still the same problem.

Ill change my psu when i get some extra cash to spare. Ill post results.

Before you go too far and buy something you don't need like a new PSU, lets rule out some things first!!

You said you just got this problem recently in past few days so I assume you are saying with this same existing rig, before a few days ago, you had no issues with it going to the black screen, correct??

Unplug your DVD burner, ATi capture card and one of your HDs and see if you still get this problem... If you don't then its more likely a power issue; but if you do the power issue is not as likely...

I know you said you checked all your connections; you need to also reseat your Vid Card, Sound Card, and Memory.. Check also your heatsink and fan to make sure tight over CPU...

Will try that tonight and yes, this is the exact same rig and have never had this problem. Now my pc would randomly turn off. It would happen every now and then, then it would happen all the time when too many processes would run. BTW, the night before I had the problem, my computer was extremely slow. Took 1-2 minutes just to pull a program up, and I could hear the power up,then power down sound.

Sorry for not giving all the info the first time, all this is coming back to me.

edit - So I removed my sound card, capture card, and my one of my dvd drives. Same problem. So I removed my slave drive. Booted up, tell me DISK BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER. I enter my xp pro disk. Boot from CD, has a flashing message, DISK BOOT FAILURE, INSERT SYSTEM DISK AND PRESS ENTER.

I connected back my slave drive and booted from disk, went into the setup screen and chose repair console. Restarted the machine.

Same problem. So I believe its now my hdd. Could the psu made it die like this?

If you unplugged the hard drive which has your windows partition on, you will get that error message.

That error message doesn't mean anything is wrong in your case

Now for about 2 months, I get a pop-up telling my my nvidia card has been put on lowest settings because its not getting enough power.

Sheesh, too many problems to count. PEBKAC anyone? ;) Now why didn't you try finding the source of this problem before letting it get to the way it is now? Is this a name-brand or custom-built PC? Is there a power cable plugged into the video card? That is the only way I could see you getting a message like that if the vid card wasn't plugged in with a molex.

Took 1-2 minutes just to pull a program up, and I could hear the power up,then power down sound.
Hard drives generally don't go bad in this manner. It is much more likely that the hard drive has a bad molex connector. Try switching it to a different one to see if that solves the problem.

Overall though, definitely sounds like you need a new PSU.

Hey Turtle, when you figure out the prob, let us know so we can all learn, thanks...

well i tried everything everyone has advised me. I built this rig in 2004.
I still get the windows logo, then get the black screen and my mouse cursor. I can't even move my mouse anymore.

Recap - Took out everything except video card, hard drives, and my
dvd rom
- Switched out my IDE cable
- Switched out the molex's

Well I was going to buy a new psu when I got some spare cash. For the time being is it a lost cause? Or should I reformat my hdd?

edit - Could something be overheating?

Go to the BIOS under PC health or whatever and see what the + rail voltages are. I'm guessing they are outside of a 5% margin. You need a new PSU.

Final Update:

I got me a new psu, 500 watt thermaltake on sale on newegg. Started it up, same problem. Reformatted the hd, half of the files would not copy correctly. Windows loaded up fine, could see the desktop, but most stuff didnt work.

Changed my hd out with a extra I found. Everything works. So it was hd that crapped out. I had it about a year and a half, it was a western digital.

I needed the new psu anyway, so it was all good. Big THANKS to everyone who helped me!!!!

Hard drives generally don't go bad in this manner. It is much more likely that the hard drive has a bad molex connector. Try switching it to a different one to see if that solves the problem.I'm not trying to be a dick or anything, but in my personal experience with bad hard drives (mine and friends' that I have looked at), they have failed in the same manner. Repetitive clicking followed by the drive spinning up and down, programs loading very slowly (if at all.)

I'm not trying to be a dick or anything, but in my personal experience with bad hard drives (mine and friends' that I have looked at), they have failed in the same manner. Repetitive clicking followed by the drive spinning up and down, programs loading very slowly (if at all.)
Were they all Western Digitals (or IBM perhaps hehe)? Prior to the 2 I own now, I've only owned 1 WD and it failed in a similar way (and within a month of ownership). But that is the only drive I've had do that other than problems caused by a bad molex or whatever. Since WD's RMA process dicked me over, I never bought a drive from them for 5 or 6 years until just recently. And I'm regretting it since one or both of the drives will just make a randomly loud re-calibration click in the middle of nowhere for no reason and it pisses me the fuck off. Internal read/write mechanisms should fail way before power mechanisms though--and that may or may not cause clicking noises as the drive attempts to re-calibrate, but powering on and off should be far less common.