Old XP Computer Boots to Black Screen and Blinking Cursor

[p_l]

What are the best steps to take to try to go about fixing this?

When I fire up this old XP machine, I get the blue HP splash screen, then just a black screen with a blinking cursor.

[jagabo]

Try a boot floppy or CD/DVD. You may need to change the boot order in the BIOS. Can you get to the BIOS?

[p_l]

Yes, I can get into the BIOS, and the boot order is now floppy, then CD/DVD, then HDD, then network.

Do you mean try to boot from the original XP install CD? Then what?

Is the problem software or hardware, most likely? Could it be just the 10-year-old tired out power supply?

In the past, I've been able to boot to an Acronis rescue disc, then reinstall an Acronis backup image I had made, but then the next time I reboot, there's the blinking cursor on the black screen.

[aedipuss]

sounds more like the hard drive died.

[rwmol]

Possible power supply failure.

[jagabo]

Yes, I can get into the BIOS, and the boot order is now floppy, then CD/DVD, then HDD, then network.

Do you mean try to boot from the original XP install CD? Then what?

Yes. If you can boot the install CD you probably have a drive problem. Probably not a motherboard, memory, cpu, power supply, graphics card problem.

In the past, I've been able to boot to an Acronis rescue disc, then reinstall an Acronis backup image I had made, but then the next time I reboot, there's the blinking cursor on the black screen.

That's where you are now? Or are you talking about some other incident?

If that's where you are now I would try booting the XP install CD, and perform a repair reinstall. That will reinstall Windows without removing your data or programs.

[Bjs]

Enter bios and check hd settings ... this could be a bug related to an update for ahci which caused this issue on many systems over a year ago ... set hd to ata and not ahci mode.

[rwmol]

If you can't boot the Bios, still probable power supply.

[ranchhand]

Just for giggles, set your 1st boot device to hard drive, save (F10) and reboot. See what happens.

[p_l]

Thanks, guys. Right now, I'm at 63% progress in this:

Run Error-Checking:
- Boot from your XP CD
- When given the option press "R" to load the Recovery Console
- Once you select your Windows installation and enter the administrator password (If you have one. Press enter for no password.), run: chkdsk /r /p
- Restart your computer and boot from your hard drive

We'll see.

I'll try booting straight to the HDD as soon as it finishes. I'll also try setting hd to ata and not ahci mode.

I'm kind of doubtful about it being an HDD failure, because I'm pretty sure a while ago I tried cloning the original C: drive to a brand new HDD. Same problem.

A repair reinstall is different from the Recovery Console, right?

I also have a couple of spare power supplies lying around, if none of the configuration/software solutions work.

[jagabo]

A repair reinstall is different from the Recovery Console, right?

Yes. You continue past the question about the recovery console and elect to install Windows. The installer will see that you already have Windows installed and will ask if you want to attempt a repair. If it doesn't ask about that, DO NOT continue with a reinstall. It will overwrite your previous install and you will lose all your programs and settings. There are some ways of getting around the problem of it not asking for the repair reinstall. Google for them.

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm
http://pcsupport.about.com/od/operatingsystems/ss/instxprepair1.htm

[Backpain]

I am not a computer expert but I know that a blinking cursor is not a power supply issue. It is very possible that you may have a hardware failure that is leading to the "blue screen of death" and then to the black screen with a blinking cursor. Try removing all of the add-in cards and even try a different video card. You know, repair by substitution method.

[p_l]

A repair reinstall is different from the Recovery Console, right?

Yes. You continue past the question about the recovery console and elect to install Windows. The installer will see that you already have Windows installed and will ask if you want to attempt a repair. If it doesn't ask about that, DO NOT continue with a reinstall. It will overwrite your previous install and you will lose all your programs and settings. There are some ways of getting around the problem of it not asking for the repair reinstall. Google for them.

Here's where I'm stuck now. It does not see that I have a previous version of Windows installed. My XP CD is the Upgrade version. It asks me to insert my CD for my previous version of Windows (ME, Windows 98, etc.) I do, and I can proceed to the next screen, but then I don't don't get a Repair option, only the option to Install.

[ranchhand]

Sorry to be a nag... did you try to set 1st boot device to HD, and what happened? Also, did you try to boot to Safe Mode? Reason I ask is that if it will boot in safe mode, then you know that something is being loaded that is preventing boot. That would be a big help. On the other hand, if it still will not boot in Safe Mode you know that none of your software is causing this and that points to hardware. BTW- if a hard drive fails, you will get the message, "Insert bootable disk and reboot computer" or words to that effect. You aren't getting that.

Try resetting the BIOS back to factory defaults; I have had corrupted BIOS settings do exactly what you are experiencing. You can unplug the computer, remove the CMOS battery. There will be a small jumper that you move to one side, wait 20 seconds and move back into position. It is usually located somewhere near the battery; see your mainboard manual (hopefully you still have it). Reinsert the battery (be careful, don't reverse the polarity!) and reboot. You may be pleasantly surprised.

Another thing you can do is to rebuild your Master Boot Record (MBR); sometimes they corrupt from hardware crashes and virus attacks. Just follow the "Run Error Checking" steps you did above, but when you reach the C:\command prompt type:
FIXMBR, hit enter
Reboot.
If no joy, then rebuild the boot.ini file, which is a hidden Windows file that identifies in what folder, on which partition, and on which hard drive Windows is located. At the C:\ prompt type:
bootcfg /rebuild (one space after bootcfg) hit enter
Reboot

[MOVIEGEEK]

p_l wrote:

I'm kind of doubtful about it being an HDD failure, because I'm pretty sure a while ago I tried cloning the original C: drive to a brand new HDD. Same problem.

and

Here's where I'm stuck now. It does not see that I have a previous version of Windows installed. My XP CD is the Upgrade version. It asks me to insert my CD for my previous version of Windows (ME, Windows 98, etc.) I do, and I can proceed to the next screen, but then I don't don't get a Repair option, only the option to Install.

That right there sounds like the OS is mucked up, time for a clean install. Hopefully you don't have important files on the HDD, if you do you might be able to use it as an external drive and recover the files.

[p_l]

I tried setting the 1st boot device to the hard drive. No joy.

I'm not seeing any prompts to boot in safe mode.

I'm also finding that just loading the Recovery Console is a problem. Half the time it stalls part way through or errors out saying this or that file is missing, just while trying to load the Recovery Console from my XP CD.

When it does succeed in loading:

In the recovery console, I'm not getting just a C: prompt. It reads:

1:

Which Windows installation would you like to log into?

My only choice, besides Cancel, then is to enter 1, and now the DOS prompt reads

C:\Windows>

I tried fixmbr. Rebooted, no joy.

I tried bootcfg /rebuild. I get

First, "Scanning all disks for windows installations. Please wait
since this may take a while..." Then, after 10-15 seconds, I get: "Error:
Failed to successfully scan disks for windows installations. This error may
be caused by a corrupt file system, which would prevent bootcfg from
successfully scanning. Use chkdsk to detect any disk errors. Note: This
operation must complete successfully in order for the /add or /rebuild
commands to be utilized.

I'm now running chkdsk /r /p again ...

[aedipuss]

bad hard drive cable?

maybe remove the drive and use a usb adapter to plug it into another computer to see if there are any files on it, it may be totally corrupted.

[p_l]

bad hard drive cable?

maybe remove the drive and use a usb adapter to plug it into another computer to see if there are any files on it, it may be totally corrupted.

Interesting you should mention that. Just a few days ago, I had a much more recent computer giving me boot up problems. I thought I narrowed it down to 3 things: I changed out the power supply from the 350W OEM to a Cooler Master 500w (I had 4 internal 2 or 3 TB drives and BD burner sucking up juice, among other things), I swapped out a PCI internal SATA card for a new one, and I changed and/or reseated some potentially loose SATA cables. Now everything's fine, but I'm not sure which of the actions or combinations thereof did the trick.

In the case of the present XP machine, though, it's pre-SATA - strictly IDE ribbon cables.

[davexnet]

Take a look at this thread, they had similar symptoms, their problem was a corrupted NTLDR file.
Once they replaced it with a good copy, they were back in business.

http://www.geekstogo.com/forum/topic/159277-xp-wont-boot-blinking-cursor-with-blank-sc...7#entry1820227

[MOVIEGEEK]

maybe remove the drive and use a usb adapter to plug it into another computer to see if there are any files on it, it may be totally corrupted.

That's what I was alluding to in my previous post. Once connected as an external drive he could run CHKDSK, defrag and SFC.exe(need XP disc).

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812232002

[Nelson37]

Booting from that CD should work EVERY TIME.

Disconnect the power cable from the hard drive, disconnect the data cable from the mobo. Then boot from that CD 5-6 times.

If it fails, just once, then either you have a bad CD or a second problem. Get a second CD and test that as well. The hard drive MUST be disconnected to remove it from the equation. Power supply a likely problem, simply because they fail the most often.

If you get 5-6 good boots, then re-connect the HD and try 5-6 more. If you get failures, then the HD is either mechanically bad or MASSIVELY corrupted. No repair install advisable. Recover files, format, re-install.

[aedipuss]

ide ribbon cables fail also, usually where they're folded/bent or at the connectors. make sure to use an 80 wire replacement and test it.

[p_l]

chkdsk /r /p stalled out at 58%.

I tried running this guy's 10-step bootable repair CD. By steps 3 through 10, all I was getting was:

Windows could not start because of a computer disk hardware configuration problem. Could not read from the selected boot disk. Check boot path and disk hardware. Please check the Windows documentation about hardware disk configuration and your hardware reference manuals for additional information.

Yup, like some of you guys, I'm more and more thinking hardware. Looks like I'll be cracking this puppy open and starting with disconnecting anything non-essential and trying to boot. If no joy, I'll try swapping out IDE ribbon cables, then the power supply.

It is an old machine that was my always-on workhorse for a good 8 years, and the problems rebooting started showing up gradually, not all of a sudden. It used to be that an Acronis backup image reinstall would work, but now even that won't reboot. Also, the noise from the machine seems a little off, like in the wrong key or something.

[Nelson37]

Very high odds it's a bad drive. 8 years old, get another one if you decide to repair the PC. Questionable whether it's worth it.

[p_l]

That was my first thought, too. But now the drive is relatively new. I cloned the original C: drive to a brand new one a while back, but that didn't seem to change anything. That's why I went to thinking bad boot sector files, but now I'm thinking more along the lines of IDE cables and/or power supply.

[p_l]

maybe remove the drive and use a usb adapter to plug it into another computer to see if there are any files on it, it may be totally corrupted.

That's what I was alluding to in my previous post. Once connected as an external drive he could run CHKDSK, defrag and SFC.exe(need XP disc).

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812232002

Also, while I have the machine open, I'll try hooking the drive up to one of those adapters (I have one) and doing what you suggest, just to be sure.

[ranchhand]

I suggest downloading (free) the Seagate SeaTools for Windows from their website ) just Google it. It will check any manufacture drive, I use it all the time. Download the ISO, burn to CD and boot with it, try the quick test first. If it passes, do the long test. Just because your drive is new doesn't mean it works.

[classfour]

NOT Power Supply.

Likely hard drive related.

CPU RAM and Video will typically yield BSOD or quick shutdown.

Black screen and flashing cursor almost always point to boot (HDD) disc failure or corruption.

If the drive is viable mechanically (use the vendor's testing software to check) you have a Windows boot sector or loading issue. If Windows will not initiate an install (which wipes out all of your stuff) from scratch - your HDD is dead-bad.

If you have a friend with a hard disc interface, they can check the integrity of the drive.

If the drive is making clicky-clicky sounds and cannot be found, read, writen to, or is otherwise uncooperative: DEAD

[classfour]

Also: Ranchhand has good advice - look into it. WD, Seagate, Maxtor offer HDD testing programs.

[p_l]

Good tip, thanks. Certainly worth trying. Found it, downloaded it, burned it, ran it (short and long tests), passed both.