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Laptop will start but not display Win logon

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NeilCh

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Posted March 8, 2013 at 9:32AM

I have an Asus laptop with Win7. Recently it hasn't been booting up to the Windows login screen. However it does display that it's Launching Windows but then returns to a blank/black screen with just the mouse pointer. The HDD light shows something is still busy but then that goes out leaving the laptop at this screen with pointer and not going any further. I've then re-booted and used F8 to get to the list of commands. I have then tried almost all the commands available including 'Boot with last good configuration' and 'Safe modes' with no success. It hasn't been dropped but the user/son said it started running a Win update but he powered down and it hadn't finished. Any advice please would be gratefully received. Many thanks in advance.

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Secret-Squirrel

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Posted March 8, 2013 at 10:15AM

"........and used F8 to get to the list of commands. I have then tried almost all the commands available including 'Boot with last good configuration' and 'Safe modes' with no success."

Do you get the option for "Repair your computer" which is usually at the top of the list? If you do then select it, follow the prompts until you reach this screen then select "System Restore". Choose an available restore date when everything was working fine.

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NeilCh

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Posted March 8, 2013 at 10:58AM

Many thanks for your advice Mr Squirrel. Unfortunately whilst that option does exist, the use of it results in the same blank/black screen with the mouse pointer. The dialog box you have provided does not appear.

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Fruit Bat /\0/\

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Posted March 8, 2013 at 11:39AM

Burn yourself a linux live cd boot the machine from it and get off all your pectures documents etc.

Then do a factory resore on the machine

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NeilCh

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Posted March 8, 2013 at 12:26PM

How do I do a factory resore?

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Woolwell

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Posted March 8, 2013 at 12:48PM

Which model of Asus laptop? It could be by pressing F9 during post.

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NeilCh

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Posted March 8, 2013 at 4:42PM

Thanks Woolwell. F9 did helpand did highlight 2 memory issues. Now I get an Asus wallpaper background instead of a blank background. A command box also appears although the string in the title is X:\windows\system32\cmd.exe and I would have expected C:\ etc.

When pressing F8 on boot, I no loger get a Repair PC option. All others are there but I still get the Asus screen only with the mouse and CMD prompt. Right/clicking does nothing. Win start button doesn't launch the menu. Ctrl+Alt+Delete doesn't bring up anything ie Task Manager.

One thing I didn't notice earlier is that before the pressing of F8, the screen displays a message of Exiting PXE61 Media Test Failure Check Cable; PXE-MOF Exiting PXE.ROM

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Fruit Bat /\0/\

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Posted March 8, 2013 at 4:49PM

PXE61 Media Test Failure Check Cable; PXE-MOF Exiting PXE.ROM

That sounds as if if trying to boot from a network drive because it cannot find the boot files on your hard drive.

Repairing the Master Boot Record

AS you are at the command prompt

If you want to restore the master boot record, you can simply type in the following command:

bootrec /fixmbr

You can also write a new boot sector onto the system partition with this command (which is often more useful):

bootrec /fixboot

Shut down the machine and ten see if it will boot into windows.

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NeilCh

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Posted March 8, 2013 at 5:00PM

Thanks but when I boot in any mode (but Safe with CMD for example) I cannot type anything into the command box. Nothing appears when trying to type, just a flashing cursor.

And if I boot without going into safe mode, it boots to Windows and doesn't 'stay' at the cmd prompt.

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Fruit Bat /\0/\

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Posted March 8, 2013 at 5:04PM

A command box also appears although the string in the title is X:\windows\system32\cmd.exe

What happens when you press enter at this point?

If you get a cmd window up then do as per my previous post

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NeilCh

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Posted March 8, 2013 at 5:16PM

Afraid nothing at the CMD prompt. I click in the box and type - nothing. I hit return and still nothing. I can get a cmd prompt if I press F10 at boot but although I can type in the above it unfortunately makes no change and actually blue screens instead.

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