/ Blank screen at startup

Blank screen at startup

A friend of mine is having a computer problem. Normally to turn her computer on I’d press the button on the monitor, the button on the modem, the hard drive, and then the screen would ask for her password. Now, nothing is coming up on the screen, just blank. The screen is not broken as a small Samsung logo appears. I spoke to a helpful person at BigPond and they said due to the fact that she has never cleared or backed up ever that the problem lies with the hard drive.

Susan Keenan Hopefully we can solve this problem with a few simple steps. Read through these troubleshooting tips and start with the one that you are most comfortable attempting. If you can hear noises coming from the computer, the hard drive is attempting to work. If you don’t hear any sound from computer, it is a power related problem. Start with the strategy that is designed to fix the type of problem that the computer might be experiencing.

Power Related Issue

Check the outlet or cord for all devices to ensure that everything is hooked up properly.

If the monitor is not connecting fully, the cable to the computer might be loose. If you know that the power is working, then move on to these other strategies.

Boot Up into Safe Mode

Let’s see if you can get the computer to boot up in safe mode. This is the simplest start up since it uses the fewest number of drivers, files, etc. Hopefully this will work and if it does, you might want to complete the next set of directions to correct any problems with the hard drive. Follow these steps:

Turn the computer power button on.
Immediately begin to press the “F8″ key on the keyboard until you notice activity.
Select the option that is labeled “Last Known Good Configuration.”
Select “Enter.”

Run the “chkdsk” Utility

If you run the “chkdsk” utility, it should correct any existing disk errors that might have led to this problem. The “chkdsk” utility checks for problems related to lost clusters, bad sectors directory errors, and cross-linked files. Follow these steps:

Navigate to and click on “Start.”
Click on “Run.”
Type in “cmd”
Press on “Enter.”
As the prompt appears, type in “chkdsk volume:/r” This strategy will recover readable information. It will also locate bad sectors and repair errors.

Boot from the Installation Disk

If you cannot boot up in “Safe Mode,” but the computer came with an installation disk that is still available, you should be able to boot up using it. Once you begin, you can choose the “repair” option and you don’t lose any of your friend’s data. Follow these simple directions:

Insert the “installation disk” into the drive and turn the computer power on.
Choose the option “Press any key to boot from disk.”
When the prompt appears, select “install.”
Select the options “language” and “keyboard.”
When the prompt appears, select “Repair your computer.”
When the prompt appears, select “Startup Repair.”
If “Startup Repair” does not resolve the issue, redo this strategy and select “System Restore.”