Screen appears black at startup, cursor remains visible
Screen appears black at startup, cursor remains visible
Hey there. I built my own gaming PC. The main issue is a black screen during startup. When I power on, the Windows icon appears with the wheel spinning. On the sign-in page, my screen flickers black and then goes completely dark. I can move the cursor around but can’t log in or use CTRL + ULT + DEL to open Task Manager. Booting into safe mode works—sign in then restart—but it still shows Windows and requires me to restart again if I don’t use the PC. If you need more details, just let me know.
Your system is running Windows. It was functioning prior to this issue. You attempted Win+P twice with a 10-second pause.
Hi, thank you for your message. I understand you're experiencing issues with your Windows 8.1 installation. Have you tried using the Windows Update feature or reinstalling the operating system? Also, let me know if you've used any third-party tools like Win+P—what exactly is it and how does it function?
Win+P adjusts the graphics card output. On the login screen, only one display appears, which may indicate a dual-monitor setup issue. If this doesn't resolve the problem, press the reset button during Windows 8.1 startup and repeat three times. This should trigger a recovery boot. If that fails, proceed to Safe mode with reduced visuals. There, install your graphics card drivers, restart, and test functionality.
This situation is unusual. I've never restarted my system and then booted it up without issues. After reading your advice, I decided to power off and restart it again. Surprisingly, it worked this time—no clear reason, but it seems to be resolving on its own now. Thanks for the guidance! I'll check back later to see if it stays stable.
Windows Update started automatically, applying the latest patches. Likely added your graphics card drivers as well.
Verify your video cable connection is secure. Consider using another connector. Let's eliminate that first. Also, ensure you have the most recent drivers installed for all components, such as the graphics card, and restart your device. If the cursor remains visible during flickering, proceed to check further.
Cables are properly connected. My drivers should be current, and I have GeForce experience for updating my graphics card. The latest driver version is installed. The only concern is whether my motherboard might need an update, though it’s unclear if that would cause any issues. The mouse becomes visible during the flicker.