KSOD problem

[PraiseJeebus]

Hi I'm having a little bother with a Windows vista laptop, it's booting to a KSOD and regardless to what I have tried it is still booting to the KSOD. I cannot get to any version of safe mode there are no restore points, I have no idea where to look next. All idea's or solutions greatfully accepted.
Thanks in advance
Paul

 

[mjbasford]

Have you tested any hardware yet...

Tried a live cd...

 

[PraiseJeebus]

All Hardware tested ok.

What could I try in a live cd? and what live disc to use?

I'm assuming its an update problem or maybe not?
Thanks

 

[TLE]

Do you get the mouse cursor and the black screen, or just the black screen?

You really need to give more detail as to what you have done in your diagnostic procedure. I am not being harsh, but were not here to do the leg work for you. Outline what you have tested, how you have tested and the results. Then the good folks at TN can start to help you.

 

[B Trevathan]

Basic diagnostic procedure: Booting to a live CD

What could I try in a live cd? and what live disc to use?

Booting to a live CD will help you determine if it is a hardware or software problem, if you have the same problem when you try to boot with a live CD then it is probably a hardware problem but if you can boot from a live cd and don't have any problems then it is probably a software problem.

Any live CD will do the job, I recommend using an anti-virus CD that way you can do two things at once, test the hardware and scan for virus. Maybe try Avira rescue CD.

 

[shamrin]

Funny, I used to get this problem all the time, but I haven't seen it in quite a while. Here are a couple blog entries I have on it (I would guess that the solutions for W7 and Vista are similar), maybe they'll give you and idea...

Windows black screen blinking cursor I
Windows black screen blinking cursor II

 

[PraiseJeebus]

It boots to a black screen with a white mouse cursor, which moves freely. Nothing else on the screen. Does not respond to ctrl-alt-del. If I press Shift x5 - I hear the chime for Sticky Keys but nothing on the screen. Same result in Safe Mode. Cannot get to SM with Command Propmpt. No restore points available. Startup Repair finds no problems. Booting to Ubuntu, the machine works perfectly. The only way I can interact with the machine is in the Recovery Options using Command Prompt.

This is not the problem - http://www.logicitc.com/how-to-fix-the-vista-ksod-black-screen-of-death/
Have also tried everything on this page - http://www.lanarkshireitservices.co.uk/vista-black-screen-of-death-fix.html

 

[PC Ops]

Did you try the repair Windows function when booting from a Vista install disc?
Did you try chkdsk /f (or r) and/ or sfc /scannow from cmd? You mentioned getting there.
Perhaps slave the hdd and run some thorough malware scans.
Any luck with live discs yet?

What about backing up the data and do a n&p? Time is money Although I get why you want to figure out what's causing this. I know I would

 

[shamrin]

Funny, I used to get this problem all the time, but I haven't seen it in quite a while. Here are a couple blog entries I have on it (I would guess that the solutions for W7 and Vista are similar), maybe they'll give you and idea...

Windows black screen blinking cursor I
Windows black screen blinking cursor II

Ha, I guess I jinxed myself, just got my first one of these in a year. Tried all the usual tricks (delete log files, chkdsk, blah, blah, blah). PC Ops is right, this problem is a rabbit hole, N&P it.

 

[Mick]

Have you got MSDART? If so, does it find your Vista installation on the HDD when you boot from it?

Also: http://www.logicitc.com/how-to-fix-the-vista-ksod-black-screen-of-death/

 

[atlanticjim]

Bumping the thread based on SUCCESS!

I know that this has been covered ad-nauseum but after spending a few days on this, I wanted to share my success with the community.


VISTA KSOD with cursor after updates.
Safe mode = same result.
Startup repair = same result.
Vista DVD will load intermittently to various levels of recovery.
Startup Repair = KSOD
Repair install = cannot see OS.

I diagnose (incorrectly) a hardware problem. Eurosoft full hardware scan reveals no failures. Memtest is perfect after four hours. (I was mowing the lawn). HDD test reveals no failure.

After extensive reading online, including this forum I found the best success was being found by removing all the event logs from C:\Windows\System32\Winevt\logs.

I pulled the drive and did this on my bench machine, reinstalled the hdd and was up and running in normal mode within minutes.