Login screen is black but still functional

Like the title says, when I boot up my computer, it gets to the Windows logo screen and then when it gets to the actual login screen, it's completely black. I can hear the noise that plays when the login screen loads.

At first I thought it wasn't loading it all, but after a few restarts, I tried aimlessly typing in my password anyways, and it worked. The only thing that shows up, however, is the desktop background. No desktop icons, no cursor, no taskbar. Nothing. However, I know for sure that it's loaded 'correctly' because I can hear Skype signing in. Pressing ctrl-alt-del makes the screen go black, but it's functional - if I press down four times and then press enter, it should bring up the Task Manager, and I think it does, because the screen goes back to the desktop background. I just can't actually see anything.

I've tried booting it up in safe mode and everything works fine. In safe mode, I've tried updating my graphics drivers, running some troubleshooting, virus scanning, and doing a system restore. None of this helped.

Help please! D:

Do you have a 2nd monitor or TV attached?

Anyway, this has worked for some before and not for others:

- Log in to your desktop
- right click empty desktop and "Screen Resolution" - don't click any mouse buttons, or press keyboard keys
- press Win+ right arrow, keep tapping it until you see the Screen Resolution window
- see if there are 2 screens displayed, click identify and disable the one that's not your monitor.

I would go back into Safe Mode. Hit WinKey-r and type in MSCONFIG. On the main tab select diagnostic boot. Reboot. Uninstall the video driver. Go back into MSCONFIG and select normal start. Reboot and see if you have video.

If yes, then reinstall the latest vid driver. If no, then go back to safe mode, then to MSCONFIG / startup tab, and deselect half the items at a time and reboot, in an attempt to isolate the offending prog. If nothing, do the same thing on the Services tab after checking "hide MS services".

To shutdown the machine when there's no vid type WinKey, Right arrow, Enter.

Paul, wouldn't just hitting the power button shutdown?

@GokAy: Tapping the power button, depending on advanced power scheme settings, might shut it down, put it to sleep, hibernate or do nothing. Holding the power button down is a hard takedown, but that's a last resort.

Yes, it would :) I wasn't hinting at holding power button though. I will try to remember that one you posted, I like easy solutions for when you can't see anything on screen (in fact has helped me several times during all the years of using PCs) :)