System Restore / Safe Mode

Bare Foot Kid · 21 Feb 2011

Hello everyone,

I had this issue with the Windows 7 RTM (the first time I noticed it) and I still have it after a clean install with an integrated Windows 7 SP 1 and I'm wondering if anyone else has it also, though I'm aware few use system restore, I just 'play' with it for fun myself.

When I do a SR they always complete successfully but after logon I get all black screens with a moveable curser and nothing will correct that.

It took me trial and error to figure out that booting to safe mode after the black-screens I get a chance to accept this dialog box and after that, booting back to 'regular' Windows all is well.

Has anyone seen or heard of this behavior before?

Thanks.

click to enlarge

CarlTR6 · 21 Feb 2011

Ted, I have heard of it before; but I have not experienced it - and I do use System Restore (as well as imaging). Thanks for the snip.

Bare Foot Kid · 22 Feb 2011

Hello Carl, I use imaging as well so it's not a big deal, I'm just curious, thanks!

Any other ideas / comments?

Bill2 · 22 Feb 2011

Ted, some thoughts.

1) Does this happen with only this particular SR point? Try with another.

2) Run a startup repair (even if everything's fine), then create a SR point, then restore to that point.

3) Since the system boots fine into safe mode, there may be a misbehaving driver somewhere.

Orbital Shark · 22 Feb 2011

When I do a SR they always complete successfully but after logon I get all black screens with a moveable curser and nothing will correct that.

This would tend to suggest an issue with some of GFX driver/system files used to process video. Booting into safe mode could be, in essence, setting the GFX back to how it should be (Last known good configuration).

OS

fimble · 22 Feb 2011

I had an issue like this for the first ever time this morning on a (long) cold boot. I had my cursor with a total blacked out screen.
I did Ctrl+Alt+Delete and then at the "options screen" hit cancel and my desktop was back. I don't know why this happened, but I did update Windows Defender last night not long before I shut down. May have a bearing on it.