Solved Boot to black screen with blinking cursor, fresh install, not hdd

[KaenShouten]

Hi eveyrone I've looked for an answer to my problem on google and found this site hoping it to help i signed up and i have a problem I'd like some insight on.

I used to get the error of booting to a black screen and it would read "Reboot and select proper boot device or insert boot media and press any key" i read in multiple forums and topics that it was a hdd failure and returned it to manufacturer after trying a fresh install of windows 7, i then received a new one and now am having the problem of booting to a black screen and to no avail as before even with a fresh install not booting properly.

I have tried the recovery console to repair boot sequence, i checked bios and boot order is correct and the proper hdd is selected as primary. I tried clearing CMOS (using both the jumper and taking the battery out) today and problem is still persisting.

disconnected extra hdd and addition accessories such as sd card reader drive and no progress has been made. read it might be display driver and i tried to do device management from command prompt in recovery window and cannot access it (might be using wrong commands). Ill leave it at that for now and i appreciate any help in advance. also just trying to give as much info as possible to fix this problem. I should also state that i made this pc 5 months ago or so.

 

[karlsnooks]

KaenShouten
Welcome to SevenForums.

Disconnect, both power and data cables, from your "storage" drive.

Boot into the bios Choose the option to restore the defaults and then save.

With the cover off of the unit, boot the computer up.

Do you hear any beeps?

 

[KaenShouten]

If you are referring to the beep of the speaker inside the case I opted to not keep it in once I pieced everything together. There is the general sound of the main hdd starting up but not certain if there is a "beep."

 

[karlsnooks]

reconnect that internal speaker which is an invaluable diagnostic tool.

Then boot up and let me know what you hear.

 

[KaenShouten]

Yes the beep is present

 

[karlsnooks]

I'm not familiar with your mobo, but normally a single short beep indicates that the mobo passed the POST (Power On Self Test).

did you reset the bios to defaults?

Even if you originally only had the default settings, choose the option to restore the defaults and to save them and reboot.

Still have problems?

 

[KaenShouten]

Yes, i should also mention that when windows 7 install disc is in it has a menu pop up for 10 seconds to select which OS to load windows setup (ems enabled) or x64 recovery mode (ems enabled) and i can hit tab to select the tool "windows memory diagnostic" also on the first 2 options i can press F8 for advanced options like safe mode etc (also just boots like trying to install win7)

 

[karlsnooks]

Kaen,
go to a win 7 system with the same bittiness (32 or 64) as yours, and make a system repair disc

this is not the same as a recovery disc.


CREATE A SYSTEM REPAIR DISC

[FONT=&quot]START[/FONT][FONT=&quot] | type System Repair | Enter key | Create Disc button[/FONT]​

​

===================================

Am calling it quits for now. Have been up for quite awhile.

karl

 

[KaenShouten]

thank you same here i'll post results in a few hours after a power nap and making that disc.

 

[gregrocker]

Set your HD first to boot in BIOS setup, trigger disks using one-time BIOS Boot Menu key.

Work through these steps for Troubleshooting Windows 7 Failure to Boot.

Also did you stick pretty closely to these Best Practices for Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 which are the same for retail?
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/219487-clean-reinstall-factory-oem-windows-7-a.html#post1839164

 

[KaenShouten]

I tried the repair disc it came up with recovery options like a recovery disc though. I tried startup recover 3 times as I've read other places to no avail. I don't know why it isn't any different than the recovery disc I've made previously. And I will look at those instructions when I get home from work.

 

[KaenShouten]

Also Greg this was a clean hdd from WD there was no precautions to take when installing besides the physical mounting of the hdd in its brackets. And my hdd is priority 1 in bios when set to default (as instructed to do by Karl.)

Also Karl i tried the startup repair several times thing to no avail.

And greg i tried the list of boot options etc and the only one that fit my description was the os not showing and use bootrec.exe i tried to use it but when i put in Bootrec.exe/Fixboot it stated no element available or something like that (?)

i figure we are narrowing down what it still can be but just have to progress till its solved i guess. could it be the MoBo is bad? i know the hdd checked out especially after receiving a new one. and like i said in previous post it makes beep with speaker (meaning its 100%? or at least getting energy) thanks for your help guys and i await further suggestions.

 

[karlsnooks]

Kaen,
Do you have a Win 7 install DVD?

If yes, where did you get the DVD?

Do you have your 25-character Product Key?

Do NOT post that key. That's what costs money.

With that key someone elese can install Win 7 legitimately and you will not be able to use the key.

 

[gregrocker]

I didn't ask you if you took precautions when reinstalling but whether you followed the Best Practices in Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7.

Did the install complete and perform correctly before this current problem began?

I would disconnect everything and rebuild it again taking the proper precautions. Change the HD cables. The problem seems to be the HD since mobo and OD it will boot a disk correctly.

Test the HD using the maker's HD Diagnostic extended CD scan followed by a full Disk Check on all partitions. Place it in another machine if necessary with other HD's unplugged.

 

[KaenShouten]

Karl I purchased win7 with most items for my rig from newegg. Could this effect my system in some way i know the COA code is what makes it valuable and not to share. thanks for the heads up anyways.

Greg the system has been working fine up till a month or so ago when it was showing signs of hd failure. returned and replaced it nothing has been added since and i did follow steps in the tut but its the same as ive already done up to the step where windows has actually loaded and installing drivers (step 8 or 9)

 

[gregrocker]

If the installation has never proceeded past the stage where it's installing drivers, then you can often fix this by entering Device Manager during install to disable erroring drivers (likely Display) so that install will complete and drivers can be installed from desktop.

Device Manager - Access During Windows 7 Installation

What were the results of the HD maker's diagnostics extended test?

 

[KaenShouten]

i havent had the chance to run the test i had a usb device i thought could be used to read the hd but its only function is to transfer data when upgrading to a new hd. im trying to do as instructed in the thread you provided just now

 

[KaenShouten]

Drive wont let me partition it...

 

[gregrocker]

If you only have a flash stick then write Ulitmate Boot CD to it to run the Western Digital Data Lifeguard bootable extended CD scan.

If this passes, then use Partition Wizard from UBCD to create, format NTFS Primary and mark Active a partition to try install.

Ultimate Boot CD (UBCD) from a USB flash drive | USB Pen Drive Linux

 

[KaenShouten]

just took a stab in the dark and reformatted disc its actually installing now and restarting and setting up for first use never done this before... input screen came up think we are back in business