# Black screen with movable cursor or KSOD (Black Screen Of Death) Vista



## hm2k (Apr 16, 2009)

I'm getting the black screen with movable cursor or KSOD (Black Screen Of Death) on Windows Vista.

What happens:
The system powers on.
POST
BIOS
Start windows normally
Windows splash screen
-> Black screen <-

What I can do:
I CAN enter BIOS and have reset the default settings.
I CAN press F8 to give me advanced boot options, but all options have the same result, apart from "Repair your computer".
I CAN load the "Repair your computer" option.
I CAN move the mouse around the screen.
I CAN press shift 5 times to get a dialogue to appear, but no control panel.
I CAN press the power button to shut down the system.
I CAN start up in safe mode, which is exactly the same, but with lower resolution.

I CANNOT seem to do anything else.

However, there are workarounds to accessing the hard drive:

I CAN use MSDaRT or the System Recovery Tool.
I CAN use the hard drive as an external USB hard drive on another machine.

What I've tried:
Startup Repair - Could not detect a problem.
System Restore - No restore points.
Windows Complete PC Restore - A valid restore location could not be found.
Windows Memory Diagnostics - No errors.
SFC Scan - No problems.
Stand alone system sweeper - No problems.
Hotfix Uninstall - Nothing to uninstall.

I also COULD do a partial or full "Packard Bell Recovery", which is essentially like reinstalling windows. I DO NOT want to do this.

I'm sure this is just a simple software issue really and I would rather avoid a reinstall.

Can anyone recommend what steps I should try to resolve this?

Thanks.


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## pat mcgroin (May 1, 2009)

I think I saw this post aver at Toms but I also think you gave some additional info.
I think what may be going on it during the switch from the windows low res video driver to the driver used in normal mode.

Since you can get into safe mode try to go to device manager.
Start|right click computer|properties|device manager.
Look in the display adapter.
Is there a yellow exclamation mark there?
Or is it showing the video that you know should be there?
Please post the video that the machine uses and or the PB model.


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## hm2k (Apr 16, 2009)

Perhaps I was not clear enough.

Starting in safe mode has the same result as starting windows normally, only the resolution is different.

Thus I cannot get to device manager in safe mode, normal mode or any other mode.

It's a Packard Bell ISTART D2314 with an NVIDIA chipset, although I'm not sure how useful this information is...


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## Acenator (Jun 18, 2009)

If you can gain access to your files by using the drive as an external on another computer, I suggest you back up anything you don't want to lose immediately (if you have not done so already).

As for fixing the problem, the only solution I can think of is reinstalling Vista and starting over. However, I am not, by any means, a computer expert (I am the family computer "expert," but I have not received any actual training and speak from personal experience) and I do not know if there is a way to fix the problem without restoring the computer to factory conditions or not.


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## hm2k (Apr 16, 2009)

This is still unresolved.

Acenator thanks for your help, but I was on here looking for expert help more than anything.

I wouldn't expect an amateur to have too much experience with Vista problems.

I am fairly sure that an expert who has experienced this kind of issue could guide me in the right direction.

In my opinion, If you're not sure and your only suggestion is to reinstall, then you're not really offering me anything new. Thanks, but no thanks.

After doing a quick good, I soon discovered that I'm not the only one with this issue. I've tried many of the suggestions out there (apart from a reinstall) and am willing to try them all again based on someone's suggestion.

I suspect I will not be the last person to come across this error and think it would be in everyone's interest to diagnose this issue before I simply reinstall windows.

Thanks, I look forward to your responses.


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## pat mcgroin (May 1, 2009)

Yep You are right I mis read the post, and thus gave you useless info.
Sorry about that.

While looking around I ran across this. I dont know if you you have seen it before.
It is a way to get to a command prompt and try a couple of things.
Scroll down to the posts by Ronnie Vernon.
Please read through first as he included a bad path that he updates further down.
http://social.technet.microsoft.com...i/thread/193b7008-ce4b-4d03-acc3-b8d7ffe610d5

I also found this with the same procedure but a different target
http://thebackroomtech.com/2008/12/30/fix-for-windows-vista-black-screen-of-death-aka-ksod/

I will keep trying to find other HELPFUL info about this.


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## jg213 (Oct 8, 2009)

I have the KSOD. I have a Sony Vaio laptop with Vista Home Preimum. Computer just froze, I did a restart and then KSOD ever since. I have recovery discs that I burnt but they are not working after it says, loading up files, and the microsoft green load up bar, Im back to the KSOD.

Everything I chose ends up going back to the KSOD. I have tried 

The repair feature on the harddrive with the same result.

Last Known Good Configuation

Repair

trying to load up recovery discs.

I even found a website with a Windows Vista repair disc, tried it, it says loading up files, guess what happens after?......KSOD

Safe Mode (stops loading at \windows\system32\drivers\crcdisc.sys and then reboots)


I loaded Linux Puppy from a cd to try and get my files, it loaded up on the laptop had a quick go but couldnt copy my data over, but that might just be becasue Ive never used Linux before & didnt understand the mount / unmount stuff regarding the harddrives and didnt want to mess anything up.

Ive oredered a caddy to try and get my data. But how can I get rid of the KSOD? I dont seem to have any recovery options, any sort of recovery I have tried it says loading files and then goes back to the KSOD once loaded

This is a shorth version from my post here http://www.techsupportforum.com/f10...d-up-windows-help-pls-420646.html#post2380485 , but Ive just worked out that I have the KSOD so this looked like a good place to post fro help. You dont have to look at the link but that is my full story


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Hi the repair install is the normal method to sort these issues but if you have service packs installed then you may need to do it this way http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/88236-repair-install-vista.html


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## trip1red (Oct 10, 2009)

yes try to do a repair of vista


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## jg213 (Oct 8, 2009)

Thanks I will give that read in a little bit. I notice it says vista64 I have vista 32 bit will it make a difference?

I think I had service pack 3 installed not sure/cant remember, basically Im upto date and just got what ever the updates were, so would think Im on sp3


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## deleted010511 (Apr 29, 2009)

If your onh Vista, the highest SP is SP2. If your on XP the highest SP is SP3. Right click Computer and choose Properties to find your OS, SP and and bit level (32 or 64) and Memory etc.


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## jg213 (Oct 8, 2009)

I dont have a retail or upgrade copy of vista home premium 32bit. I believe I have sp2. but I dont have a vista installation disc, the laptop came with vista pre installed.

I would apprecaite more advice on the rescue disc. Can I create or download from somewhere a* Vista 32bit, SP2 Rescue Disc*? that I can use to rescue my copy of Vista? I havent quite understood the info properly from the vista64.com link. I think it syas to run it when you load up Vista? but I cant get Vista to start up at all.

Recovery wise....all I have with my laptop is recovery partition(dont work), recovery discs I created on laptop start up (dont work), Ive also tried a windows vista recovery disc from the link below with no success. It just leads back to the KSOD after saying that its loading the files. All methods Ive tried so far lead back to KSOD
http://neosmart.net/blog/2008/windows-vista-recovery-disc-download/


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Hi see if you can borrow a copy retail of vista the same as you have on your comp then follow the steps here http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/151606-vista-sp1-slipstream-installation-dvd.html to make a slipstreamed disc.the other link is for a recovery disc which could be downloaded to attempt recovery


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## jg213 (Oct 8, 2009)

Dont know anybody with one. Could I use a pirate one but with my real key? or is that a no no.

getting back data......

man I just ordered an external caddy for my hard drive last wk end and I bloody ordered an IDE one by mistake and its to small for the hard drive anyway, because my drive is 300GB it has a bigger thickness than usual. Instead of 9.5mm it is 12.5mm.

Could I install xp on my laptop to get my files back? or could that possibly wipe everything off my laptop?

or

Can I use Linux Puppy to save things from my laptop hard drive to a external harddrive. I tried once but didnt understand the options it gave and got error messages when trying to drag and drop files from my laptop drive, to my external drive.


After I get my files back I might just buy a copy of Windows 7 and install that on my laptop.


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## joeten (Dec 4, 2008)

Hi this is ubuntu http://www.google.co.uk/url?q=http:...qwMoAA&usg=AFQjCNEoCdq_AnZmiNABmhRBFbOE6CQ8Sg a linux distro and this is a how to http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/wind...backup-files-from-your-dead-windows-computer/ on using it to save your data


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## jg213 (Oct 8, 2009)

Hi

ok, I had given up and stored my laptop away since I last posted here after I got my files from the hard drive by using Puppy Linux. i never solved the original problem. 

Ive recently got Windows 7 student version along with a back up disc. My plan has been to format and install windows 7 over Vista.

I tried twice today to install Windows 7, I put the disc in, pressed any button to load from cd, it says windows is loading files, after the windows 7 logo comes up, and then after a few minutes I get the KSOD (Black Screen with large white arrow). I left it for over 10 minutes and nothing just the same as all my previous problems whilst trying to fix Vista.

Can anybody advise me what they think could be the problem? could it be the hard drive? but I was able to get files from the hard drive with puppy linux?


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