SOLVED Windows 10 won't load

[Eric84]

When I turn on the computer windows won't start. It starts to load then I just get a permanent black screen, which doesn't change until I boot the system, then it happens again.

 

[Trouble]

Hello and welcome to the forum.
Anything blinking in the top left of the black screen, any mouse / cursor present or moveable?
Can you use the
Ctrl + Alt + Delete
keyboard combination to produce anything?

 

[Eric84]

When it starts I can get set up by pressing f2 and boost options by pressing f12, I ran the diagnostics in boost options and it said there was nothing wrong. Sometimes I get the windows repair (but usually not), I tried starting it in safe mode but all I got was "safe mode" written in the corners and the mouse and that's it. I tried reloading a pre iouzly backup point a d it didn't work, and I tried running windows repair a d that didn't work. Most times this stuff doesnt even come up. All I usualli get is the Dell loading picture, then the windows picture, then it goes black. I have the mouse for a little while, but even that disappears eventually. Also ctrl alt delete doesn't do anything. Basically, I'm at a loss

 

[Trouble]

I tried starting it in safe mode but all I got was "safe mode" written in the corners and the mouse and that's it

Sounds like the windows shell (explorer.exe) isn't even loading in Safe Mode. Did you try Ctrl Alt Delete in Safe Mode to see if you could launch task manager and start explorer.exe from there?
Is this a recent update to Windows 10 from a previous version of Windows, or
Something else..... clean install, new computer pre-installed with Windows 10, etc.
Do you have a good backup of all of your critical files? You may be looking at a clean install ultimately.
Have you tried the advanced troubleshooting options like....
Go back
Or
Reset???

 

[Eric84]

It is a not too recent update to windows 10,about 4 to 5 month ago. I just tried go back and reset and neither worked. Also, ctrl alt delete didn't work in safe mode either. Command promp works in advanced settings, can that be used? Most of my files are backed up, though my computer is kind of old and I'm not sure if I have all the required CDs for a complete reboot. Also, much to my own annoyance I have a few files that I hadn't backed up yet (word files), if I could just get them then I'd be more than happy. Is this possible from command promp?

 

[Trouble]

Generally speaking if you can get to the command prompt you can use that to copy off your entire profile folder onto external media.
You just need to find it first....
Typically it would be C:\users\YourUserName
Depending on how you are getting to the command prompt, the drive letters may be different so you just have to keep looking by drilling through the drive letters
C:
hit enter
dir
hit enter
if you see a users directory then
cd users
hit enter
dir
hit enter
until you see your user folder.
That folder will typically contain all your profile items, desktop, documents, downloads, favorites, music, pictures, etc., etc.

 

[Eric84]

Ok, I've gotten to the users directory but I'm not sure what you mean by cd users, sorry about this my computer literacy is only so so

 

[Eric84]

Ok the only directory is" "recovery" that's showing up

 

[Eric84]

Ok I found it in D, and I found some of the files I need, now how do I transfer them to an external drive? Thanks

 

[Trouble]

xcopy z:\users\yourusername Q:\ /r /i /c /h /k /e /y /s (where Z:\ is the drive containing your profile folder and Q:\ is the external connected media where you want to copy them)
Pretty sure that'll do it.

 

[Eric84]

Everything worked, I got all my files. Thank you for your help

 

[Trouble]

Glad to hear it.
Thanks for the heads-up.