|
Black is the new blue...
I've read a lot about people experiencing the Black Screen of Death on their windows machines after the Fall update. To me it's like reading about car accidents or house fires: terrible things that happen to others.
Except last night, literally seconds away from deploying a fairly major update, the screen goes black. The screen's still on - I can see the backlight - but it's blank.
No problem, I think. It's just stuck on the sleep screen, or maybe the infantile USB-C drives that Intel, Microsoft and Apple keep hot-potatoing (so it seems) have just lost the plot. So I reboot.
Still black.
I reboot again. Still black.
I reboot into safe more. I reboot into Mac mode and disk check. I reboot about 20 times. I do a system restore back to last good known. I reset the entire effing Windows install.
Black Screen of Death.
So I'm in the middle of a bare-metal install, and I wish I had a magnifying glass because Microsoft has decided, in 2018, that it can't do a simple thing like detect screen resolution during the install process.
The font is about the same size as that used on Canadian medicine containers, which, if you've ever seen a manufacturer try and fit 5 fitted pages on a 3cm tall bottle - in both languages - is pushing the limits of printing technology.
I'm having a bad tech day today.
cheers
Chris Maunder
|
|
|
|
|
It's the new Disaster Area[^] theme that extends the "Dark" theme:
The Late, Great DNA: "'It's the wild colour scheme that freaks me out,' said Zaphod, whose love affair with the ship had lasted almost three minutes into the flight. 'Every time you try and operate these weird black controls that are labeled in black on a black background, a little black light lights up in black to let you know you've done it.'"
The Restaurant At The End Of The Universe
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
|
|
|
|
|
You should move to the Black Screen of Life: https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0AyjacazS8E/V2rFGh9s56I/AAAAAAAAGjc/MCp2QrVPzqUlmUtHfhJVYm9e_cDTPDvpgCLcB/s1600/03%2BLogin%2Bscreen.jpg
"The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge". Stephen Hawking, 1942- 2018
|
|
|
|
|
this is the from new environmentally friendly microsoft:
they figured with hundreds of thousands or possibly millions of w10 error screens out there times a few watts each would add up to a hell of a lot of energy saved.
so although it is black there is a bright side.
and too you can take pride in knowing you too are contributing.
This internet thing is amazing! Letting people use it: worst idea ever!
|
|
|
|
|
Hi Chris,
Chris Maunder wrote: So I'm in the middle of a bare-metal install
If you are ever in this situation again and need to get back into the operating system without losing any files/work then boot into the recovery console and try using the PnPUtil[^] tool to remove the third-party video driver.
Follow the instructions here[^] to remove the third-party video driver.
Chris Maunder wrote: The font is about the same size as that used on Canadian medicine containers,
In the old days the video card was put into VGA text mode during the boot process[^]. Much of the 'old guard' has left Microsoft. These new young engineers have 20/20 vision and have implemented fancy graphical boot screens.
Chris Maunder wrote: I'm having a bad tech day today.
Is this a bad time to tell you that I am a former member of the Windows Update team (2012-2015) at Microsoft?
Best Wishes,
-David Delaune
|
|
|
|
|
In that case I'm just going to make wild unsubstantiated statements about how crap Windows Update has been since 2016. 
With regards to the video driver I couldn't even get to a command window unless I booted into command mode, and if I'm ever at that point I know that the amount of effort to scrape the system clean, safely and thoroughly, is about 100X the effort of just wiping and reinstalling.
cheers
Chris Maunder
|
|
|
|
|
Hi,
Chris Maunder wrote: I'm just going to make wild unsubstantiated statements
No such thing (Caveat Emptor). Sharing information and personal experience is what codeproject.com is all about.
Chris Maunder wrote: I know that the amount of effort to scrape the system clean, safely and thoroughly, is about 100X the effort of just wiping and reinstalling.
I don't blame you. I keep the OS drive on my workstations free of anything important for this very reason. Easy to get back up and running within 20 minutes.
Best Wishes,
-David Delaune
Best Wishes,
-David Delaune
|
|
|
|
|
bummer, dude ![Rose | [Rose]](https://codeproject.freetls.fastly.net/script/Forums/Images/rose.gif)
«... thank the gods that they have made you superior to those events which they have not placed within your own control, rendered you accountable for that only which is within you own control For what, then, have they made you responsible? For that which is alone in your own power—a right use of things as they appear.» Discourses of Epictetus Book I:12
|
|
|
|
|
Your post just made me discover that this BSOD was a thing, I thought it was only me. I got it last fall, fought with the start menu and video drivers quite a lot, disabled everything I could concerning Windows Update, but eventually had to give up when my tenth or twentieth system restore within ten days did not work; However I had my data saved by a cool feature of HP - you read that well - which is a fresh windows install without losing data. I just had to reinstall some apps, but did not lose a single bit.
As opposed to you, I haven't found that much about it on the internet, though. Maybe it was still an early time when I got it.
|
|
|
|
|
Hello Chris. As for BSOD problem, I would recommend, so you re-install Windows from the installation disk and then use it for some time without installing any drivers. Also I would recommend so you setup and run some sort of diagnostic utilities to verify your PC's hardware. Specifically, I would recommend:
1. Intel Processor's Diagnostic Utility;
2. Intel Extreme Tuning Utility;
3. Passmark's Burn-In and Performance Tests;
4. Passmark's MemTest86;
5. OCCT Perestroika;
***
If the BSOD problem still persists after you've run these tests under blank Windows installation without drivers, then it means that your PC incurs the serious hardware problem and needs to be repaired. 
|
|
|
|
|
I've installed the minimum drivers needed to actually keep the machine functional, and have installed the minimum apps to allow me to work (doing otherwise would mean I may as well just get a new machine)
If I see the issue again I'll definitely dig in a little more. I do think it's the video driver / USB-C driver, though.
cheers
Chris Maunder
|
|
|
|
|
You're very welcome
|
|
|
|
|
And also, I've got a question regarding this problem: Have you overclocked your PC ?? Make sure that you've not, because the following problem of BSOD might be typically encountered on notebooks with Intel Extreme CPU after it has been overclocked.
Just take it easy
|
|
|
|
|
It's a Macbook. There's no overclocking going on
But thanks for helping think this one through. 24hrs later I have a fresh install and things are much smoother. I'm just glad it was software not hardware.
cheers
Chris Maunder
|
|
|
|
|
You're very welcome.
|
|
|
|
|
Chris Maunder wrote: Black Screen of Death.
I was recently given a tablet that had a similar issue. Fixed it by just installing linux, now it some what happily just plays music.
Common sense is admitting there is cause and effect and that you can exert some control over what you understand.
|
|
|
|
|
Outstanding part of lover duet? (7)
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
|
|
|
|
|
|
I think that means you are up tomorrow!
Care to explain for others?
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
|
|
|
|
|
part of lover duet.
Outstanding, besides describing Griff's reputation level, also means "not yet paid, resolved, or dealt with", overdue.
This is the first time I have sold a CCC  Given, it was not the hardest ever. Not sure I can post one tomorrow, because I won't be in office, in this case, pkfox would have to take over.
|
|
|
|
|
I thought it appropriate, given pkfox was well and truly late posting his ... 
To transfer it back to him, you'd have to consult with @petepjksolutionscom
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
|
|
|
|
|
I'll do it if it's that much a problem.
This space for rent
|
|
|
|
|
pkfox seems to be busy today, so I'm happy if you are.
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
AntiTwitter: @DalekDave is now a follower!
|
|
|
|
|
Time to get the ol' thinking cap on.
This space for rent
|
|
|
|
|
Ok, this a deal - I just got confirmation that I won't be able to post tomorrow. Thanks Pete !
|
|
|
|
General 
News 
Suggestion 
Question 
Bug 
Answer 
Joke 
Praise 
Rant 
Admin 
Submit an article or tip
