Debugging My PC Which Hangs on a Black Display Prior to the Login Screen

S

Seymour Skinner

New member
Joined
Mar 30, 2025
Posts
3
Hi everyone,

I'd appreciate any help that can be provided on this issue I'm experiencing, as despite being very interested in learning about fixing a Windows 11 OS, it has got to a point where it has me stumped. As it states in the title, my PC gets stuck in the boot process just before the logon screen would be displayed and just presents a black image. This started happening after failing to boot onto a windows 10 OS (which I have successfully accessed in the past) installed on another SSD. Afterwards, attempting to boot onto the Windows 11 OS causes the symptoms described earlier.

To fix the problem I have attempted:
  • Booting into safe mode.
  • Troubleshooting my hardware.
    • Disconnecting all my external peripherals and the Windows 10 SSD.
    • Removing the GPU and using integrated graphics instead.
    • Removing one RAM stick at a time.
    • Running Memtest86 successfully.
    • Running the NVMe test in the BIOS
    • Running and passing the Sea Tools SSD test
    • Loading default BIOS settings.
  • Formatting and rebuilding the system partition.
  • Running Checkdisk sucessfully.
  • Running DISM Restorehealth successfully.
  • Running SFC Scannow successfully.

I have also created a small partition on the Windows 11 SSD, on which I have installed another copy of Windows 11 which boots successfully.

I am very interested in trying to work out what is causing my problem, so I ordered a USB debugging cable and am now up to debugging the kernel. I have never attempted this before, so I have been reading multiple guides online about doing so using windbg. However, I am now a bit stuck on actually diagnosing the problem. I have managed to break into the system at around the point where it appears to get stuck, but I can't tell what it is actually stuck on. I am able to list the processes and threads running at this time, but nothing appears to be obviously wrong. Setting subsequent breakpoints show different threads from different processes appearing to complete successfully and move onto the next. I guess this is where I need more knowledge on the Windows boot sequence, so hopefully you can help me out here.

Is there anything in particular that I should be looking out for, or setting a break point on to determine what should be happening that isn't? Or is there a command that I can run that might shed more light on the issue?

Unfortunately I don't think I'm able to run the Sysnative File Collection App, as I can't boot into the OS. However, I'm happy to provide any more information that might be required.

Thanks in advance for any assistance that you can provide!


  • System Manufacturer?
    • Self-built
  • Laptop or Desktop?
    • Desktop
  • OS? (Windows 11, 10, 8.1, 8, 7, Vista)
    • Windows 11
  • x86 (32bit) or x64 (64bit)?
    • x64
  • What was original installed OS on system?
    • Windows 11
  • Is the OS an OEM version (came pre-installed on system) or full retail version (YOU purchased it from retailer)?
    • Full retail version
  • Age of system? (hardware)
    • 2 years
  • Age of OS installation?
    • 2 years
  • Have you re-installed the OS?
    • No
  • CPU
    • Ryzen 7800 X3D
  • RAM (brand, EXACT model, what slots are you using?)
    • G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo RGB, DDR5-6000 CL30-38-38-96, 2x16GB
    • Slots: DIMM_A2 and DIMM_B2
  • Video Card
    • EVGA RTX 3060
  • MotherBoard - (if NOT a laptop)
    • ASUS X670E-E
  • Power Supply - brand & wattage (if laptop, skip this one)
    • Corsir RM1000x 1000w
  • Is driver verifierenabled or disabled?
    • Not sure, I haven't run it.
  • What security software are you using? (Firewall, antivirus, antimalware, antispyware, and so forth)
    • Windows defender.
  • Are you using proxy, vpn, ipfilters or similar software?
    • No
  • Are you using Disk Image tools? (like daemon tools, alcohol 52% or 120%, virtual CloneDrive, roxio software)
    • No
  • Are you currently under/overclocking? Is there overclocking software installed on your system?
    • No
 
The memory is supported - and if this is a new issue, memory support is unlikely to be related. It could be that a memory stick is failing, but as you've tested each individually, it's less likely to be a faulty RAM stick.


@Seymour Skinner - has this issue always happened on this motherboard + AM5 ? AM5 chips are notorious for slow startup prior to login due to memory training - does the issue happen before or after the POST screen (and do you see the POST screen from the motherboard?)

Did anything in your configuration or hardware change prior to the issue happening? Is the machine totally unusable at present?

Some other things to try:
- Update motherboard BIOS - AM5 BIOS have had multiple updates to address startup issues - flashing a newer BIOS may help improve this.
- Disable Fast Startup - usually enabled by default, and also known for causing startup lag on occasion.
- Enable/Disable EXPO (probably disabled by default, but also consider enabling it if you haven't in the past)
 
Hi thanks for the replies,

Nah the issue is new and beyond the memory training phase of the boot. I see the POST screen and the issue occurs pretty much exactly when the Windows login screen would normally appear.
If it's useful to get an idea as to what point my system reaches, looking at windbg, the following processes appear to be running: System, Secure System, Registry, smss.exe, csrss.exe, wininit.exe, services.exe, LsaIso.exe, lsass.exe, winlogon.exe, svchost.exe, fontdrvhost.exe, upfc.exe, NVDisplay.Container.exe, amdfendrsr.exe, atiesrxx.exe, dbInstaller.exe, TrustedInstaller.exe, amd3dvcacheSvc.exe, ArmouryCrate.Service.exe, AsusUpdateCheck.exe, AsusROGLSLService.exe, armsvc.exe, Cobian.Reflector.VSCRequester.exe, AsSysCtrlService.exe, BluetoothMouseThemeNotificationService.exe, MigrationService.exe, gameinputsvc.exe, GameSDK.exe, NahimicService.exe, IntelAnalyticsService.exe, nvcontainer.exe, RemoteMouseService.exe, RtkAudUService64.exe, logi_lamparray_service.exe, LogiRegistryService.exe, ROGLiveService.exe, IntelProviderDataHelperService.exe, MpDefenderCoreService.exe, RemoteMouseCore.exe & FileOperator.exe.

There was no hardware change prior to the issue happening. I booted onto a second SSD containing a dormant copy of Win10 which has worked in the past, but this time appeared to be corrupted (black login screen with components missing, then after logging in just a black screen with movable mouse). Returning back to the Win11 SSD, Windows attempted a recovery operation and then the corruption seems to somehow have spread to it.

The original installs of Win11 and Win10 are unusable, but a subsequent installation of Win11 on a new partition of the original Win11 SSD works normally.

I forgot to mention that I have updated the BIOS since the issue occurred.

Fast startup has been disabled.

I haven't enabled EXPO, but I can try enabling it to see if it makes a difference.

Yeah, the motherboard has a clear CMOS button. I haven't tried it yet but I can.
 
Okay, interesting - so just to clarify - is this correct?

  • SSD1: Windows 10 - does not boot. (Does this hang in the same place, during startup before the login screen?). Not able to access Safe Mode.
  • SSD2 Partition 1: Windows 11 - does not boot - hangs before login screen. Not able to access Safe Mode.
  • SSD2 Partition 2: Windows 11 v2 - boots successfully.

Do both Win 10 and Win 11 installs have the same symptoms? Did both Win 10 and Win 11 issues happen at exactly the same time?

---------------------

Windows hanging at this stage is more likely to be a driver/core windows file corruption - you might be able to identify which driver/process via the debugging tool, but if your priority is to fix it then I'd probably try and do a repair installation using a USB drive (startup repair may resolve the corrupted files).

What concerns me is that the issue jumped from the Win 10 install to the Win 11 install - there aren't that many reasons for a corruption issue to jump across multiple installs...

  • Same faulty driver on both installs - if you had something that auto-updated and has the same driver for both (or breaks a Windows driver), it could theoretically have broken both installs at the same time, just via updating. This might not perfectly match what you're describing though.
  • Hardware fault - could still be a hardware issue, although the fact it's failing during Windows startup, and you have one partition that's fully working, makes it less likely.
  • Malware on the system - this would explain the jump between SSDs, and why both are seeing the same issue. Could be malware that corrupted both drives simultaneously when it was first run.

I'd also consider running some malware scans on the affected partitions, and seeing if it shows up anything. Running an offline tool may also help (USB av tool or something like MSFT Defender Offline)

@Maxstar and @PeterJ have more experience than me at dealing with corruption issues, and might have some insight as well.
 
Yep that's correct, Win10 and Win11 v1 do not boot and hang before the login screen, both with and without safe mode. Win11 v2 boots without issue.

Yes both the win10 and win11 installs have the same symptoms and the win11 issues started on the first boot after the issues were discovered with win10.



I've been trying to identify the problem for a little while now and my priority is still to try and fix it myself, as I'm finding this process very interesting.
Yeah, I'm thinking that it must be a driver or core file issue. Though at the moment I'm not skilled enough with the debugger to be able to identify which it is.

It was surprising to me as well that both installs went down at the same time. During the first win11 boot after the win10 failure, I do recall seeing a windows repair message at the bottom of the screen which indicated that files were being copied to one of my windows installs. I have a loose theory that after windows detected the boot problem with win10, the repair operation was conducted onto the win11 disk as this was the Windows I loaded after the restart..... or something like that.

  • I think it's unlikely that an auto updated driver caused the issue in the win10 installation because, as I haven't mentioned yet, that install of windows hasn't been connected to the internet in a couple of years now. Though, the last time that I booted into this Windows (a couple of weeks prior), I did use some of Window's internal disk cleanup tools to attempt to make some more space on the drive.
  • Yeah I'm still keeping my eye out for a hardware issue, but no obvious issue has arisen yet.
  • Hopefully it isn't malware. I have installed and run the Microsoft Safety Scanner tool, but it did not find any malware. I don't know how effective this tool actually is so I can try the tools you recommended.
 
Seymour Skinner said:
It was surprising to me as well that both installs went down at the same time.
Click to expand...

This is the bit that concerns me the most - there aren't that many reasons for two different installs to break at the same time, spread across multiple disks. Especially as these are different versions of Windows.

Seymour Skinner said:
I have a loose theory that after windows detected the boot problem with win10, the repair operation was conducted onto the win11 disk as this was the Windows I loaded after the restart..... or something like that.
Click to expand...

I don't know for sure, but I'd be surprised if Windows could corrupt across different disks, just from a repair operation. The different drives will also have different bootloader partitions, and which one is booted is controlled by the motherboard/BIOS. S

Someone here might have more info on how the repair environment loads, but Windows knows where it's installed during repair operations. If you saw a specific repair environment then maybe it's a different story.


If malware checks don't come up with anything, I'd probably just try running a repair install via USB and see if that resolves it.


The other thing I can suggest - if you have access to the filesystem from the working W11 install, grab the CBS logs and create a Windows Update thread:
niemiro

Thread 'Windows Update Forum Posting Instructions'

Welcome to Sysnative's Windows Update forum.

Here you may seek help and support for Windows Update errors, System File Checker (SFC) corruptions, DISM corruptions, Side by Side Configuration errors, System Service errors, and related errors, corruptions, and problems. These instructions apply to all of the above problems.

If you are, for whatever reason, not able to complete part of these instructions, please just create a new thread with a description of your problem and we will help you from there.

Important Information​

Warning: Please do not follow the...
  • Thanks
  • Love
 
The issue in the thread below seems to be very similar to this one, and after repairing the Components Store the issue persists.

D

Thread 'Windows 10 Pro cannot boot after converting MBR to GPT'

Guys,

Please help. I have dual boot system, Windows 11 and Windows 10 on separate SSD disks.

I recently changed my hardware and everything was fine, both Windows booted all right in MBR disks scenario and Legacy Boot. After I changed MBR to GPT and made changes in BIOS, CSM disabled and Secure Boot on, created EFI partitions on both disks with BCDEdit commands, I can boot Windows 11, it just disabled WinRe partition, which I enabled by CMD commands and putting GPT IDs to partition with recovery, but I could not boot Windows 10. It start booting, Windows logo, spinning circles and after...
 

Has Sysnative Forums helped you? Please consider donating to help us support the site!

Back
Top