BSOD screen and desktop with no icons....

[crowland2]

This laptop was brought to me because it was caught in a re-booting cycle. It would also show the blue screen of death before re-booting. I tried starting it in safe mode, but got the screen asking if I wanted to "repair" or start Windows normally. If I choose repair, it ends up at a screen that looks like a desktop with no icons on it. If I choose start normally, it ends up back at the same screen asking same questions. I tried a ctrl-alt-delete at the desktop-looking screen to try to start windows explorer, but nothing happens. (By the way, the cursor moves by using touch pad at this point.) I tried running AVG rescue cd in case it was a virus. It seemed to clear up stuff, but still won't boot. I created a Windows 7 rescue disc (from my Windows 7 desktop pc) and that didn't work, either. Last ditch effort, I unseated the ram and re-seated it. Same desktop-looking screen with no icons. Any other ideas?? The owner did not make any recovery disks. Thanks!

[jdc2000]

Can you boot into Safe Mode or Safe Mode with Networking? You could try running antimalware scans from Safe Mode. You could also use BlueScreenView to see what is causing the BSOD as well if you can get into Safe Mode.

[crowland2]

No. I can not boot into safe mode. I tried several times. Thanks for the response!

[jdc2000]

If it is a malware problem, you could try removing the drive and adding it as a slave to a test system. You may then be able to clean the malware off sufficiently to allow it to boot again in the laptop.

You could also try a restore to a point before the issues started.

[crowland2]

Checking the ram was easy. It's not as easy to get to hard drive. I'm not comfortable doing that. Can't do a system restore. I was just hoping I was missing something easy.

[jdc2000]

If you don't have any recovery discs, then it won't be a quick and easy fix. You could try using a bootable CD with malware removal tools on that.

[Midknyte]

Did you run a hard drive diag first? Make sure the drive is good before you spend too much time with software fixes.

You'll need to tell us the make of the hard drive at least. Details help.

[crowland2]

Since the computer would not boot up (even in safe mode), I was unable to run any diagnostics. This was a friend's computer that I was trying to help out with. He took it and plans to hire an expert to look at it. Thanks for the responses!

[Midknyte]

Since the computer would not boot up (even in safe mode), I was unable to run any diagnostics.

You would boot from a boot disc like UBCD5 to run hard drive diagnostics.

[Train]

If it passes the Mom test adnd the hdd is OK
My next step would be
ophos Bootable Anti-Virus: download and CD creation instructions
http://www.sophos.com/en-us/support/...ase/52011.aspx