Startup issues/Windows 'black screen'

Okay, so despite my reasonable knowledge and understanding of them...I just don't have good luck with computers.

So....

My laptop (1.5 year old HP, decent hardware, Windows Vista).

Its been having start up issues for about 6 months now, everytime I turn my computer on I get the black screen with white text saying 'Windows did not shut down properly.....'
then it give me the option of
-start in safe mode
-start in regular mode

I always just pick regular and it works fine...I have to do it everytime but its a minor issue (unless the fact its not going away is a really bad thing). I just never got around to running start up repair...etc.

Yesterday for some reason, it popped up with another option something to the degree of 'Repair start up issues'...and I hit it. It went through the process and asked if I wanted to 'restore system to an earlier time when it worked correctly'. I'm religious about backing up my critical files and so chose to do it after considering its warning of 'you may lose some files/programs etc'.

Wasn't worried about losing anything. But what Ididn't bargain for was what I did lose...the funtionality of my computer.

It goes through the startup (still requesting safe or regular mode start up), then it goes through the microsoft and windows loading screens just fine. Then my password/sign in screen for Windows comes up. I enter my password, it shows the little 'working/thinking/processing' cursor and 'logging in' text.

But once it shifts from that screen to go into Windows, where normally yourt desktop/icons etc and welcome screen show up...I now get a black screen (its black black...so black that if you asked 'well how much more black could this be?' the answer would be 'none, none...more black'.) The only thing that is amongst this seas of blackness is the lonely little arrow for the mouse...I can move it but there is nothing for it to click or maniupulate.

So I try all sorts of stuff: check disk, multiple reboots, system restore to a few different dates, start up restore a couple times. I even tried a few random off hand (what almost seemed like IT witch medicine) methods I found online.

Nothing has worked. Anyone had this problem, a solution or even a point me in the right direction would be awesome and very much appreciated. I really need to get this fixed and am trying to exhaust all options of fixing it myself before I have to pay someone to look at it.

Thanks.

Oh and I forgot to mention that if I choose to start in safe mode, my windows does load and the desktop shows and functions. If that helps at all...

before you pay someone else to do it, use the Microsoft easy transfer tool to back up your files to an external hard drive. If possible, I would reformat and start over after getting those files off.

If I have a laptop over 2 years, I do it like clockwork. amazing how much faster your laptop will run.

otherwise, you should be able to run programs/load drivers one at a time until you find the one that is causing your computer to freeze up. then just run safe mode and remove that program/reinstall that driver.

Standard question: Did you scan for viruses and malware?
...
As you know, when you press F8 while booting it opens the advanced options menu (where you also chose to start in safe mode, safe mode with networking etc.)
Did you try to chose "Last known good configuration (your most recent setting that worked)" in this menu? I have XP, so maybe it's called a little differently in Vista. The title pretty much explains it's function.

Messed up my graphic card drivers once and it would freeze during the boot process. Said function saved my butt. Be aware that this function, like the system restore, changes the registry, which means that there could be some loss of recently installed programs.

I did a quick search in google, and it pretty much sounds like there's a million possible causes for this kind of problem. You might try reading these posts, it sounds like the OP did have a similar problem. Vista boot Stuck on a black screen with a mouse cursor - Vista Help

Other than that, I'm with nosoupforyou...reformatting shouldn't be too hard if you have a good backup for your data.

I had the exact same problem with my laptop last year... IN MY CASE, it was a battery error (or something). I was told to remove the battery... then plug the laptop in and start it up. I swear, it worked on the fist try. Shut down the laptop... put the battery back in and your problem is solved

If you hit CTRL-ALT-DEL, do you get the option to start Task Manager. If you try to start task manager, does it run? If so, click on File > New Task (Run), and type in 'explorer' and hit enter. Does that load your desktop?

I would suggest creating a new Windows profile and copying your data over to that.

As for the startup issue you've been having, do you have every windows update loaded? Does the computer shut down properly?

Go to the PC manufacturer's website. If you built the PC, go to the HDD manufacturer's website. Look for a disk diagnostic tool. You may just have a hard drive thats beginning to fail.

thanks for the tips guys...I finally got it working today....but I'm gonna just put it in sleep mode untilI get my driver/OS disks from HP and then I'm gonna just wipe my drive and start over. I went in safe mode and deleted Firefox which I just swtiched to the otherday from IE and that seemed to fix the problem. But I'm to afraid to turn my comp off in the event it doesnt start over so I'm gonna be on the safe side.

I just ran a couple of updates to XP through this morning and I can't even boot my desktop now.

After a very long wait, I can get to the point where it loads my background image, but there's no start bar or desktop icons. I've tried running system restore through the task manager (which comes up okay when I hit CTRL/ALT/DELETE) but it won't run.

It won't boot to safe mode at all. I was thinking of trying to run system restore from the command prompt, but I can't get to a command prompt to try it.

HeyZeus! I was able to get to a command prompt (it took FOREVER to boot into SafeMode with command prompt). I ran system restore and took it back a week. Waiting to see the results. So far, not promising. It's hung up on it's reboot...

Results? No change. Still boots to nothing but the desktop background.