OK, I have an HP Pavillion notebook running Windows XP Home Edition. Well today I tried to log on so I turned on the computer, and the whole startup seemed to go fine, but after the "starting up windows XP" screen went away, the screen just went blank and stayed blank. I turned off the computer and I got the screen that lets you choose to start in Safe mode or the last known good configuration, and I tried "last known good configuration" (which was to start windows normally) and tried again. The same thing happened. So I tried running safe mode, but that froze too. Then I tried to run the e-Diagtools test. I ran the standard tests and the advanced tests and it said everything was ok. I tried to start up again and it still did the same thing, so I pressed the reset button, that didn't work either. I'm out of ideas and I am desperate to get that system up and running again. Even if just to back up my files and run the recovery CD. So PLEASE, if anybody knows what to do or at least has any ideas just respond or e-mail me or both, whatever. Thanks alot.
My e-mail is k_ellis88@hotmail.com.

you just said the answer backup your files and run the recovery cd

It's a notebook. It won't start. How the hell do you think that's gonna be done?

The general 'easy way' is to put the hard drive in another system as a 'slave' drive, lift the data files off it and put them on CD, and then put it back in the system and format. Perhaps your local pc shop could do that for you. It CAN be hooked up to a desktop system temporarily as a slave drive

I had a Toshiba laptop that was prone to do something similar. the oliest way I could get running was to physically remove the battery and unplug from the wall. I let it set or a minute or so, and then re-inserted the battery and plugged it back in to the AC. Guess it acted like a kind of 'reset' or something. At least it worked for me...

It could be something wrong with the BIOS. I dunno, but if you want to skip loading the BIOS settings, I do believe you hold down "Insert" while the computer is starting up. That could get you into Windows to track down the problem. Or you could go investigate the BIOS yourself. At least if you skip loading the BIOS and you get into Windows, you can back up your information there. Or at least you should be able to...

Had same problem with my old compaq presario 2800. It seemed to happen to me when I installed an updated video driver......... but, what do u know, it caused my logon screen to dissapear. Since HP and Compaq have merged together, I don't know if the keyboard is the same design or not, but this is how i fixed the problem. This is the response I got when I posted my similar question about the missing logon screen: "Try FN+F4 to cycle the video modes. If you can get a display maybe try the ATI driver update as well: http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...item=hb-21505-1" -antioed.

Sounds like it's set to a refresh rate or video mode that the thing can't display to me.

Boot it all the way up, when it's done, hit Alt-F4, and hit the U key after. Do this a few times. If your laptop shuts itself down when you do this, you have successfully told Windows to shut down, so the machine is working, but set to a video mode it cannot display. If you do this several times, and the machine doesn't do a thing, then it isn't completing bootup. See what that gives us to work with.