black screen after installing 2 updates

Question

Yesterday i had problems to power on my laptop after installing 2 updates. KB5126052 and KB5124008. Just got, for 2 seconds the Lenovo log and then a black screen. waited a few hours but nothing changed.

After a emergency restart (using a paperclip in my Lenovo), then select windows recovery and then select windows 11 everything worked again. Any idea hwo this was possible and is it better to remove the 2 updates?

Thanks for the help.

Answer 1

The black screen is not a reported problem in either of the September updates, what may have happened is the update installed new Security Boot keys in your BIOS and that caused the problem, and if you reset your BIOS using the paperclip method, that should have resolved the problem, if you are now able to successfully turn off and restart your system, then there is nothing further you need to do.

Answer 2

A one-time black screen immediately after updates can happen because of a display driver issue, a stalled Windows process, an incomplete update, or a boot/display output problem. Since the system started normally after entering Windows Recovery and selecting Windows 11, that points more to a temporary startup or update-related issue than a permanent failure.

Based on the supported guidance, removing the updates is not the first step if Windows is now starting normally. Use this approach instead:

1. Check whether the problem returns
   • If the laptop now boots normally, monitor it for the next few restarts.
   • If the black screen does not return, no immediate removal is indicated.
2. Install any newer Windows updates
   • Go to Start > Settings > Windows Update and select Check for updates.
   • This can help if the issue was caused by an incomplete or incompatible update component.
3. If the black screen happens again, try the display recovery shortcuts first
   • Press Windows + Ctrl + Shift + B to reset the graphics driver. A beep or screen flicker indicates it worked.
   • Press Windows + P, then press P again and Enter to cycle display modes.
   • Press Ctrl + Alt + Del. If the security screen appears, open Task Manager and restart Windows Explorer.
4. If it fails to boot again, use Windows Recovery
   • From recovery, try Startup Repair.
   • If the issue started after the updates, try Uninstall Updates first for the latest quality update.
   • If uninstall does not help, try System Restore to a point before the problem started.
5. If Windows starts, check for driver or device issues
   • Right-click Start > Device Manager.
   • Look for any device with an exclamation mark.
   • Try Update driver. If that does not help, disabling or uninstalling the affected device is listed as a troubleshooting step.
6. Check disk free space
   • Windows needs free space for swap files and update operations.
   • Keeping 10% to 15% free space is recommended.
7. If the issue becomes repeatable after sign-in
   • A black screen after sign-in can be related to the shell or startup apps.
   • Try a clean boot to identify a startup app or service causing the issue.

It is possible to remove the updates if the problem returns and clearly tracks to them, but if the device is currently stable, immediate removal is not the best supported step. If the black screen reappears consistently after startup, use Recovery to uninstall the latest update or restore the system.

If editing the registry is ever considered for a black screen after sign-in scenario, that is a higher-risk step and should be done carefully because incorrect changes can cause serious problems.

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References:

• Troubleshooting blank screens in Windows
• Troubleshooting black or blank screens in Windows
• Troubleshooting Windows unexpected restarts and stop code errors
• Scenario guide: Black screen after you sign in to the system
• Troubleshoot problems updating Windows
• "Updates are underway" stuck - Microsoft Q&A
• My lenovo laptop won’t start - Microsoft Q&A