I have a black screen after the latest Windows 11 update l've followed all the different advice and have drawn a blank. At 75 I'm finding it all very stressful.

Question

I have a black screen after the latest Windows 11 update and cannot restart my pc. I've followed all the different advice and have drawn a blank. At 75 I'm finding it all very stressful that I can't, with no fault of my own, get my pc working. All I get is the HP logo flashing on an off the screen intermittently. I need my computer as it has documents on it that I need for a trip abroad

Answer 1

Dear Evelyn Beer,

Welcome to the Microsoft Community

I completely understand how frustrating and stressful it must be for you to deal with this situation, especially when you need your computer for important documents. Please don’t worry – I’m here to help guide you through some steps to troubleshoot the issue.

Here’s what we can do to try and fix the problem:

Step 1: Perform a Hard Reset

First, let’s try a hard reset to see if that resolves the issue.

Turn off your computer by pressing and holding the power button until the device completely shuts off.

Disconnect any peripherals (USB drives, printers, external monitors, etc.) that are plugged into your computer. This helps to rule out any external devices causing the issue.

Press the power button again to turn your computer back on and check if it boots normally.

If this doesn’t work, let’s move on to the next step.

Step 2: Boot into Safe Mode

Since the computer is showing the HP logo and then going black, we might be able to access Safe Mode, where we can perform more troubleshooting steps.

Turn on your computer and wait for the Windows logo (or the HP logo) to appear.

As soon as the logo shows up, press and hold the power button until the computer shuts down.

Turn the computer back on, and when the logo appears again, repeat the process: press and hold the power button to turn it off.

After repeating this 2-3 times, on the third attempt, Windows should display the Recovery screen.

Select See advanced repair options.

From the options that appear, choose Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings > Restart.

After the restart, select option 4 or press F4 to boot into Safe Mode.

Step 3: Uninstall Recent Updates

If you’re able to access Safe Mode, you can try uninstalling the most recent update that may have caused the issue. Here’s how:

Press Win + I to open Settings.

Navigate to Windows Update > Update History > Uninstall updates.

Look for the most recent update listed and select it.

Click Uninstall and follow the on-screen instructions to remove the update.

After uninstalling the update, restart your computer and check if the issue is resolved.

Step 4: Perform a System Restore

If uninstalling the update doesn’t solve the problem, and if you have System Restore enabled, we can try rolling back to a previous system state before the update caused this issue.

While in Safe Mode or Advanced Startup Options, go to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > System Restore.

Follow the on-screen instructions to restore your computer to a previous point in time before the issue started.

This should help revert any changes that may have caused the black screen problem.

If after trying these steps the problem still persists, it might be time to contact HP Support for further assistance, especially if there’s a hardware-related issue. They can guide you through more advanced troubleshooting, and if needed, provide support specific to your device.

I understand this is a stressful situation, and I’m here to support you through every step. Please take your time and let me know if you need further assistance or clarification.

Best Regards,

Martin | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

Answer 2

Thank you so much for your reply. After I posted on the community my husband finally managed to get to a stage where we could go back to a date before the update problem. It worked! Many thanks for all the advice. I will print it off and save it for future reference.

Regards Evelyn

Answer 3

That's all very well, Martin, but Windows keeps pushing the updates back at me. I have gone through this procedure on my HP three times now, updated the Geforce graphics driver in case that was the problem, but no. As soon as I turn off the PC, Windows goes into the update routine. I am 78 and have been using PCs since Windows 3.11 and DOS 6.

Answer 4

The options listed require a recovery key. I got there on my own about 2 hours ago. I still cannot find a recovery key for the PC in question. My account lists a recovery key for the device that is running correctly and does not work for the hosed-up PC. I find it ridiculous it's such a struggle to find any support for an update that MS did on their own and hosed up my PC. What is it I pay for again?

Answer 5

Dear Evelyn,

I’m so glad to hear that you were able to resolve the issue with your computer and get it back up and running by restoring it to a previous state — that’s fantastic news!

It’s great to see that the steps I recommended, particularly regarding rolling back updates, aligned with the solution you found. It’s rewarding to know it helped in some capacity.

If you have a moment, I’d kindly ask you to log in to the account you used when posting in the community and select "Yes" under my reply. This action will help others facing a similar issue to find the guidance they need more easily. Your feedback would be greatly appreciated and will contribute to the effectiveness of our community support.

Please keep the advice I provided on hand, just in case you encounter similar issues in the future. And as always, don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any more questions or run into any new challenges — I’m here to assist you every step of the way.

Should you need further assistance or advice in the future, feel free to contact the Microsoft Community or send me a message directly. I’m always happy to help.

Wishing you safe and smooth travels abroad!

Best regards,
Martin | Microsoft Community Support Specialist