Vista hangs on blank screen at start up

Hello and thank you for reading this.

When installing a few new updates to my Windows Vista 64 bit SP2, the computer hung at the shut down screen for over an hour. After manually shutting down the computer it was unable to boot up again. This has happened before, not with a forces shut down, but the same problem on start up. I was able to rectify it before by booting from the install disc but I am not able to have any luck this time around.

When starting up normally, the computer starts up in regular fashion, however after the Windows logo and the green loading bar, the screen goes blank and hangs for as long as I am willing to leave it.

When trying to start up from disc, the computer starts up in regular fashion but after the white loading bar where it is starting up windows services, and then the green loading bar with the Windows logo, the screen lights up with the Vista background (blue back ground) but simply hangs there for as long as I am willing to leave it. I left it over night and it hung at that screen without giving me the language select or any further recovery options.

Here are the steps above and beyond that I have already taken.

- Booting from C: in safe mode (when loading, stops at windows\system32\Drivers\aswRvrt.sys)
- Booting from C: with last known good configuration (hangs on blank screen)
- Booting from C: in safe mode with cmd prompt (stops at windows\system32\Drivers\aswRvrt.sys)
- Booting from disc (hangs at blue Vista screen, no language select window, no system recovery options, no windows whatsoever, just the use of the mouse)
- Booting from disc in safe mode (loads all the way through, hangs on black screen with safe mode in all corners, Windows Vista 6001 SP1 at the top and movement of the mouse cursor. Tried alt/ctrl/del to access task manager but it is not responsive)
- Booting from disc with last known good configuration (hangs on blue Vista screen, same as above)
- Booting from disc in safe mode with cmd prompt (same as booting in regular safe mode)

Each time I have tried to restart the computer, I have attempted to reset the memory by unplugging the computer, holding the power button for at least one minute, plugging the power adapter back in and starting over again.

I know that the hardware for both the HDD and the disc tray are in working order as they were working well last night before the install of these new updates.

If the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results, then I should be declared insane a long time ago.

I am not sure where to even go from here. My knowledge is spent and I cannot find anyone else with the same problems on any forums. I am hoping this forum can come to the rescue.

Any help would be appreciated.

Best,

-Ryan

Ryan
The last driver to load is part of Avast. ASWRvrt
Assuming that other Avast drivers load immediately after that one
We have to remove or fix that driver.
If you have an Avast rescue disk that will most likely help

richc46 said:

Ryan
The last driver to load is part of Avast. ASWRvrt
Assuming that other Avast drivers load immediately after that one
We have to remove or fix that driver.
If you have an Avast rescue disk that will most likely help

Click to expand...

Thank you for your reply.

I do not have the rescue disk. I can create one using another computer. Will it matter if the rescue disk does not come from my PC?

The PC will not matter, but your rescue disk has to be compatible with your system. Example Vista Pro etc. and the bit
64 or 32 bit.
When you forced your computer to shut down, you may have corrupted a portion of your hard drive. The Avast Driver was probably damaged and now resulting in freezes when you try to boot.
Worst case scenario, we may have to reinstall and then use disc cleanup. Do not worry, I will hold you hand each and ever step; do not worry it is real easy.