GPU crashed, now I have a black screen instead of a desktop and Windows Explorer keeps failing

[sm0ke]

Running Windows 7 Ultimate on an SSD that was low on space (under 600mb) at the time, if that helps. My video card has recently started to crash randomly, sometimes causing just a black screen, and sometimes leading to a BSOD where a memory dump is created. Not sure if it's related, but after this last one, I can't get back to the desktop.

System repair found 2 different errors on two different scans -- the first of which I can't remember, the second was a corrupted kdcom.dll. They were both repaired.

I've also gotten a "LogonUI.exe - Bad Image" error message that says "C:\Windows\System32\NetAPI32.dll is either not designed to run on Windows or it contains an error." when booting to the desktop.

Safe mode also does not work -- it goes to a black screen as well. I noticed that "Welcome to Windows" screen is cropped or framed by black bars, which I don't think is usually the case.

I ran "sfc /scannow" in command prompt and it said it found some errors that it can't fix, but I can't access the CBS.log with the "findstr" command for some reason.

I don't have any System Restore points or Recovery Discs.

I believe that pretty much sums up my problem and steps taken. Thanks in advance.

Specs: CPU - AMD Phenom II X4 925 Deneb 2.8GHz; RAM - 2x HyperX 4GB DDR3 1600; GPU - Sapphire Radeon HD 7870 XT; Mobo - BIOSTAR A870U3 SATA6 USB3; OS - Windows 7 Ultimate

 

[Detroit Wave]

i would reformat at this point.

if it fukks up shortly after the reformat then its time to go parts shopping

 

[sm0ke]

i would reformat at this point.

if it fukks up shortly after the reformat then its time to go parts shopping

Seems to be the way things are going. I will need to get my files off the hard drives -- I was instructed to create a Linux Live CD to do that.

I'm going to try the sfc /scannow a few more times... I was told it sometimes takes more than once to fix the errors.

I think it's the low space in my SSD that screwed me up. It's a little difficult to manage the space with two hard drives. Some things save to the OS drive without asking.

But if anyone else has input, I'd like to hear it.

 

[Detroit Wave]

Seems to be the way things are going. I will need to get my files off the hard drives -- I was instructed to create a Linux Live CD to do that.

I'm going to try the sfc /scannow a few more times... I was told it sometimes takes more than once to fix the errors.

I think it's the low space in my SSD that screwed me up. It's a little difficult to manage the space with two hard drives. Some things save to the OS drive without asking.

But if anyone else has input, I'd like to hear it.

make sure any programs you use that download things are set to download to the hdd and not the ssd. i have an ssd and then a 1tb hdd. i had to set my browser to download to the hdd as well as steam. the only things on my ssd are the OS and BF4.

Also linux live cd is very useful. throw it on your phone or flash drive so you can always have it on deck

 

[Hersh]

put it in rice

 

[daze23]

Seems to be the way things are going. I will need to get my files off the hard drives -- I was instructed to create a Linux Live CD to do that.

I'm going to try the sfc /scannow a few more times... I was told it sometimes takes more than once to fix the errors.

I think it's the low space in my SSD that screwed me up. It's a little difficult to manage the space with two hard drives. Some things save to the OS drive without asking.

But if anyone else has input, I'd like to hear it.

you can move the default 'program files' folder to a different drive

1/ Open the Registry Editor by selecting Start > Run > Regedit.
2/ Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion.
3/ In the right pane, double-click ProgramFilesDir and change the path in the String Editor to the drive and folder you want (i.e. H:\Program Files). You must also modify the entry for ProgramFilesPath. If your path is H:\ like mine is, the path would be H:\Program Files
4/ Exit the Registry Editor and restart your computer.

 

[gho3st]

Seems to be the way things are going. I will need to get my files off the hard drives -- I was instructed to create a Linux Live CD to do that.

I'm going to try the sfc /scannow a few more times... I was told it sometimes takes more than once to fix the errors.

I think it's the low space in my SSD that screwed me up. It's a little difficult to manage the space with two hard drives. Some things save to the OS drive without asking.

But if anyone else has input, I'd like to hear it.

Low space on HD is not supposed to screw it up. And you already have 4GB of RAM. do you have the windows 7 installation disk?

 

[sm0ke]

you can move the default 'program files' folder to a different drive

Thanks, that will be useful once I get this straightened out.

Low space on HD is not supposed to screw it up. And you already have 4GB of RAM. do you have the windows 7 installation disk?

8gb actually, but no, I don't have the installation disc.

At this point I'm trying to put a Linux distro on my USB drive, but no matter which installer or distro I use, it doesn't boot up. It either gives me an error or just a single line of Syslinux copyright info.

 

[newarkhiphop]

master race problems

 

[teacher]

What no tech support to help you trouble shoot ?

sounds like your SSD is fukked or at least has permanent 'errors' that need to be skipped

 

[daze23]

master race problems

you gotta work for the good things in life

 

[GzUp]

Sounds like a electrolyte problem

 

[newarkhiphop]

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-US/video/installing-win7-using-a-usb-stick

 

[sm0ke]

So I've gained access to my computer with Linux Mint, from the DVD drive. It's having graphics issues, but I guess Linux Mint has an issue with AMD drivers so I don't know if that gives any indication to my problem.

I cleared some space from my SSD, to no avail. I'm going to clear some more space and see if I can get any more functionality. I don't think my SSD is completely fukked, since I was able to move files from it without issue (other than it being painfully slow).

edit: Strangely, moving files between my hard drives is a lot faster this time around. About to see if clearing up a couple gigs fixes my issue.

edit 2: Of course that didn't fix my problem. So space on the SSD isn't the issue.