Solved! Acer 6 Windows 10 stuck on black screen with mouse pointer and small flashing blue buffering symbol while trying to boot up

[mcmullem]

Acer aspire 6 with Windows 10 stuck on black screen with mouse pointer and small flashing blue buffering symbol while trying to boot up. Have tried restarting my computer several times.
When powering up I get in the top LH corner. "The operating system didn't shut down cleanly. Reconstructing cache metadata. Then eight command lines below it all ending in done or 100%. Then the Acer word appears with white buffering circle. Then Acer disappears and just mouse pointer appears with a very small flashing blue buffering symbol next to it. And it stays like that stuck on that point. The screen might go off after time and if I touch the mouse pad then the mouse pointer reappears with a very small flashing blue buffering symbol next to it.
(I often use a usb wireless mouse - but having that plugged in or not makes no difference- tried restarting it with or without it).
Help

 

[mrmike16]

Does it boot into Safe Mode?

 

[mcmullem]

Does it boot into Safe Mode?

How do I boot it in safe mode?
I have managed to interrupt the loading by pressing the power button during the time that the Acer name comes up and it shows a recovery page which gives advanced repair options but not sure what to do?

 

[mrmike16]

That's fine. Click Troubleshoot, then Advanced Options, then you can try System Restore to a date from before this issue.
If that doesn't work, navigate to Advanced Options again with the same method, click Startup Settings, Restart, and once if reboots, Enable Safe Mode.

 

[mcmullem]

Thanks. I didn't do the system restore cos I'm not sure if I've made a system restore point before 🤔🙄
So I did the enable safe mode, but same thing happens, after ACER disappears, this time I get a slightly larger mouse pointer and the little blue buffering circle next to the pointer is flashing much more rapidly...
🥴.
Can I do a system restore if I haven't made a restore point before myself ? And if I did that would I lose all my files?
Thanks for your help..

 

[mrmike16]

The System Restore usually makes restore points automatically when Windows updates.

Your computer should always be backed up. In my experience, I've never lost files from using System Restore, but the risk is always there- Loss of files after the system restore in Windows 10 - Microsoft Community

The slightly larger mouse pointer is because Safe Mode doesn't load your graphics drivers, so the default resolution is going to cause everything to look bigger.

That rules out the drivers, but it doesn't rule out the Windows Updates, which is why I would try the System Restore.

If you haven't backed up your files, you can copy your files to an external drive by booting from a USB drive with a backup software or a Linux operating system, or by copying the hard drive externally on another PC (only do this if you are comfortable opening your PC and voiding your warranty to remove the hard drive).

 

[mcmullem]

The System Restore usually makes restore points automatically when Windows updates.

Your computer should always be backed up. In my experience, I've never lost files from using System Restore, but the risk is always there- Loss of files after the system restore in Windows 10 - Microsoft Community

The slightly larger mouse pointer is because Safe Mode doesn't load your graphics drivers, so the default resolution is going to cause everything to look bigger.

That rules out the drivers, but it doesn't rule out the Windows Updates, which is why I would try the System Restore.

If you haven't backed up your files, you can copy your files to an external drive by booting from a USB drive with a backup software or a Linux operating system, or by copying the hard drive externally on another PC (only do this if you are comfortable opening your PC and voiding your warranty to remove the hard drive).

Thanks mrmike. Does it matter that the fault didn't occur after a Windows update. As the laptop was working fine this morning, normally without an update, it was only after I shut down the computer this morning and turned it on this afternoon that this problem started, which confused me cos I hadn't updated anything or any changes today?
Thanks, sorry, very much a novice

 

[mrmike16]

Windows Updates, at least the small ones, can be done in the background on Windows 10 without the user noticing, unless you've changed that setting. I'm not sure it's an update that caused this issue, but a System Restore should revert whatever caused it back to the state it was in yesterday.
If Windows made a Restore Point for today, then you'll know that there was indeed an update. It's also done once a week, I believe.

 

[mcmullem]

Windows Updates, at least the small ones, can be done in the background on Windows 10 without the user noticing, unless you've changed that setting. I'm not sure it's an update that caused this issue, but a System Restore should revert whatever caused it back to the state it was in yesterday.
If Windows made a Restore Point for today, then you'll know that there was indeed an update. It's also done once a week, I believe.

Hi mrmike. Managed to do a system restore. Last one was four days ago. So it restored to that point and advised me that none of my files were affected and that the machine would restart. Sadly didn't fix the issue. Gets past ACER logo, then goes to the mouse pointer and blue flashing buffer icon.. not moving post that point..🥴
Thanks for your help...

 

[mrmike16]

OK, so that didn't fix the issue. Try the Windows Startup Repair from that same Advanced Options menu you were at before.

If that failed as well, I'm out of suggestions other than reinstalling Windows from a USB flash drive. For that, you would for sure need to have your files on another media storage device, since this would erase everything on your hard drive.

 

[mcmullem]

OK, so that didn't fix the issue. Try the Windows Startup Repair from that same Advanced Options menu you were at before.

If that failed as well, I'm out of suggestions other than reinstalling Windows from a USB flash drive. For that, you would for sure need to have your files on another media storage device, since this would erase everything on your hard drive.

Thanks mrmike.... Will try that tomorrow 👍

 

[AlHuneke]

Sorry to interject. You are on the right track, I think. Make sure you backup your files, if you can. It's not clear from above if you can install/run software but if you can, run BelArc advisor to get a list of most of your installed software and most of the SW keys. Hopefully, you have a way to reinstall all your programs. Now (using a different computer just in case you have a virus)
o Create an install USB. Do this by following the steps at https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10). Select the option to make media for another computer.
o OR---https/www.howtogeek.com/714130/how-to-install-windows-10-from-a-usb-drive/ if you want more details.

Chose the option to completely wipe your hard drive.