Blank Screen on Laptop w/ Vista

[xcountrycheetah]

I have an HP Pavillion dv6000 laptop that is almost 2 yrs old.  It came with Windows Vista.  The computer was working fine last night but when I went to use it this morning the screen had two error messages.  One was about Internet Explorer not being able to work and the other was about Windows not being able to work.  It was then looking to solve the problem but just kept going until it closed.  At this point, my wallpaper was up and the Widgets on the right side of my screen (date, calendar, etc.) but the bar at the bottom of my screen w/ the Start button and any shortcuts on my desktop were gone.  So I restarted my computer but it came up as the same thing.  Then I turned my computer completely off and came back an hour later and turned it back on.  It said Windows hadn't been shut down properly and what did I want to do.  I clicked to restart normally.  I entered my unlock password but now I just get to a black screen.  I do have a mouse on the screen and I can move it around, there just isn't anything to click or anything.  My computer automatically updates Vista so thats the only thing I can think that happened in the night.  Is there anything I can do to fix this?  I don't know how to do much to fix things so I'd need a step-by-step account.  Thanks and sorry this is so long.

[Allan]

First, what was the exact error message? Second, if I were you I'd download a boot time virus scanner and run it.

[xcountrycheetah]

I can't remember the exact messages b/c they closed on their own but I'm pretty sure it was Windows Internet Explorer is currently not working and to wait while it is gathering information.  And there was the progressing green lighted bar beneath it.  It was the same message for Windows Vista too.  As for downloading a virus scanner, is that something I can get in CD form?  I tried putting a DVD into the laptop to see if it'd play but the screen stayed black with the mouse.  I can't get on the internet and the screen doesn't have anything pop up that I could click so I'm not sure if it'd even download the CD. 

[Allan]

You'd have to download and burn it on another system, but if you can't boot to it on yours that would be a problem.

[xcountrycheetah]

So I restarted and got on "safe mode" and all of the desktop icons show up there but it is really slow.  I should be able to go on the internet in this mode, right?  If so, do you suggest I just download a Windows-made virus scanner or is there another one that is better?

[Broni]

You don't have any AV program currently installed?