Black Screen Of Death?

Merry Christmas!
I believe I've encountered the new black screen of death. I have the computer running now, but I am wondering if it could have happened because of a virus, and I am wondering if there is any other steps I need to take.

Here is what happened and what I've done so far:

Since updating to Windows 11 in October, both of my laptops have been really slow. My older laptop (only by a year or so) continued to fail to install the latest security update. I read that running chkdsk /f might help. It did help, and also helped with the extreme slowness. So I ran it on the newer laptop as well, even though the updates were downloading properly (the newer laptop is this one in question with the black screen of death).

After running chkdsk /f on this laptop, it worked fine for a couple of days. I regularly run a full virus scan (windows defender) on Monday nights, so last night I did a scan. When I got up this morning, all seemed good. It said nothing was found, so I restarted the computer.

During restart, it looked like chkdsk /f was running again, the same "fixing" followed by numbers and percents was running across the bottom of the screen. I wondered why this was happening, but let it run its course.

Then the screen became black, with this message
"Your device ran into a problem and couldn't be repaired. Click or press enter to see other recovery options. Couldn't connect to the network:..." and then listed something in my C drive system 32, which I failed to copy word for word.

I clicked for other recovery options, and selected the option to try to let my device repair itself. It could not.

I looked on the Microsoft website, and the first troubleshooting option I found was to turn off the computer, unplug new hardware, and turn it on. I had no new hardware, the only hardware was my mouse (which has needed replaced for many years now), but I figured it was worth a try. So, I selected the option to shut down, let it shut down, unplugged my mouse, turned the computer back on, and all seems fine.

Can all be fine? Do I need to check for viruses, or take any other steps?

I am going to run another windows full system scan while waiting for a reply. Any help is appreciated.
Thanks.

 

Thank you for responding so close to Christmas! The windows full system scan is still running, but it didn't find anything last night. Should I stop it to do this, or let it finish, or work on FRST at the same time?

 

The scan finished, and still found nothing. Attached are the logs.

Normally, after running a scan, I would restart the computer. But, since running a scan and then restarting was what I had done before the problems began earlier today, should I restart at this point or wait for further instructions?

Thanks.

 

Okay, thanks

 

Thank you for your help. Sorry it's taking me so long, I followed your instructions down to Chkdsk /R, which is still running and taking a long time.

 

Okay, it is done.
Spybot is uninstalled,
Adobe is uninstalled

I am pasting the ListChkdskReport, and attaching the Fixlog:

ListChkdskResult by SleepyDude v0.1.7 Beta | 21-09-2013

------< Log generate on 12/24/2025 6:19:47 PM >------
Category: 0
Computer Name: LAPTOP-DDK31LC2
Event Code: 1001
Record Number: 15058
Source Name: Microsoft-Windows-Wininit
Time Written: 12-25-2025 @ 00:13:19
Event Type: Information
User:
Message:

Checking file system on C:
The type of the file system is NTFS.
Volume label is Windows.

A disk check has been scheduled.
Windows will now check the disk.

Stage 1: Examining basic file system structure ...
2385408 file records processed.

File verification completed.
Phase duration (File record verification): 3.51 minutes.
49514 large file records processed.

Phase duration (Orphan file record recovery): 12.29 milliseconds.
0 bad file records processed.

Phase duration (Bad file record checking): 1.54 milliseconds.

Stage 2: Examining file name linkage ...
52227 reparse records processed.

2697734 index entries processed.

Index verification completed.
Phase duration (Index verification): 13.03 minutes.
0 unindexed files scanned.

Phase duration (Orphan reconnection): 5.61 seconds.
0 unindexed files recovered to lost and found.

Phase duration (Orphan recovery to lost and found): 3.55 milliseconds.
52227 reparse records processed.

Phase duration (Reparse point and Object ID verification): 41.09 seconds.

Stage 3: Examining security descriptors ...
Cleaning up 29 unused index entries from index $SII of file 0x9.
Cleaning up 29 unused index entries from index $SDH of file 0x9.
Cleaning up 29 unused security descriptors.
Security descriptor verification completed.
Phase duration (Security descriptor verification): 175.19 milliseconds.
156164 data files processed.

Phase duration (Data attribute verification): 1.69 milliseconds.
CHKDSK is verifying Usn Journal...
39799320 USN bytes processed.

Usn Journal verification completed.
Phase duration (USN journal verification): 1.86 seconds.

Stage 4: Looking for bad clusters in user file data ...
2385392 files processed.

File data verification completed.
Phase duration (User file recovery): 3.04 hours.

Stage 5: Looking for bad, free clusters ...
176343310 free clusters processed.

Free space verification is complete.
Phase duration (Free space recovery): 16.21 minutes.

Windows has scanned the file system and found no problems.
No further action is required.

975353855 KB total disk space.
266901636 KB in 1037459 files.
534604 KB in 156165 indexes.
0 KB in bad sectors.
2544375 KB in use by the system.
65536 KB occupied by the log file.
705373240 KB available on disk.

4096 bytes in each allocation unit.
243838463 total allocation units on disk.
176343310 allocation units available on disk.
Total duration: 3.60 hours (12982503 ms).

Internal Info:
00 66 24 00 a3 36 12 00 c3 73 1e 00 00 00 00 00 .f$..6...s......
fe 01 00 00 05 ca 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Category: 0
Computer Name: LAPTOP-DDK31LC2
Event Code: 26226
Record Number: 14731
Source Name: Chkdsk
Time Written: 12-23-2025 @ 19:14:48
Event Type: Information
User:
Message: Chkdsk was executed in scan mode on a volume snapshot.

Checking file system on \Device\HarddiskVolume3
Volume label is Windows.

Stage 1: Examining basic file system structure ...
Found corrupt basic file structure for "\ProgramData\TEMP <0x191,0x310e>"
... queued for offline repair.
2385408 file records processed.
File verification completed.
Phase duration (File record verification): 4.86 minutes.
49512 large file records processed.
Phase duration (Orphan file record recovery): 46.68 milliseconds.
0 bad file records processed.
Phase duration (Bad file record checking): 0.00 milliseconds.

Stage 2: Examining file name linkage ...
52238 reparse records processed.

----------------------------------------------------------------------


Stage 1: Examining basic file system structure ...
Deleted corrupt attribute list entry
with type code 80 in file 310E.
Unable to locate attribute of type 0x80, lowest vcn 0x0,
instance tag 0x6 in file 0x310e.
Deleted corrupt attribute list entry
with type code 80 in file 310E.
Unable to locate attribute of type 0x80, lowest vcn 0x0,
instance tag 0x3 in file 0x310e.
Deleted corrupt attribute list entry
with type code 80 in file 310E.
Unable to locate attribute of type 0x80, lowest vcn 0x0,
instance tag 0x4 in file 0x310e.
Unable to locate attribute with instance tag 0x3 and segment
reference 0x19100000000310e. The expected attribute type is 0x80.
Deleting corrupt attribute record (0x80, 008586AE)
from file record segment 0x310E.
Unable to locate attribute with instance tag 0x4 and segment
reference 0x19100000000310e. The expected attribute type is 0x80.
Deleting corrupt attribute record (0x80, 14266E2F)
from file record segment 0x310E.
Unable to locate attribute with instance tag 0x6 and segment
reference 0x19100000000310e. The expected attribute type is 0x80.
Deleting corrupt attribute record (0x80, D9B840AB)
from file record segment 0x310E.

Stage 2: Examining file name linkage ...

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Category: 0
Computer Name: LAPTOP-DDK31LC2
Event Code: 26228
Record Number: 14611
Source Name: Chkdsk
Time Written: 12-23-2025 @ 01:39:48
Event Type: Information
User:
Message: Chkdsk was executed in verify mode on a volume snapshot.

Checking file system on \Device\HarddiskVolume3
Volume label is Windows.

Examining 1 corruption record ...

Record 1 of 1: Corrupt File "\ProgramData\TEMP <0x191,0x310e>" ... Attribute list entry with type code 80 in file 310E is corrupt.
Unable to locate attribute of type 0x80, lowest vcn 0x0,
instance tag 0x6 in file 0x310e.
Attribute list entry with type code 80 in file 310E is corrupt.
Unable to locate attribute of type 0x80, lowest vcn 0x0,
instance tag 0x3 in file 0x310e.
Attribute list entry with type code 80 in file 310E is corrupt.
Unable to locate attribute of type 0x80, lowest vcn 0x0,
instance tag 0x4 in file 0x310e.
Unable to locate attribute with instance tag 0x3 and segment
reference 0x19100000000310e. The expected attribute type is 0x80.
Attribute record (80, 008586AE) from file record segment 310E
is corrupt.
Unable to locate attribute with instance tag 0x4 and segment
reference 0x19100000000310e. The expected attribute type is 0x80.
Attribute record (80, 14266E2F) from file record segment 310E
is corrupt.
Unable to locate attribute with instance tag 0x6 and segment
reference 0x19100000000310e. The expected attribute type is 0x80.
Attribute record (80, D9B840AB) from file record segment 310E
is corrupt.
corruption found.

1 corruption record processed in 16.3 seconds.

Windows has examined the list of previously identified potential issues and found problems.
Please run chkdsk /scan to fully analyze the problems and queue them for repair.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Category: 0
Computer Name: LAPTOP-DDK31LC2
Event Code: 1001
Record Number: 14165
Source Name: Microsoft-Windows-Wininit
Time Written: 12-20-2025 @ 21:07:48
Event Type: Information
User:
Message:

Checking file system on C:
The type of the file system is NTFS.
Volume label is Windows.


A disk check has been scheduled.
Windows will now check the disk.

Stage 1: Examining basic file system structure ...
Cleaning up instance tags for file 0x310e.
2385408 file records processed.

File verification completed.
Phase duration (File record verification): 3.66 minutes.
49590 large file records processed.

Phase duration (Orphan file record recovery): 15.99 milliseconds.
0 bad file records processed.

Phase duration (Bad file record checking): 1.51 milliseconds.

Stage 2: Examining file name linkage ...
52387 reparse records processed.

2697180 index entries processed.

Index verification completed.
Phase duration (Index verification): 14.85 minutes.
0 unindexed files scanned.

Phase duration (Orphan reconnection): 5.58 seconds.
0 unindexed files recovered to lost and found.

Phase duration (Orphan recovery to lost and found): 54.61 seconds.
52387 reparse records processed.

Phase duration (Reparse point and Object ID verification): 42.75 seconds.

Stage 3: Examining security descriptors ...
Cleaning up 5336 unused index entries from index $SII of file 0x9.
Cleaning up 5336 unused index entries from index $SDH of file 0x9.
Cleaning up 5336 unused security descriptors.
Security descriptor verification completed.
Phase duration (Security descriptor verification): 3.66 seconds.
155887 data files processed.

Phase duration (Data attribute verification): 2.04 milliseconds.
CHKDSK is verifying Usn Journal...
Usn Journal verification completed.

Windows has made corrections to the file system.
No further action is required.

975353855 KB total disk space.
258159004 KB in 1037271 files.
534332 KB in 155888 indexes.
0 KB in bad sectors.
2505143 KB in use by the system.
65536 KB occupied by the log file.
714155376 KB available on disk.

4096 bytes in each allocation unit.
243838463 total allocation units on disk.
178538844 allocation units available on disk.
Total duration: 20.32 minutes (1219639 ms).

Internal Info:
00 66 24 00 d2 34 12 00 e6 6f 1e 00 00 00 00 00 .f$..4...o......
fc 01 00 00 a7 ca 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

 

I don't know if this helps you any, but during all of the rebooting required, this computer always restarted with no issues.

A few questions:

I notice you often have me uninstall Spybot. Is Spybot not a good thing to install?

Many of the games I play automatically reinstall Adobe after you have me remove it. Is there something I can use instead?

Did I break something when I ran chkdsk /f?

Again, sorry it took so long. I understand if you can't get back to me tomorrow.

Have a merry Christmas!

 

Thanks for the information, and for responding today. I'm glad I didn't break anything!

The log follows, but it seems it had to terminate early? I'm not sure if it worked:

Fix result of Farbar Recovery Scan Tool (x64) Version: 20-11-2025
Ran by Hellhound Hunter (25-12-2025 13:11:46) Run:2
Running from C:\Users\Hellhound Hunter\Desktop
Loaded Profiles: Hellhound Hunter
Boot Mode: Normal
==============================================

fixlist content:
*****************
Start::
CloseProcesses:
cmd: Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
End::
*****************

Processes closed successfully.

========= Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth =========


Fixing is terminated due to reaching maximum fixing time of 60 minutes. <==== ATTENTION

 

I notice the last thing we fixed had something to do with images. Since upgrading to Windows 11, this computer has had a very difficult time with images. They don't load at all, and stay white, or they are very blurry and take forever to pixelate in, if they ever do. Could this have fixed that?

 

It says:
"The restore operation completed successfully.
The operation completed successfully."

 

Hello,
I just checked for updates, and it says it is up to date. At some point yesterday, it updated. Maybe in the evening? I can't remember. It was a quick update, not an all-night-pull-your-hair-out one.

What causes things to corrupt? Does it just happen over time? Is there some place where Windows alerts you to system corruption?

 

Thanks for all your help. I am a book learner, is there a book about computers that you would recommend?

Do you think this computer is okay and ready to go now?

 

Great, thanks!

I hope to really get into computers when I have more time later. For now it would be good to have enough knowledge to be able to use it without freaking out and running to you every time something unexpected happens

When we updated to Windows 11, I bought a few Windows 11 for Dummies books, but I found no information on the black screen I was seeing this time, and worried that following their instructions for helping an update that wouldn't download had caused the whole problem (which I guess we decided it didn't, but I was still worried).

I really appreciate what you do, and how you helped me even during the holiday! Thank you so much!