Can anyone help me with an issue with Windows 11 after power failure during video driver update? (Resolved)

[Robert Bone]

OK - I recently built a new monster desktop PC, and after nearly three very busy weeks I got all my software installed (over 1,200 plugins) plus 6TB of sample libraries downloaded and installed as well as another 4TB of user files and such.

Two days ago, my brand spanking new power supply instantly shut off, which instantly shut off the computer, RIGHT in the middle of my updating the NVIDIA video drivers.

Ever since that happened, I get ZERO video signal and therefore can not see anything on the screen.

Despite my 38 years of mainframe programming, I am not sure of how to fix the issue.

I have downloaded the Microsoft MediaCreation Tool for Windows 11, on my laptop, and can create a bootable USB drive with Windows using the tool, but I am not sure whether or not booting up the desktop using the bootable USB drive will give me the option of essentially a reinstall of Windows 11 where it will not only preserve my user account and files, but will also preserve all of the installed software.

I really do not want to have to reinstall some 1,200 plugins and all of my sample libraries and such.

Any guidance?  I SURELY would appreciate someone laying out the steps to do this correctly.

Bob Bone

UPDATE RESOLVED. It was a defective brand new power supply.  

Edited December 20, 2023 by Robert Bone
Resolved.

[DeeringAmps]

I take it you  don't have an image that will at least get you up and running?

[HIBI]

If the CPU has a video chip, try booting with that chip.
If it starts, remove the video driver that failed to update and then try booting with the video card.

If the CPU does not have a video chip...
Do you have other video cards that can be used temporarily?

[Xoo]

So no pre-Windows BIOS/UEFI screen even?  If not, how do you know it's the video card and not something else given the power supply played up?

[pwal³]

2 hours ago, HIBI said:

If the CPU has a video chip, try booting with that chip.
If it starts, remove the video driver that failed to update and then try booting with the video card.

If the CPU does not have a video chip...
Do you have other video cards that can be used temporarily?

my first thought, so what mobo, cpu, vga card, psu are you working with? second thought is boot off the usb drive

Edited December 9, 2023 by pwal

[Starship Krupa]

Good advice so far.

7 hours ago, Xoo said:

how do you know it's the video card and not something else given the power supply played up?

This. The PS may have zapped the motherboard when the incident happened, and/or the power supply itself may now be incapable of supplying one or more of the clean voltages needed to boot and run the system, etc.

Fortunately due to their being made of certain building blocks, PC's are relatively easy to troubleshoot via substitution.

If you turn the system on and the fans come on but no video, it could be a problem with: monitor, video card, power supply, motherboard, or even a video cable. I just had a monitor "die," but it turned out that replacing the HDMI cable miraculously fixed it. Glad I checked.

If you turn it on and get a logo and option to go into settings, that is what indicates either an OS drive failure or corruption. But it sounds like maybe you're not getting that far.

So you can troubleshoot it by substituting those components. Presumably you have donor parts from your previous system?

First thing I would try is connecting the monitor to the motherboard's video out. If that doesn't result in being able to get to a UEFI/BIOS screen, then substitute another power supply. If that doesn't do it....things will be looking worse, but not necessarily enirely lost. Your OS configuration and so forth may be happily intact.

Fingers crossed that all that happened was that your brand new power supply suffered infant mortality and didn't take anything else out with it.

If perchance you ARE getting as far as the logo and UEFI/BIOS screen, that means that PS, mobo, monitor, and video card are all okay. Then we'll check and see if your drive is being recognized by the BIOS. If it is, there are safe mode boot and a variety of recovery options for Windows that can take you further.

[mettelus]

23 hours ago, Robert Bone said:

Two days ago, my brand spanking new power supply instantly shut off, which instantly shut off the computer, RIGHT in the middle of my updating the NVIDIA video drivers.

Are you getting any motherboard errors from powering the machine on? That is about the only internal diagnostic that will let you know if components have failed (as the MB "sees" things). The reason I ask this is because when something loses power it is typically not destructive (sudden voltage drop is not, and the source is designed to take the arc), but if there is a spike involved prior to that power loss, it can be destructive. "Selective tripping" is the term often used to define this, basically the arc from power surges needs to be controlled at the device closest to the power source that can take it. In a situation where the power source is what caused it, that protection may have been bypassed with the failure, so everything that was plugged into it at the time is now suspect. Unfortunately the troubleshooting on this either requires diagnostics of everything in question (not simple) or swapping out the suspect parts to see what is good and bad.

NVIDIAs driver cycle includes a brief on/off reset to the card to allow the new drivers to install, but if the power supply reacted to that, the card may have failed and transmitted that surge to it as well. Both of those components reacted to the "same thing," which is a big concern.

That said, there are companies that have very liberal return policies, so you can troubleshoot via that method and return the things that you prove are good if you take that route. For what you described, both the power supply and graphics card are suspect already. You can also contact those vendors directly about what happened and you might get lucky and get into contact with an engineer who knows the design and protective features cold (and can give you a proper answer, and where to focus attention).

Edited December 9, 2023 by mettelus

[John Vere]

That was the first thing came to mind. Most stuff is very returnable these day. They generally don’t ask questions. Either send a replacement or your money. But don’t leave it too long. 
 

On a side note. I just built a new system and it took 3 days and I’ve used a total of 60 GB of the 3 TB of storage I installed. I’ve got more stuff than I’ll possibly ever use.

Probably a better strategy is to only install stuff as you need it. You’ll be surprised at what you don’t need. 

 

Edited December 11, 2023 by John Vere

[mettelus]

The original parts themselves should also be under warranty, so definitely look into that as well. A manufacturing flaw in electronics may pass final test, but if there was one, it often manifests itself in the first 30 days once it gets put into use.

[Robert Bone]

Sorry for not responding earlier.  I have been in a lot of pain from weather changing back and forth, which makes multiple herniated discs angry at me.

I have gotten the computer back up.  The power supply was the culprit.  I also used SFC (system File Checker) and DISM to repair some Windows file corruption.  In more than 200 computer builds I have never had a power supply do this, let alone a brand new one.

Weirdness never sleeps, I guess.

Thanks to all who jumped in to help.  

Bob Bone

[Starship Krupa]

On 12/15/2023 at 9:37 AM, Robert Bone said:

The power supply was the culprit.  I also used SFC (system File Checker) and DISM to repair some Windows file corruption.  In more than 200 computer builds I have never had a power supply do this, let alone a brand new one.

A less than .5% failure rate in power supplies, then?

I hoped it was the power supply. They are one of the most stressed components in a PC.