[W7] Black screen+cursor after login, no key combinations work and no OS disk available

Alright I'll go do that in a minute, but first I should probably mention this: the microsoft fix it tool also gave this in its result log under "checked problems": Windows Update is not configured for installing drivers & Updates for drivers are not automatically installed when they are detected by Windows Update.

I'll go and try it now.

Okay, so upon right clicking the NVIDIA card, I switched it off and restarted the computer. Nothing happened on the Windows Update front. Also, when trying to manually open Windows Update as you explained, nothing happened either. The update module (if there is supposed to be one popping up) did not open or run as far as I could tell. When in device manager, after right-clicking, I ask to "Update drivers", I get a message that there are no better or newer versions of my drivers available, and that the best drivers are already installed.

There was also no funkiness . However, there's also a Intel (HD) Graphics Family under the Display tab in Device Manager. Should I also switch this one off?

And just one more thing I should mention: in the right bottom corner of the screen, next to the clock, I get a mention that the driver for PCI Simple Communications controller is not installed and cannot be installed. I don't know if that's relevant to my problem though.

Yes, nothing has changed onfortunately. I have not been able to use Windows Update, nor does it open when I click on the link directly. Device manager says I have the correct driver for the Nvidia card. Same for the Intel (HD) Graphics Family. So no progress yet.

Ah, and to be sure that I did it correctly. You told me to rightclick the driver in Device Manager. But there are several options there. I figured you meant Deactivate, but was I perhaps supposed to Undo the installation or select another option?

Last double post: In fact, what I'm reading on the internet is that Windows Update isn't actually activated in Safe Mode. So yeah...

I found the Nvidia driver on the Dell website so I installed that one but nothing changed. It was the police ransomware virus that I had, which apparently causes severe damages to the OS. So in the end I 'accepted defeat' and handed in my laptop for a clean install. It seemed the easiest way. Anyway, I'd like to thank you for the time & effort you've put in to this, you guys definitely do great work here.

No, you can close it. Thanks!