I tried installing Win 8.1 via the App store, and during the update process/restarts/reboots, I now have a blank black screen. Can't get into BIOS etc...Just from Googling around, it seems to be a graphics driver issue that 8.1 doesn't support.

I read somewhere that the Lucid Virtu Universal MVP software can cause this issue......(although I don't recall seeing nor using this software during or after my build). To be honest, I don't know if Lucid is the default software or if it's just supported by the Z77 OC Formula. Anyway, someone had suggested to uninstall/disable Lucid Virtu which has resolved their issue.
 
I also read that this fix:http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows8_1-system/windows-81-upgrade-fails-with-blank-black-screen/0fe95652-c68a-4838-b438-c5eaa1941650 has resolved some of the laptop users that experienced this blank black screen during the 8.1 update.
 
A fellow user on my MOBO forum suggested: "If all you are getting is a black screen even before Windows starts loading it isn't a driver issue. I would try a hard reset of the bios or switching the bios header over to bios 2."
 
So far, I somewhat have 3 possible solutions (4th would be to do a clean install.....but, that's a last resort) and not quite sure which way to go about it. 
 
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Can you boot into safe mode? If so an incompatible video driver may be an issue.
http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Launches-Guide-on-How-to-Fix-Windows-8-1-Blank-Black-Screen-393649.shtml
 
A similar symptom can occur with a damaged MBR:
http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Launches-Guide-on-How-to-Fix-Windows-8-1-Blank-Black-Screen-393649.shtml
 
Neither of those fixes requires reinstalling Windows.
 
Can you boot from a "live" OS in your CD or USB port? If you can boot one of the free live Linux distros or Linux based diagnostic disks (http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/) , you should be able to avoid using windows at all. If you left the bios with USB or CD in the boot sequence , you might be able to get to them by disconnecting the hard drive that is set to boot. If you can get into Linux, you can pretty much assume that there is not a fatal hardware or BIOS issue.
 
If you are really not getting into your BIOS at all, the first thing to try is disconnecting any USB or internal hard drives so they can not interfere, reset the BIOS by pressing the reset switch or removing the battery and try to boot without an OS. The default BIOS settings on most machines will be to show either a splash screen or a rapid display of the POST. If nothing shows, suspect that there is a monitor problem or that your default video card is unable to synch with your monitor. Changes to the non-volatile memory in the video system made by an installation attempt might have set that card to perform at a setting your monitor does not support. I was unable to see the BIOS on a new build a few months ago until I swapped out my old CRT with a new LCD display. The BIOS would not synch to setting low enough to match the highest resolution of the old monitor. A different monitor or an older video card might help reveal that problem.
 
Or you may just be suffering from the mysterious win8 install halted by black screen syndrome.
 
http://news.softpedia.com/news/Blank-Screen-After-Installing-Windows-8-1-396520.shtml
 
 Or your machine or the video components could have just decided to fail at the time you were doing the installation.

update: I reset the CMOS, disabled my HIS IceQ graphics card, and was able to to get into BIOS using my iGPU.
 
I am able to get into Windows and looks like 8.1.........now to update to the latest BIOS.
I'm concerned about using or not being able to use my dedicated video card......
 
 
UPDATE: I updated to the latest BIOS and on reboot, back to a black screen. (BTW, my 3rd party graphics is still disabled).
Manually restarted PC a few times and got into windows. Checked Device Mgr. to see the status of the intel graphics HD 4000 driver and found out: Windows has stopped this device because it has reported problems (Code 43).
 
Googled it this AM and at the Intel site there's a possible fix, but seems like people are having mixed results
https://communities.intel.com/thread/46588 (a work in progress). Some people have had good results with the new drivers and others have had to use older drivers.......looks like it's a trial and error method to be used here.......
 
Apparently Win 8.1's Automatic Update is causing some driver issues and Intel is suggesting to manually install the graphics driver (which I'm planning on trying out this evening)......it can be DL here: https://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=23405 
 
 
@slartabartfast: I truly appreciate the feedback/info in giving me some options I hadn't thought of. Hopefully, one of these drivers will work (even if it;s an older one). 
 
I'm surprised not seeing much of this at Cake in encountering this problem (being an Intel iGPU issue)?

Well, I downloaded the graphics driver on to my thumb drive and was getting ready to install it. Powered up the DAW, saw the options of going into BIOS, but didn't get into it, saw the initial booting up Win 8 splash screen for a few secs., and then blank black screen.
 
Tried restarting the macnine a few times, reset CMOS, tried F8 in hopes of getting into safe mode (no luck), rebooted a few more times (even got into BIOS and disabled Lucid Virtu Universal MVP).......still the same results.
 
So, at the moment, all I can do is get into BIOS.
 
If I can get into Windows, I'll definitely uninstall 8.1......I just don't know how to get in.

Microsoft claims that there is no supported way to revert to Win 8.0 from Win 8.1.
 
I don't suppose you have a disk image on an external drive (or a drive other than the boot drive) taken before you tried to upgrade. Sorry... salt in the wound. If not it is probably worth getting some software that will let you do an image by booting from a CD (most imaging programs will) and taking an image of your current broken system now before you try any more fixes. That way you can still get back to where you are now if a better fix comes along, and not just compound the problem as fix after fix fails and mucks things up more and more.
 
You may be stuck in a failed Windows 8.1 installation, so that you are not booting into Win8.1 or Win8.0 but a partially written installation that for some reason will not go to the next step as intended. In effect your usual boot process is hijacked by an installation environment. Depending on what stage the installation choked on, some or all of your files may have been overwritten, or they may still be there but just inaccessible.
 
If you can get into the BIOS, you should be able to set to boot from your optical drive as the first boot device. If that does not work you could try it again with the designated boot hard drive disconnected, but then you would need to reconnect the hard drive before proceeding. Unplugging the power to the drive is probably safer than unplugging the data connector if you are not sure your drive and system support hot swapping. Then if you have a Windows 8.0 installation CD you should be able to boot into the installation DVD and as one of the first couple of screens you will see during the installation you will see a screen with an option to repair your computer. Clicking that gives you an option for advanced options.
 
It is probably worth a try to repair the boot sector as in the link in my previous post. That might free you from the boot into installation.
 
If you still have the files needed to "refresh" Windows 8 on the drive you might be able to access that option and get back that way. Microsoft says you probably cannot, they did not include the usual code to revert to your old OS in the 8.1 upgrade, but it has worked for some people. Do not "restore," that will wipe the old installation and all that that entails. If you are at that point a clean install is probably the way to go since you will lose the old system anyway. And if you have a recent Windows 8.0 created partition image still on your drive, you might be able to access a restore from that image losing everything you have done to the system since the image was taken.
 
Another option would be to do an upgrade installation of Windows 8.0 over Windows 8.0. What used to be called an in place re-installation. If it works as expected your original (Win 8.0) apps and settings will be preserved.

Thanks so much for the detailed info Slartabartfast., I truly appreciate it.
 
I came to to the conclusion that a clean install seemed to be the best option and didn't want to (like you also said) compound the problem with multiple fixes. I went ahead and did this over the weekend and all is working well.
I was quite happy with Win 8 and didn't anticipate the 8.1 upgrade would cause such a serious headache (especially after reading the success its had). Anyway, I can wait until a later version or Win 9 comes around (I don't have any real need to update). 
 

I think I'll avoid 8.1 for now.
 
-JJ

jjthomas
I think I'll avoid 8.1 for now.
 
-JJ

I think this is a wise move.....
Although 8.1 has worked for a lot of people, this issue still remains.
 
Even after my recent clean install (although, I'm doubting this is a 100% clean install),  it seems that some of the folders in my boot drive (C:) were still intact. I did chose the option to format the drive during installation, but it looks like it still took an upgrade path....not sure.
 
A big issue I'm currently having is I'm unable to get into BIOS. I've reset the CMOS a few times and updated the BIOS to the latest version 2.30, but can't get into BIOS. Still getting help from other forums that support my board.......
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 Sorry to hear about this Mesh, I'm still going over this thread. Are you connected to the monitor HDMI or DVI?  If you haven't tried it yet, remove the his card, hook up to the onboard video and remove the ATI/AMD drivers. I would also download [url=http://download.cnet.com/Driver-Cleaner-NET/3000-18512_4-211161.html]Driver cleaner[/url] clean out all ATI video drivers. Run a scandisk.Reinstall card and driver.   I'm going to read the thread better in case I'm missing something.
 
The only time I ever seen black screen in bios, but loads in windows was because it was a secondary monitor. I'm thinking somehow your onboard is not disabled and is displaying your bios then the ATI driver is loading or somehow the ATI card has it as a secondary monitor. I also seen that happen when someone had both HDMI and DVI connected.  Sorry I can't think of anything else right now.
 
Did you get BF4 or COD ghosts yet?  Which one should I get first?  Hope you get it sorted

Thanks Grant for the advice and tips, I appreciate it. 
 
Just last night, I pulled the HDMI cable and plugged in the DVI.....now, I'm using my dedicated video card (wooohoooo!!!)......initially, I couldn't use DVI, and have been using the iGPU via HDMI.....and forgot about my DVI....yeah, had a looong DUH moment. Win 8.1 got me all rattled and I overlooked some basic stuff. I immediately noticed a HUGE difference on the graphics with my HIS card....really, really nice.....it was a WOW moment!!
 
On another AsRock MB forum, a poster suggested to check the Boot Menu (check to see if it's disabled) to verify (during the initial boot process) why I can't see the Asrock Splash screen and F2, Del., etc....as to get into BIOS before it goes to load Windows. I didn't get to do much last night, but will do so tonight.
 
Now that I have my video card as the primary GPU, I'm thinking I "should" be able to see the options to go into BIOS.....I also uninstalled some AsRock utilities and will do a little digging into this tonight. At least, I'm making a bit of progress.
 
I don't have BF4 or COD Ghosts......(I just can't justify paying the full price for these new games) although, I'd really like to get COD. I've got some excellent games on Steam's weakly deals/Holiday deals (which is coming up again). Ironically, my favourite game to play is Team Fortress 2.....and it's Free!! :)
 
You might be interested in this IT forum which I regularly visit. It has a section for PC Gaming and has a thread just about BF4.....good to see user experiences before buying anything: http://forums.anandtech.com/forumdisplay.php?f=44 
(i've gotten a lot of free games (as gifts) from users at this forum who've had multiple codes (keys)).
 
If you're interested, there's also free version of Battlefield 1942 at Origin Games http://www.battlefield.com/battlefield-1942.......  I've downloaded it, but haven't played yet.
 
IIRC, you like flight simulation games right? If so, you might like War Thunder which is on sale this week on Steam......as well as these:
 
Just Cause Collection $5.99 80% off includes below
Just Cause $6.99
Just Cause 2 $2.99 80% off
Just Cause 2 DLC $0.99-$1.99 each

War Thunder Packs 30-50% off