Well, I haven't been on hive for almost two weeks. Between life and trying to fix my computer issues, I feel like I just came out of a whirlwind. I am usually pretty good at diagnosing regular issues, but this turned out to be not what I originally thought. Besides eliminating files, I also spent money on a computer tuneup. I thought I had the issues narrowed down to a Microsoft problem, but every fix suggested by the experts turned out not to solve the problem. In fact, more issues started to make their way into the picture.
Realizing that there is an entire generation that grew up on computers, I turned to my nephews. The youngest one appeared to be baffled about the scenarios that I described. The older one had some ideas that I am sure would have worked if my problem was a solitary problem. The bottom line is that my frustration wasn't coming from a single issue, it was more like the coronavirus in that there were many symptoms. Then while speaking to my older nephew on the phone, he described an issue that was very similar to mine. My hard drive was slowly deteriorating. I am sure that there is a better computer term for that situation, but that is all I can give you.
I was able to get around my black screen issues and collect a few of my most important files. Once I did that, I went to Best Buy and gave my old computer a proper burial and am currently typing on a brand new model. I just wanted to let everyone know that I didn't fall off the face of the earth, because I try to be a frequent contributor.