WinXP loads desktop and then 'dies'

  • Thread starter Thread starter MT Esch
  • Start date Start date
M

MT Esch

(Cross post from another forum)

My computer froze-up last night. When I rebooted, the
following happened:

The computer appears to go through the normal startup
process. The Bios etc screens look normal to me. I get
the blue "welcome screen" and then the desktop appears.
The icon remains in the hourglass configuration longer
than normal. When it finally vanishes, Windows does not
function. Clicking/double clicking on desktop icons
highlights them and the hourglass icon appears for a dozen
or so seconds, but the folders don't open and the programs
don't launch. I get a similar response from using the
start menu. The start menu opens, but it is much, much
slower than normal. When I select anything, I get the
same response: hourglass icon but nothing runs.

If forced to make a guess, I would suspect there might be
a problem with one of the startup programs, but I have no
clue what does and what doesn't belong there or even how
to access them without windows functioning properly.

Any ideas?

FWIW, I've had XP running on this PC for about 6 months.
I have Norton 2003 installed and updated, but who knows if
anything got past it. I am on a personal network with one
other PC, a router and a cable modem which is always on.
(Since the old PC is not Windows XP, this configuration
was a PILL to set up, but, I don't think it is the source
of my problems).

Short of reformating my HD and reinstalling Windows, does
anyone have any ideas?

Thanks in advance.
 
You could try system restore but this is not guaranteed to
work. Go to start Help and support and select to Restore
windows to an earlier time.
 
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