OK, so for the past few weeks, when i turn on my desktop, it gets to the part where the loading bar is moving, then it freezes, and i have to turn off and on my desktop around 5-8 times before it finally loads and i can use it. Is there a way to find out what is wrong, and fix it? This is an old PC, around 6-7 years old, a Dell.
I have a problem with my desktop.
- Thread starter DarkNinja
- Start date
I pressed F8 around the beginning and was able to do safe mode (there is only one safe mode, right? i thought there were at least 2, but i chose one. Does it matter which one i chose?) However, i was not able to use internet during safe mode. Does being able to do safe mode mean that i can fix this problem?
My internet is working because of safe mode with networking, but i am wondering if this is the only way to have my computer working while not freezing after i turn it on. Right now everything looks odd, like Windows 95 or something. I am using Windows XP right now.
No new hardware but probably a program. How can i tell what program is causing this?
S.T.A.R.S.
banned
In SAFE MODE you can turn off all STARTUP programs and then load Windows in NORMAL MODE and see if that helps.
If yes then some of the programs that start with Windows OS are causing you problems.
Unless if the program is deep in Windows registry and cannot be removed from the STARTUP section.In that case you will need to completely uninstall it and then delete all invalid registry with programs like Eusing free registry cleaner.
Also have you tryed to load some OS from CD disk directly such as Ubuntu to make sure that your hardware is working properly?
If yes then some of the programs that start with Windows OS are causing you problems.
Unless if the program is deep in Windows registry and cannot be removed from the STARTUP section.In that case you will need to completely uninstall it and then delete all invalid registry with programs like Eusing free registry cleaner.
Also have you tryed to load some OS from CD disk directly such as Ubuntu to make sure that your hardware is working properly?
I don't know how to, In SAFE MODE, turn off all STARTUP programs and then load Windows in NORMAL MODE. How do i do that? Should i do the steps i just mentioned, or go into control panel and uninstall programs that look unimportant, then try to restart? (i found out i can't uninstall programs in safe mode) I hope i am making sense. I am using Windows XP Home Edition Version 2002 Service Pack 3.
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Ok do this. Boot to safe mode, click on start, then run, type msconfig and hit enter, click on the startup tab and uncheck every box and click on apply, then ok and restart the pc. Then see if the system still freezes. I would also suggest doing this first. Lets get a list of whats running at bootup. Boot to safe mode with networking and do the following.
Download the HijackThis installer from here.
Run the installer and choose Install, indicating that you accept the licence agreement. The installer will place a shortcut on your desktop and launch HijackThis.
Vista and Windows 7 users must right click on the hijackthis icon and click on run as. If the run as option doesn't appear then press and hold the shift key while right clicking on the icon to get it to appear.
Click Do a system scan and save a logfile
Most of what HijackThis lists will be harmless or even essential, don't fix anything yet.
When the hijackthis log appears in a notepad file, click on the edit menu, click select all, then click on the edit menu again and click on copy. Come back to your reply and right click on your mouse and click on paste.
Post the logfile that HijackThis produces
Download the HijackThis installer from here.
Run the installer and choose Install, indicating that you accept the licence agreement. The installer will place a shortcut on your desktop and launch HijackThis.
Vista and Windows 7 users must right click on the hijackthis icon and click on run as. If the run as option doesn't appear then press and hold the shift key while right clicking on the icon to get it to appear.
Click Do a system scan and save a logfile
Most of what HijackThis lists will be harmless or even essential, don't fix anything yet.
When the hijackthis log appears in a notepad file, click on the edit menu, click select all, then click on the edit menu again and click on copy. Come back to your reply and right click on your mouse and click on paste.
Post the logfile that HijackThis produces
Wait, what do i do first, and if it doesn't work, what do i do next? That seems like a lot to do.
The problem is, it says i can't run HijackThis on safe mode.
It says something like, "The windows installer service is not accessible in safe mode. Please try again when your computer is not in safe mode or you can use system restore to return you machine to a previous good state."
If you mean going into the mode i usually use, the problem is i have to turn on and off the PC around 5 times, because it freezes at startup, and recently, when i turned it on and off many times, i think the desktop automatically begins scanning because of doing that. Wouldn't turning the desktop on and off damage it?
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Ok. Lets try something different. Boot to safe mode. Assuming this is XP. Click on start, click on run, type msconfig, click ok. When the system configuration utility pops up, click on the startup tab and uncheck all entries in the box and click on apply, then ok. Then restart in regular mode and see if issue persists.