Windows XP freezing

[Courser]

Okay, so windows has started freezing on the loading to the login screen, where the only thing on screen is a blue background and the loading cursor. Now, as you guys know when a computer is left idle for a while it goes to a screensaver. Well, when you come back to it, usually you shake the mouse to get it off the screensaver and it goes to the login screen and you just type in your password and you're on your account. Now, once in a while and seemingly randomly, I come back to the computer after it's been idle enough to be on the screensaver, and I shake the mouse and it goes to the blue background of the login screen with only the loading cursor. It should be noted that the loading cursor isn't frozen, I can move it around. The only thing I seem to be able to do while it's like that is press alt+tab and the little alt+tab menu pops up in the middle of the screen. The only things on the menu are two program icons: "GINA Login" and "Windows Login". After you do that though, the alt+tab menu is stuck there and doesn't respond after that. So, if it freezes like that, the only thing I can do to get out of that is restart my computer.

My computer:
Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.80GHz (2 CPUs) "Prescott"
1 gigabyte of RAM
120 GB HD
ATI Radeon 9600 128 MB SE
Windows XP Professional

Thanks.

 

[SYL\X/3K]

id suggest defragmenting your Hard drive (gonna take long) when it load to windows, if that doesnt help run a Check Disk (right click your Hard drive, tools, check now..(make sure both boxes are marked off))

 

[networkgeek]

and if that doesnt work....... boot off the xp disc and do a repair install, making sure that you dont format the drive.

that should fix any issues with it. I would also make sure that all the cables in your computer are plugged in, esp the harddrive ones.

how old is this computer? the harddrive especially. you might have a harddrive that is failing

has the harddrive gotten any noisier? also when is the last time you cleaned dust out of the inside of your pc?

sorry about all the questions. just at this point , with the info you have given, there is so many things that can possibly cause this. time to start just trying things and narrow down the list