Windows XP freezes at desktop after booting up

[simonsayers]

This has started today, I turn on my PC and the desktop has frozen, I can move the mouse but I cannot click the start menu or nothing, no icons nada. The first few seconds I can click dialog boxes (Gmail notifyer, msconfig changes) But after 10-20 secs everything freezes. If I click too much the mouse freezes and the PC bleeps. The hard drive activity light shows no sign of manic HD activity, it's just slowly idling away like it would if the PC was working properly. So I assume it's a software problem (explorer.exe).

Safe mode works

THINGS I HAVE TRIED:

-Disc Cleanup
-Disabled everything in msconfig, processes, startup apps. Still freezes
-Completely spot cleaned inside of PC with air compressor to clear dust, looks spotless and brand new!

THINGS I WILL TRY (however futile they may be):

-Virus scan, spyware scan (cant access net in safe mode so cant update spyware aps)
-Defrag

SPECS:

Win xp home SP3
ATI radeon hd4850 gfx card
650 psu
AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 4200


Somethings locking it up, I have a few seconds , then I get the egg timer, everything locks. What gives you think?

 

[eyeCpc]

Since you can boot up in safe mode have you tried removing the video drivers. If you are not seeing any hardware faults like memory often those tend to lock. The cursor can still be moved while the rest seems frozen.

 

[Lexluethar]

IMO virus of spyware has infected your desktop. You need to do a virus scan and sypware / malware scan in safe mode and also do one at startup (avast free edition offers this).

I bet you find a good deal of virus's. You may have a tough task ahead of you, as some virus's that infect system critical tasks like explorer are difficult to clean off.

 

[eyeCpc]

Anyone screams virus anytime there's a problem when it's mostly some corruption to the video drivers causing this. Seeing the desktop load normally counts on having working video drivers unless some system files were damaged or lost.

The ATI catalyst isn't the problem since you already disabled that in the msconfig. But the basic drivers will still load for display. The other idea would be looking at anything new you added on lately like any updates or new programs?

 

[Lexluethar]

A) I didn't scream anything
B) All i was providing was another possibility.

Just run a virus scan and let us know if you find anything.

 

[eyeCpc]

Nothing is actually ruled out. Lexluethar I was simply pointing out that this type of problem as simonsayers also seems to suspect is often more software related.

You can find out if corrupted video drivers are the cause or rule it out by removing them while in safe mode there. Another thing you can try would be running the system file checker "sfc /scannow" with the XP cd in the drive and keep an eye out for any possible blue screens.

 

[KSoD]

No Lex is right. A desktop corruption would have NOTHING to do with a missing video driver. If that was the case. He would not be able to see the icons he is able to click. If that was the case he would have a black screen before the login even was attempted. How would it be possible to have bad video drivers but yet still see icons?

Lex's theory is much more appropriate. It is either a virus/spyware or it is a corrupted profile. Driver corruption would not allow you to see the GMail Notifications or the MSConfig changes.

 

[eyeCpc]

I've had a number of occasions where the desktop would lock up and had to first remove and then reinstall a new version of the catalyst and drivers. Sometimes a new card will come with a bug seen with the version on the software disk where you end up waiting for the next release. The 7.9 for the 2xxx models first saw a patch for that come out from ATI.AMD.

That would be with corrupted not missing since Windows would likely default to it's own generic vga drivers. If some bug hit them you would want to see those removed while booted in safe mode in order to be able to boot normally after. Then you can run a good system wide sweep to see if anything did get on.

 

[KSoD]

Okay first where do you see anywhere what version of the software he is running? 2nd you state the 2xxx series. He has a 4850. 2 Generations later. Since the 8.10 series driver, i highly doubt he is using such a old driver.

While you may have experienced this back then, it is not what would be causing the issue now. You can not advise on something that doesnt affect a card that isnt even in the same generation of card let alone the same generation of drivers.

Windows will NOT revert to generic VGA Drivers if it has another set of drivers installed. Safe Mode is the only exception cause it only loads specific Windows drivers to prevent driver corruption and uses a generic VGA Driver. Never unless you specifically remove the Video Driver before you restart will Windows ever revert to a generic driver if it has a specific brand driver installed.

If it did, that is called driver conflict. That is not driver corruption.

Again this would not be caused by the driver. It is either a bad profile or a infection. I have given my proof as to why and i have given many reason why it is not driver related.

 

[eyeCpc]

The 2xxx series was new at the time then as the 4xxx series is now. Even on NVidia cards like 8800s or 9800s some have also run into similar problems and ended up waiting for the next available update.

One thing to ask simonsayers is how long has the 4850 been in? Besides any driver problem you could be looking at a temp problem since things are just starting to warm up and then suddenly everything locks.