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Computer help forum: PC freezes when it reaches the desktop screen after startup

by: prash6986 January 7, 2012 12:14 AM PST

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PC freezes when it reaches the desktop screen after startup

by prash6986 - 1/7/12 12:14 AM

My computer freezes as soon as it reaches the desktop home screen. Clicking anywhere one the screen or pressing any button on the keyboard has just no effect whatsoever. I mean there is no response at all and I end up restarting the system. Although it works fine in Safe Mode (with the audio and graphics disabled, which is quite and irritating at times). My system configuration is as follows:

Intel Pentium 4 2.66 GHz
512 MB RAM
80 GB Hard Drive
Windows XP Professional SP2

What could be the problem and its possible solution? Any kind of help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

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Update your video driver

by ChuckT - 1/13/12 8:12 PM

In Reply to: PC freezes when it reaches the desktop screen after startup by prash6986

Since it is when your regular desktop shows up, but it does not happen when you startup in Safe mode, I'd suspect the video driver.
When in Safe mode, remove your current video driver. Boot up to your regular desktop, which should now be in VGA mode (all video cards have a default VGA mode, when you don't have a driver installed).
If the desktop is now not frozen then that helps prove it was your video driver being the problem.
Then go to your video card manufacturer's website (or your motherboard/or computer website if the video circuits are integrated into the motherboard) and get the latest video driver. Make sure you are not getting a 32bit driver if you are running 64bit OS, or vice versa.
See if that fixes the problem.


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by prash6986 - 1/14/12 3:10 AM

In Reply to: Update your video driver by ChuckT

It turned out to be an issue with my OS. So reinstalled it and my PC is running fine now. Fortunately it wasn't a hardware issue.

I never got the chance to try your method since it got fixed just a couple of days back. But nonetheless thank you for your suggestion. Will surely try it if I face a similar problem in the future.


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Freezes etc.

by pgc3 - 1/7/12 7:44 AM

In Reply to: PC freezes when it reaches the desktop screen after startup by prash6986

If you have access to a clean computer, download MALWAREBYTES and save to a flash drive, boot the sick unit to safe mode and run MWB from FD, see what it finds and use the removal option from MWB and see what happens. This is not to say you might not have a hardware issue but it sounds as though it might be something nefarious such as malware or spyware. Also look at what the moderators have to say regarding such or similar issues under the Virus/Spware section.


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I've already tried that

by prash6986 - 1/8/12 12:42 AM

In Reply to: Freezes etc. by pgc3

Well I've already tried that and MWB did detect a few miscreants which were taken care of by MWB. But still the problem persists. I'm guessing this could be a hardware issue. But I'm just ascertaining everything is OK before I take any step further.


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If that doesn't work...

by erikzessler - 1/12/12 11:11 PM

In Reply to: I've already tried that by prash6986

Give TrendMicro's Housecall a shot - http://housecall.trendmicro.com as it usually works for me.
Also, when the system loads up normally to the desktop and freezes, can you get access to the Task Manager via Ctrl+Alt+Del? If you can, take a peek at what is currently running under processes and shut down everything non-essential.


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Problem Solved

by prash6986 - 1/14/12 3:07 AM

In Reply to: If that doesn't work... by erikzessler

It turned out to be an issue with my OS. So reinstalled it and my PC is running fine now. Fortunately it wasn't a hardware issue.

No I couldn't even access the task manager. Like I said the system just used to freeze as soon as it reached the desktop screen. But anyways thanks a lot for your suggestion. Will surely try it if I face a similar problem in the future.


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how to prevent freezes in future

by MikeAlimov - 1/14/12 5:26 AM

In Reply to: PC freezes when it reaches the desktop screen after startup by prash6986

Take my advice - I you to use system optimizers like CCleaner, Windsty Tune Up Suite or Digeus System Optimizer.
They find and fix most of errors in the system and you will not waste
time reinstalling your operational system. Most people hate them. I run
them every time when my computer starts crashing or working slow.


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