XP stops when username clicked

[Somebody]

I have a few accounts on another computer. When it boots up and you click on
the username everything just stops at the 'loading settings' bit or
sometimes it stops as soon as you click the username.

I can get into safe mode but am unsure what to do when in there? :S

Have tried 'last known config' and 'system restore' without success so far.

The machine came with xp installed so I don't have a disk although I have
one for this computer. Trouble is the other one is 'home' and this one is
'pro'.

Any clues as to how to sort this out? Thanks!

 

[Doug Knox - [MS-MVP]]

Boot the computer into Safe Mode. Log in with either the built-in
Administrator account or another Administrator level user. Click Start, Run
and enter MSCONFIG Go to the Startup tab. You can uncheck items that load
at startup. Reboot and try to log on normally. You can use the checkboxes
in MSCONFIG to selectively narrow down the possible cause, if its a program
that loading at logon.

 

[Rock]

I have a few accounts on another computer. When it boots up and you click
on the username everything just stops at the 'loading settings' bit or
sometimes it stops as soon as you click the username.

I can get into safe mode but am unsure what to do when in there? :S

Have tried 'last known config' and 'system restore' without success so
far.

The machine came with xp installed so I don't have a disk although I have
one for this computer. Trouble is the other one is 'home' and this one is
'pro'.

Any clues as to how to sort this out? Thanks!

Do some clean boot troubleshooting to see if it's a startup item causing the
hang up. Startup items can be disabled from safe mode, then boot into
normal mode with that limited configuration to see if that is the issue.
See these links:

Clean Boot Troubleshooting

How to Troubleshoot By Using the Msconfig Utility in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=310560

How to perform advanced clean-boot troubleshooting in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=316434

How to perform a clean boot in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=310353