Computer Will Not Boot

[Tom]

Good morning,

New member and novice user here. I am trying to assist my daughter
with the following computer problem. Her computer is a Dell
Dimension
E310 and is running Windows XP. The problem is when she turns on her
computer it will run until she reaches the log in screen. She clicks
on her name and the next screen that appears is a screen saver page
with no task bar, program icons, etc. We have tried to log on using
last successful logon and we always end up on the screen saver screen
with no task bar, icons, etc. We did find there was a keyboard error
when using the F2 key but the key board seems to work as we had to
use
the ctrl, alt and delete key to retart the cpu. She has also tried
to
isolate whether there might be a usb/peripheral issue by
disconnecting each usb connection one at a time to possibly identify
any possible concern but with no luck.


Any suggestions? Thank you for your consideration of this request
and
best wishes for the new year.


Tom

 

[twomt]

Good morning,

New member and novice user here. I am trying to assist my daughter
with the following computer problem. Her computer is a Dell
Dimension
E310 and is running Windows XP. The problem is when she turns on her
computer it will run until she reaches the log in screen. She clicks
on her name and the next screen that appears is a screen saver page
with no task bar, program icons, etc. We have tried to log on using
last successful logon and we always end up on the screen saver screen
with no task bar, icons, etc. We did find there was a keyboard error
when using the F2 key but the key board seems to work as we had to
use
the ctrl, alt and delete key to retart the cpu. She has also tried
to
isolate whether there might be a usb/peripheral issue by
disconnecting each usb connection one at a time to possibly identify
any possible concern but with no luck.


Any suggestions? Thank you for your consideration of this request
and
best wishes for the new year.


Tom

Hi Tom,

At least she gets until the login screen, that's a good sign as it most
likely will point to a software issue and not a hardware issue.

Have you tried starting "WinXP" in safe mode?

 

[GlowingBlueMist]

Hi Tom,

At least she gets until the login screen, that's a good sign as it most
likely will point to a software issue and not a hardware issue.

I agree with booting into the safe mode at this point (holding down F8
during the boot).

It is not unheard of for someone to install or activate a screen saver that
comes up with symptoms like yours.

Bring the computer up in the safe mode and disable the screen saver option
all together. Then try a normal boot and see if that has cleared the
problem. If it does then I would eliminate the offending screen saver and
anything else that might have been downloaded from the same site...

 

[JFG]

Good morning,

New member and novice user here. I am trying to assist my daughter
with the following computer problem. Her computer is a Dell
Dimension
E310 and is running Windows XP. The problem is when she turns on her
computer it will run until she reaches the log in screen. She clicks
on her name and the next screen that appears is a screen saver page
with no task bar, program icons, etc. We have tried to log on using
last successful logon and we always end up on the screen saver screen
with no task bar, icons, etc. We did find there was a keyboard error
when using the F2 key but the key board seems to work as we had to
use
the ctrl, alt and delete key to retart the cpu. She has also tried
to
isolate whether there might be a usb/peripheral issue by
disconnecting each usb connection one at a time to possibly identify
any possible concern but with no luck.


Any suggestions? Thank you for your consideration of this request
and
best wishes for the new year.


Tom

In addition to the good suggestions already posted I might add that a System
Restore to an earlier point might eliminate the offending
saver/program/virus/malware. Worth a try. HTH, J