Freezes at startup and idle, sometimes logging off

[Guest]

I have a Compaq Presario S4020WM. Two or three weeks ago it started freezing
up when it was left idle, and at startup. I don't remember installing
anything new. Usually it freezes after three passes of the progress bar. If
it gets past that, it usually starts up ok. Occasionally it freezes at the
login window, or logging out. I can almost always go into safe mode, and
after that it usually starts up in normal mode.

 

[Guest]

First thing that I'd suggest would be updating your drivers at the Compaq
site. Drivers can become corrupt and stop working properly. I'd concentrate
on the motherboard/chipset drivers and the video drivers.

- John

 

[Guest]

Thank you, John.

After it started freezing in safe mode, and when I tried to install a
non-windows system on the second hard drive, I was satisfied that it was a
hardware problem, so I took it to a repair shop. It turned out some of the
capacitors on the mother board were leaking.

Jim