"Microsoft Corporation" rectangle at startup on my desktop....

[Octavio]

Sometimes when I start my computer with Vista Ultimate, the "Microsoft
Corporation" rectangle that appears on my desktop refuses to disappears and
stays there on and on indefinitely (it is the thing rectangle with the
dashed vertical lines inside it that move from left to right, and the
rectangle has underneath it written the words "Microsoft Corporation").

Most of the times, under normal circumstances, the rectangle stays there a
little while and then disappears to give way to my normal desktop window.

But on the occasions when it stays there, with the vertical lines moving and
without disappearing, what I then do is turn off the computer and then after
a little while I turn it on again. Then I get the (DOS?) window with the
options asking me if I want to start the computer in "safe mode", which I
accept and enter and then the computer starts normally this time.

This does not happens every time when I start, but it does happens
occasionally to say that it is becoming annoying. I have been noticing
this for about two months or so.

What is the reason for this?

Any way to avoid it or remedy it? (it is related to any of the Windows
Updates? I think that I began to notice it after one of the Updates, but I
am not positive about this assumption of mine).

Thanks in advance.

 

[Octavio]

I made a mistake in the third paragraph below: The DOS windows that I get
is not asking me to start the computer in "safe mode" (I made a mistake), I
think that what it asks me is to start windows "normally", which then
starts normally when I accept that prompt with the enter the key.

 

[Mark L. Ferguson]

Your first attempt to fix it should be to press F8 during the 'black screen'
portion of a restart, (right after the BIOS screen). The Safe Mode menu will
have a "Startup Repair" item you should try.
If no help, you might find a 'bang' or exclamation point icon on one of your
devices in Control Panel, Device Manager. Use the Action menu there to
"Uninstall' the driver, and then 'scan for hardware changes'
--
Please use the Communities guidelines when posting.
http://www.microsoft.com/wn3/locales/help/help_en-us.htm
Use the "Ratings" feature. It helps the new users.
Mark L. Ferguson MS-MVP
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Mark.Ferguson

 

[Octavio]

Thanks for your advise, Mark.

I still have that happening once in a while, and I have been resolving it by
turning off the computer and then turning it on again. Sometimes it takes a
few tun ons/turn offs before the screen comes back to normal

I suspect the reason for that is that I shut down the computer too soon
after I close too many programs that I have been working with and then close
them all. Maybe I do not wait enough after closing the programs for them
to settle. That makes sense? I notice that the issue comes back when I
close too many programs at the same time, and then I shut down the computer
maybe too soon (I shut down the computer normally, but maybe too soon?).
Then it happens next time that I start the computer for my next work
session.

Mark, your second advise below seems drastic. People who are not computer
savvy like myself probably would like to avoid that approach.

Maybe I will try the F8 button sometimes.

In one of the earlier screens, before the Windows moving thing appears, I
get a windows with the F2 shown on the lower right hand corner of the screen
I think is the first screen after I start it, and which I can push
(apparently). What is the F2 for?

Thanks again.

 

[Mark L. Ferguson]

I'm not sure that you are asking for help on your problems in the right
place. Understanding the 'BIOS' setup, (F2) or the Repair features (F8) may
require a level of technical expertise you haven't yet acquired. Perhaps you
can find a local expert to show you some of the basics. What you report
seems to indicate a file or disk corruption problem. If it continues, you
should seek local help.

--
Please use the Communities guidelines when posting.
http://www.microsoft.com/wn3/locales/help/help_en-us.htm
Use the "Ratings" feature. It helps the new users.
Mark L. Ferguson MS-MVP
https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Mark.Ferguson

 

[Octavio]

I still have the problem. Thank to all of you for your feedbacks so fa.

ZeratuelX, can you tell me how to get into the Task Manager? Or the
processes tab?

 

[Paul Montgomery]

ZeratuelX, can you tell me how to get into the Task Manager? Or the
processes tab?

Right click anywhere in the task bar.

 

[Octavio]

I see the processes tab. How the processes tan can tell me if a Windows
file is crashing?

 

[Octavio]

I see the processes tab. How the processes tan can tell me if a Windows
file is crashing?