Unusual start up issue with XP Pro

[Mark Turnbull]

For the past couple of weeks I have been trying to resolve an odd
problem with my PC at start up. The only thing that I had changed prior
to the problem starting was installing the MS Windows Genuine Advantage
tool. Yes my copy of Windows is a genuine copy (OEM) supplied with the
PC and it had previously been validated over the Net.

The symptoms are that the PC powers up, the Bootstrap loader appears
then the Windows Logon Screen and finally the background appears but no
Windows start bar and no Icons on the Desktop. I can leave it for hours
but nothing happens and no errors come up. There is little Disk
activity the odd flash from the LED.

However, if I use Ctrl/Alt/Del I can access task manager and run
anything I like as a new task. e.g. MSCONFIG, Event Viewer, Computer
Manager etc.

I have tried using the selective & diagnostic start-up options but all I
have discovered is that everything works fine up to loading the windows
services. When I enable the services the problem starts but I can't
seem to pin down which one is causing the problem.

If I go into processes and start to kill all the processes I know are
not essential then it suddenly bursts into life and works absolutely
fine until I try to start it up again. Trouble is there is no logic to
which processes I kill. On one occasion I kill two processes and it
starts next time kill the same two processes nothing so I kill another
two and it starts.

I have scanned for Spyware, Trojans, Viruses and all other Malware
without trace and now I am stuck.

I just can't figure it out!

System details

Asus MB A7V333
Proc AMD 2200XP
RAM 1 GB
Two WD hard disks primary with OS 80 GB secondary 160GB plenty of free
space.
Pinnacle AV/DV Studio card

AV Norton Pro 2004
Firewall Sygate Pro version 5.6

Any thoughts suggestions other than revert to a back up (which I do
have) or re-install. I really want to get to the bottom of this.

TIA

 

[CWatters]

For the past couple of weeks I have been trying to resolve an odd
problem with my PC at start up.

Have you tried a system restore?

 

[GTS]

System Restore was a good suggestion if you haven't tried it. Also, it
would be interesting to try logging in as a different user (create one if
necessary). I seen a few problems broadly along these lines that turned out
to involve a corrupted user profile.

 

[Mark Turnbull]

I have tried system restore but it would appear that Windows Genuine
Advantage wiped out all the previous restore points so I can't go back
to before it was installed.

I will try to create another user.

Thanks,

 

[Mark Turnbull]

I have now tried creating another user ID. I can switch between users
without problems when I have managed to get the PC started properly.
However if I logon using the new user ID the PC does not start
correctly.

It ends up with the Desktop items and start bar but if you go to the
start button the egg timer appears and you can't interact with the start
button and none of the items in the sys tray come e.g. Norton AV. If
you try to shutdown using Ctrl/Alt/Del it hangs at the saving settings
dialogue.

Any other thoughts.

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Taskbar Is Missing When You Log On to Windows
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;318027

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[GTS]

It's an odd situation. Does the same thing happen if you boot into safe
mode?

 

[Mark Turnbull]

No I can boot into safe mode fine. Having read he article that Wes
pointed me at it certainly looks related to a profile corruption but I
don't understand why the new user doesn't work unless its something
common to all users.

It's an odd situation. Does the same thing happen if you boot into safe
mode?

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Did you try..
Method 1: Troubleshoot by Starting Windows with a Minimal Set of Drivers??

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[Mark Turnbull]

Wes,

Yes I did it all works until I load the services then I get down to
which services are loaded. The difficulty is I can't seem to pin down
which one causes the issue.