w2k logon hang

[buttered monkey]

Hi

Wonder if anyone can help? Began about a week ago: boot
into w2k hangs just after logon (takes longer than it
used to to get to this point). Desktop changes to black
(my desktop). Cursor is sometimes busy, sometimes not.
No icons or start menu appear. Sometimes can get task
manager up but nothing weird found.

- multi-boot system
- hadn't recently applied an new patches or anything
AFAIK (auto windows update was enabled tho)
- logging on in different accounts makes no difference
- can boot into NT and 98
- after the fact I ran up to date virus checker in NT,
found some viruses and cleaned them up.
- can boot into 2000 safe mode, can't find anything
interesting/obvious there
- won't shutdown/soft reboot from 2000 safe mode
- tried running MSCONFIG.EXE in safe mode but couldn't do
selective boot into non-safe mode due to above point
(2000 safe mode won't soft reboot). I'm presuming that's
how MSCONFIG works - hadn't tried it before.
- had just tried setting up a VPN connection previously.
Not set up to auto connect and have tried with modem
disconnected from phone line.

Anyone know of anything I can try? Some hidden secret?
Have trawled web/groups to no effect. Best I can come up
with is to 'repair' current installation but will have to
apply service packs and all the windows update stuff.

Help!

 

[John]

Have had some problems with VPN; try uninstalling VPN.

 

[buttered monkey]

Errr, I can't cos I can't login!

In safe mode networking isn't enabled and the network
connections aren't listed so I can't uninstall it AFAIK.
My VPN stuff isn't auto connect by the way.