Windows XP won't boot correctly

[comakey]

For the past few weeks I have not been able to correctly boot my computer to
windows. If I turn the computer on and don't press F8, the windows screen
will come up, load, and then I get a black screen with the hourglass that
does not go away. Sometimes it will start normally and then freeze after a
little while. I can boot to safe mode/safe mode with networking - but that
is annoying. I have done system restore, msconfig, and tons of virus/spyware
scans. I am trying to avoid a reinstall/repair of winows. Is there anything
else I can try? I am looking for suggestions. There are no blue screens or
error messages, either.

 

[DL]

Next time you are in the safe mode selection screen, select boot logging.
Boot up when it fails boot into safe mode and examine the log

 

[Mark L. Ferguson]

start/run, type:
SFC /SCANNOW

If this fails to help, a Repair setup is non-destructive to settings or
data.
How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install:
http://michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm
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Mark L. Ferguson

..

 

[Bob Harris]

If safe mode works, but the normal desktop mode does not, then the problem
is usually some program or service that starts in normal mode, but not in
safe mode. Leading candidates include (1) video drivers, (2) sound drivers,
(3) antivirus (maybe), (4) firewall (maybe), other applicaiton-related
services (e.g., ipod, itunes, printer, scanner, OCR driver, CD wriing driver
like UDF or DLA, etc).

You coulkd try to uninstall/re-install or repair each of these in
succession.

Short of a repair install (or a clean install) of XP, you might try running
the system file checker to "repair/replace" key system files. The command
is SFC /SCANNOW. But, first, read this link about the complaints and fixes
when trying to run this program:

http://www.updatexp.com/scannow-sfc.html