HUGE Vista Login Problems

[m_archer92]

Hi, I currently have a problem logging into Vista on my HP.

Specifications:

• Model: HP Pavilion a6645f (Special Edition: Verde)
• Windows Vista Home Premium SP1 x64
• 5GB RAM
• 500GB Hard Drive
• AMD Athlon 64x2 CPU

Detailed Problem Description:

When I boot the PC up in "normal boot" mode, it loads Windows fine, and gets to the login screen. When I try to login, it just stalls at the "Welcome" where the Aero-circle is just revolving. I let it sit for 8 hours one day, and it never passed the "Welcome" screen. It just sat there. With that window.

I can login fine with Safe Mode and Safe Mode w/ Networking.

 Attempted Solutions:

• Run a Windows Defender scan from Safe Mode.
  • This did not find any problems with the PC.
• Disk Cleanup from Safe Mode.
  • Successful, disk was cleaned.
• Schedule a CHKDSK.
  • There is a long story behind this one. I will create a new segment below this to explain.

CHKDSK!

This was very interesting. I actually had to run CHKDSK twice to get it to finish.

I am not kidding when I say that it took: 3 entire days.

The entire CHKDSK log looks like this: CHKDSK Log on SkyDrive

*Note: The file is on my Windows Live SkyDrive. The log is in PDF, you will have to download to see. 

At the end of the log, I describe a bluescreen error I get several hours after the CHKDSK is complete. I have to hard shutdown to get the computer to even boot up again.

Anyway, after running CHKDSK, I was able to login to Windows again. However, after logging into Windows, it was about 10 minutes before any of the startup applications started up. And right about when Norton 2009 started up, everything stalled and Windows froze. Explorer and the desktop froze. Then nothing worked for several hours until I was forced into hard shutting down.

I honestly have no idea what is happening, but any help would be greatly appreciated before I am forced to backup and restore.

Thanks in advance!

Cheers,

Matt 

[Mister_Do]

Hi m_archer92,

That is odd. I can think of a few things that could cause this:

• virus
• spyware/malware
• hardware or software added recently?
• USB drive plugged in at startup conflicting with boot
• corrupted device drivers

Can you think of anything you may have changed on the PC before this happend, even just installing a Windows Update?

You could try seeing if a startup program is causing the problem. Boot into Safe Mode, and then follow the steps in this HP Support document about preventing programs from loading at startup.

Let us know how it goes.

[c0rnel]

How about doing a Restore or Recoveyr outside Windows?

That should help, i presume the pc was working fine before.

[Nishant_Soni]

The very first thing you should try is:

Login to safe mode > Start > run > msconfig.

Goto "Services" tab.

Check the BOX that says "Hide all microsoft services"

Now click on "disable all" to disable rest of the services.

Goto "StartUp" tab and UNCHECK all the antiviruses and MISC. software's name you see.

Click on apply OK.

Try to restart it in normal mode and see what happens.

[m_archer92]

I was actually installing Unreal Tournament 3, which installed perfectly. Then I installed the new patch for that, which is when I started getting problems. But I uninstalled all of the Unreal Tournament stuff, and when I restarted and tried to login, that is when I started getting the problems with it.

I don't recall getting any Windows Updates, so I am going to rule that out.

But @c0rnel: I think I am going to do a system restore (boot off the D:\ partition) and just do a clean start over.

I will also try all of the other suggestions before resorting to (finally) a system restore.

Thank you for all the answers so far. Much appreciated.  

[c0rnel]

System Restore is different from Recovery.

You wanna perform a System Restore first. System Restore will restore your computer back to a previous date like yesterday or last week or month (don't go back to far).

Restore doesn't effect personal documents but it does programs like Unreal for example. Since u're gonna restore the pc to before u installed UT3, some left over shortcuts might be left behind on ur pc such as on ur desktop but that's no problen because the game itself wont work anyways and most of it will be  removed through this process meaning problem should be resolved.

You can perform a System Restore either in Safe Mode by going into Safe Mode, login, go to start, programs, accessories, system tools and click System Restore and WAIT up to 5 minutes cause the restore in vista takes long time to open sometimes and continue with it and choose a previous workign date.

If that fails or doesn't work this way try restarting the pc quickly hold or press F11 for recovery manager wait for the manu to come up , choose Advanced Options, Microsoft System Restore and continue on with it.

System Recovery on the other hand will delete everythign including ur programs and personal stuff and games and start over as if u just got the pc. This helpes when u have major problems or if System Restore fils or fails to fix the issues(s).

U can perform a Recovery either by using the Recovey discs (this method takes too long plus u may not have created ur yet) or u can do i easily by booting up the pc and pressing or holding F11 for the same Recovery Manager menu shown above but this time choose Advanced Options and then the option that says Factory Reset or System Recovery or Recovery your computer to original factory settings or conditions and go next, say continue without backup and let it do it's things may take up to a few hours.

Hope I helped.