Re: PLEASE HELP: CANNOT USE DESKTOP + NO SAFE MODE

JOE X5 wrote:
My learned friends,

Once again I am faced with a problem that is beyond my expertise. Recently, my PC (XP Professional Ed) crashes as soon as I log-in and gain access to the desktop. It crashes with immediacy to the extent that when I place the curser over the start button the egg-timer appears. Hence, the only activity I have on the desktop is the mouse curser. Therefore, I cannot attempt a system restore.

Moreover, my second thought was to start in safe mode. However, when I press F8 to initiate a safe mode start-up, while I am taken to the menu that includes the safe-mode option, I am unable to select it. The highlighted bar becomes frozen and I am unable to move it.

I would like to know how to solve this problem as pertaining to the crashing and if necessary the safe-mode issue. Is there perhaps some way I can access dos before the machine boots to the sign in screen and solve the problem?

The First Question Of Troubleshooting: what changed between the time things worked and the time they didn't?

Since you haven't told us anything about your computer's hardware, I'd want to determine if the problems are caused by failing hardware before doing anything further with Windows such as a Repair Install for example. Here are some general hardware troubleshooting steps:

http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Hardware_Tshoot

In addition to those steps, I like to boot with a rescue system like Knoppix. Knoppix is a Linux distro that runs from cd and if the computer crashes under Linux, then you know the issue isn't coming from Windows (software).

If all the hardware tests OK, then we need to look to the software (Windows) as the cause of the problem. I'd need more information from you - the answer to The First Question and the results of hardware testing - before going onto the next steps of troubleshooting Windows.

Standard caveat: If you can't do the testing yourself and/or are uncomfortable opening your computer, take the machine to a professional computer repair shop (not your local equivalent of BigStoreUSA).


Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
.