WINDOWS XP help!

Party for GT4 · Apr 28, 2004

I'm running a 512MB memory, 80Gb HDD, 2.66GHz computer with Windows XP. I am using Norton Firewall and Virus Protector.
When I simply load up the computer, although the toolbar for XP appears with the Start function, the desktop doesn't appear. If I try loading up programs they don't load fully.

Then, after around a minute and a half, the computer starts loading the desktop and everything works.

I've used disk clean-up, defragment and the like, but it still does it.

Any help/ suggestions?

RallyF1 · Apr 28, 2004

It could also be a policy to hide desktop icons applied (this policy also disables context menu when right-clicking on the desktop). Open gpedit.msc and check. use run from the start menu to enter GPEDIT.MSC, and try to fix the problem from there.

Carl. · Apr 28, 2004

It could be any program that load in the background during startup. Check the shortcuts in your startup folder (start menu -> programs -> startup) or in the registry settings. (open with regedit.exe, lookup for anything unusual in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run (check carefully before deleting any key).

Also check in the system and applications event logs for any errors related to services startup at that time.

Matrixhasu77 · Apr 28, 2004

You probably have a lot of start up programs running. Norton Firewall is probably one, along with others, but even Norton's Firewall doesnt take that long to load on my system.

sUn · Apr 28, 2004

I had that before, the whole bar was one colour, and then after about 20 seconds it would be normal. Re-install XP it will help.

skip0110 · Apr 28, 2004

I suspect your computer is hanging because a network device is not responding. Do you have any mapped drives on your system? Did you recently remove any hardware?

Party for GT4 · Apr 30, 2004

No hardware was removed in the last 10 months since the computer was new, and the 'policy to hide desktop items' is not on either. Might try reinstalling XP in a few weeks, but three things:
1) If I set it to load an earlier configuration where the computer did not do this, would it load that config from now on,
2) If I reinstall XP, will everything else be kept on my hard-drive etc.
3) Should I stop Norton Firewall from trying to run immediately when I start-up? Will it help?