Windows XP hangs at opening splash screen

Hi All, I'm really hoping someone can help me with this problem. My laptop will not boot normally and hangs at the XP splash screen. It will boot into safe mode but I can't find any reason as to why normal mode is a problem. I've looked at the device manager but all seems to be ok and at the event log which does have some issues but none that make sense to me. I've tried running Avast at boot but it doesn't work and have also run Malwarebytes which came up with one minor Trojan. This has been removed but no changes to the problem.

As a bit of background the laptop is a Sony Viao about 10 months old. It came with Vista but has been downgraded to XP. It was a work machine and therefore able to log on remotely to the companies domain, however, I have left the company and taken the machine with me (legally in case anones wondering).

Any suggestions would be hugely appreciated.

Minor trojan? Go back into safe mode, run msconfig, go to the startup tab, disable all, click apply & ok, reboot normally. Did it work?

No sorry, no luck.

Then boot to safe mode & try a restore point.

Done that also I'm afraid. tried several days before the problem showed itself and still no change.

Boot to safe mode again, download, update & run combox fix.

Hi,

I've now done this but could not update combofix as internet connection not working, both wireless and ethernet. (Other computers are ok).

Many thanks

H

Run it anyway. See what happens.

Can we assume this computer was never "unjoined" from the domain? There could be some issues related to it trying to find a domain controller. Do you ever get to a login window? or does it hang before that?

You can try turning on user environment debug logging per these instructions
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/221833

You should be able to check the log in safe mode.

Another thought is that a system service (or more than one) are failing to start.
In safe mode you can use MSCONFIG and uncheck "load system services" and see if you can get it to load windows. If that works, you'll have to start playing with services to find out which one is causing it to hang.

Thanks ATNO/TW,

No the computer wasn't properly removed from the domain. I don't get to a log on screen, it just hangs on the Win XP splash screen.

I turned on the debugger, the first few lines of which state cannot process autoexec.bat, could this be it?

Lots of failed to open profile mapping key with error 2

Calling LoadUserProfileI failed. err = 21

Later on ReconcileFile: Failed to delete file <C (then various files) and error 32

Have tried stoping all startup and services but to no avail.

Would the log file be useful?

Thanks

H

yes post the log file. error 2 is probably related to profile mapping for a roaming profile. If you had a mandatory roaming profile at work, it could be part of the problem because it's not going to find the domain controller.

I'm also curious what's in your autoexec.bat file. XP doesn't really use that. It uses autoexec.nt which is located in system32. autoexec.bat will be in the root of your C: drive and you'll have to show hidden files to see it. You can pull it up in notepad. It should be blank. If there's anything in it, post the contents.

In a nutshell I think there's a good chance your problem is due to a roaming profile.

I looked for autoexec.bat in the whole of the C: drive but it was not there.

I've attached the combofix file for info.

Many thanks

H

I took a really quick look at your combofix log and nothing at all jumped out at me, but that wasn't the log I was referring to. I wanted to see the user environment debug log. I don't think your problem is virus related.

And to find your autoexec.bat It's located in C:\autoexec.bat but to see it in Windows Explorer/MyComputer you have to go into Tools | Folder Options |View tab and check show hidden files and uncheck Hide Protected Operating System Files. You can view it in Notepad. It should be empty.