Black Screen after Windows Logo - waits 2 minutes, then able to login

Try these:
Troubleshoot Application Conflicts by Performing a Clean Startup

Sysinternals Live: Autoruns for Windows
Overview: Autoruns for Windows
Options menu select Filter Options and untick [...] Hide Windows Entries


Your choices:

• Fix the path of the driver
• Disable the driver
  Do NOT disable core drivers(graphics, harddisk, CDROM)
• Find and correct missing files
• Reinstall the driver from the OEM site

You might also look this over, it might help identify the cause.
The Case of the Veeerrry Slow Logons

I followed NDProxy to here: NDPROXY Overview (Windows Drivers)
and read the advisory referenced on that page (advisory does not apply to Win7).

That took me to a few places, which sort of indicated malware. Sort of because the initial reference states with Vista and above are not affected....

Anyway, it wouldn't hurt to scan your system

Download: Farbar Recovery Scan Tool Download
Select the version that applies to your system: 64-bit

Save it to your Desktop.

Double-click the downloaded file to run it.
When the tool opens, click Yes to the disclaimer.
Also check the Addition.txt, if not already checked.

Press the Scan button.

When done, the tool makes a log, FRST.txt, on the Desktop.

Please provide the FRST.txt in your reply.

It also creates another log: Addition.txt
Also post the Addition.txt in your reply.

In Control Panel -> Programs and Features uninstall the following if present

Bonjour
Google Update
Spybot - Search & Destroy 2
Skype AutoUpdate
Java
Java Update
Adobe ARM
Advanced Installer
AVG


FRST shows a number of infections.

Let's see what Kaspersky TDSSkiller can do about the more serious ones

Download TDSSKiller from: How to detect and remove unknown rootkits
Scroll down to How to disinfect a compromised system
* Download....

Click the Save button (default save location is tyour Downloads folder)
Click the Run button when the download completes
Anser Yes to UAC
Accept the EULA
Accept the KSN Statement
TDSS initializes

Ready to Scan

Attachment 308074

Change parameters, tick Detect TDLFS file system
Press OK

Attachment 308075

Press Start scan

Attachment 308076

The log file is on C:\ and has is easily identified as Kaspersky TDSS
You can view the log by clicking Report in the upper right.

Attachment 308080

Please attach the C:\TDSSKiller.version_DD.MM.YYYY_HH.MM.SS_log to a new post
See: Screenshots and Files - Upload and Post in Seven Forums

The log says that you have a TDSS file system on that drive, that is not a good thing. It's not on drive 0 so that is a good thing.

Run TDSSKiller again and when you get to the take action window, please post a screenshot.

Take a look at the possible actions (delete, cure, quarantine?).

I think there might be a submit to TotalVirus, not sure what the screen says though.

Code:

 
19:07:47.0237 0x0cc4  ================ Scan MBR ==================================
19:07:47.0238 0x0cc4  [ A36C5E4F47E84449FF07ED3517B43A31 ] \Device\Harddisk0\DR0
19:07:47.0424 0x0cc4  \Device\Harddisk0\DR0 - ok
19:07:47.0428 0x0cc4  [ A36C5E4F47E84449FF07ED3517B43A31 ] \Device\Harddisk1\DR1
19:07:47.0511 0x0cc4  \Device\Harddisk1\DR1 - detected TDSS File System ( 1 )
19:07:47.0511 0x0cc4  \Device\Harddisk1\DR1 ( TDSS File System ) - warning

This is what TDSS is, also called Alureon, could be part of a botnet stealing info. It's not good on any drive, hopefully your OS isn't on drive 1.

Alureon - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Thanks Gary, that's pretty much why I asked bluejohnny to run TDSSKiller again. That was 5 hours ago, but we're in different time zones, so we'll have to wait for the Earth to spin a little bit.

Normally you would try to cure, then quarantine, then delete malware. A rootkit is a different beast.
I wanted to see what the utility presented before advising a course of action.

Bill
.

Hi Guys - I re-ran TDSSKiller and this time it has reported no Threats Found. I saw the last thing it scanned was HardDisk1\DR1\Partition1 but no threats were found. I restarted but my black screen still persists.

If I am free of Malware, I am wondering whether Windows is waiting for some process to time out. I read the blog that was recommended, The cause of very slow logins, but to be honest I think the things that were being written about there, I don't possess the skills to do. :-(

I also noticed tonight that on the reboot, the arrow on the black screen changed to a rotating circle as if waiting form some process to finish.

Is there anything else you can advise I check please?

Thanks for your help.

Post the TDSSKiller log from the last run. These things are tricky - if you didn't take action the first time TDSSKiller ran, then it's still there. the log will tell more.

There's a good chance that after looking at the log, I'll ask you to run TDSSKiller again!
Once the TDSS file system is resolved, there are a number of malware scans to run. Many malware 'invite' their friends so a few scanners are good practice.

I'm wondering if you forgot to tick Detect TDLFS file system (you caught the mistake the very first time you ran TDSSKiller and restarted it with the parameter marked.)

I can't tell if disk 1 is external or internal, if it's the same disk as before or what. You're the eyes on that side of the monitor (your System Specs don't say if the 1 TB drive is internal or external, so I'm assuming that the 160 GD SSD is your boot, the 1TB drive is an internal drive and that it is the same drive as before.

Please post information about your drives having this information also makes it easier to a discuss course of action.
See: Disk Management - Post a Screen Capture Image
Post# 12 provides additional information on how to provide the most useful screenshot.

In addition to that addendum, please make sure that the Status column shows everything in between the parenthesis (Boot, Page file....)

Thanks