Windows 7: "Starting Windows Normally"

Occasionally, as this PC is booting up, it asks if I want to Start Windows Normally. I press enter for this.

However, if I don't do anything, because I am out of the room, it still goes ahead after 15 seconds. In this case, though, I can't operate any of the programs that come up on Windows 7 home edition. When I click on my Firefox browser for example nothing happens.

I then have to reboot the PC (switching it off and on) and make sure I'm in front of the PC to press enter when this message comes up. Then all the programs run as normal.

Is there any way of stopping it asking me?

I would run
Disk Check

Check the hard drive with the manufacturer's diagnostic tools.
Hard Drive Diagnostics Tools and Utilities (Storage) - TACKtech Corp.
HD Diagnostic

Shutdown the computer properly to avoid that message completely

When you say shut it down completely, I always follow the rule of "Start" and "Shut Down." Is that what you mean?

On the first post, I don't think this means there's anything wrong with the discs. I used to get a similar message on my old PC and XP and that also occasionally popped up. The difference here is that if you're out of the room it automatically assumes the Starting Windows Normally option, but then this causes the problem I describe.

My guess is that I need to adjust a setting somewhere.

the start windows normally screen should only come up if there was an unexpected or improper shutdown last time the computer was booted off.

is it a laptop or desktop? do you turn it off at the wall socket after you've shut it down?

Desktop. I shut it down by Start and Shut down. I do unplug it at the end of the day. Not clear why this would be a factor, since I'd expect that almost all PC users would not unplug their PC until perhaps they were going to bed. And I can't imagine that the guys who put together the PCs would not get a ton of complaints if this was the answer ... furthermore, I did the same with my old PC without this problem.

Does this happen after every shutdown and subsequent restart, or only first thing in the daytime after you unplugged the PC for the night?

I'm not sure. Will have to wait until next time it happens. A friend I just spoke to suggests that a setting on BIOS may need tweaking. But I have no idea how it's done.

He might be right - I'm guessing that he can talk you through the change if needed. In the meantime, let us know what you observe.

Well, no he doesn't have the expertise. He only guesses it might be that.