Sporadic problems on startup

I have Windows 7 Professional 64 bit, and sometimes when it starts, programs that require network access do not run. This includes AIM, Firefox, IE, etc. They all lockup once I try to run them. I see their processes in task manager but the program either stops responding on my desktop or it does not appear at all.

I have a bandwidth control program called Netlimiter, and it cannot connect to localhost when this occurs.

It is fixed with a restart. What can the problem be? What sort of diagnostics can I run?

Lemur said:

First check your network adapter for latest driver.

When you say startup, do you mean it locks up while booting?

Just for the heck of it, scan with malwarebytes and your current virus scanner.

Sorry, I meant right after startup, but I assumed something failed to start during Windows starting up and hence the problems.

Just checked for a BIOs update on motherboard, and they had an update that does something to the "LAN Rom." Hopefully that fixes the issue.

Thanks for the idea. It did not occur to me to check for drivers because this problem just started recently.

These programs do not need to run at Startup. If they need updating, they will tell you when you use the actual program.

Anything other than AV or gadgets running at Startup is a freeloader on your startup time, RAM and CPU and can also spy on you.

Some exceptions are possible of course depending on user preferences to have a messenger start up with Windows, for example. Rarely are there more than one or two of these really needed to start up with the computer.

Startup Programs - Change