circle spinning drives me nuts

Couldn't the spinning dodaddy (love that word!) be replaced with a static icon of the same name? Save the .ani files in a zipped folder in the cursor folder just in case?

You could have too many processes running which is causing a hang. I never get the busy cursor on my installs, because I don't allow any programs into msconfig>Startup except AV and gadgets.

I also run the lightest weight AV which is still as effective as the bloated paid programs, MS Security Essentials.

The system will tell you if you need to edit Graphics effects as suggested earlier. Look on the Advanced Tools page accessed by clicking your WEI score on Computer>Properties. Issues such as this will be cued at the top.

If so, you don't have to strip all graphics effects out. I just remove sliding, fading and dragging windows intact.

If you still get hangs, google repeat errors in Event Viewer>Admin View and the Performance Diagnostic Log on Advanced tools page, where you can also Generate a System Health Report.

Make sure your drivers are all up to date. Look for newer drivers in Optional Windows Updates and on your computer maker's Support Downloads webpage for you model.

If you resolve repeat errors and hanging persists, test your memory with memtest86 CD for 5-6 passes, and your HD with maker's full diag/repair CD scan.

@derekimo: Yep, karlsnooks is right :)

The primary reason why I would like to change the spining circle ( or just have it not spin, or even spin 20x times slower would probably be ok ) is that it gives me a headache. You would not believe the mountain of s*-_t i get from my friends over this, lol

> I don't know about your experience with the draconian action of selecting "best performance", but I still have the spinning circle.

Didn't work on my end either, doh..

@gregrocker: Thanks for your recommendations; and you are right on the money as to why the circle comes up for as long as it does ( lots of software with various processes running and i haven't put on Visual Studio yet ) but it also comes up during the windows update at the shut down screen during install of the updates


@Lazy B: That's a great idea! I'm going to go try that now. I made a zip of the cursor files but it made me put the zip on my desktop which is cool but 'different' from my XP Pro understanding

ummm when i try to delete the cursor files i get an error message saying:
"You need permission to perform this action
You need permisson from TrusteedIntaller"
@_# ummm what? Did i upset windows7 already

I was going to suggest an eye doctor!

If all the steps suggested don't stop the hanging, then check for corrupted system files by running sfc /scannow as Admin.

Next try the next best thing to a clean reinstall: Repair Install - Windows 7 Forums.URL

Then I would try the clean reinstall after wiping the HD of all code: SSD - HDD Optimize for Windows Reinstallation - Windows 7 Forums.url

Also make sure you have the latest BIOS version update and try the reinstall after setting SATA controller to AHCI in BIOS. If there is no newer BIOS update then clear the CMOS: Clear CMOS - 3 Ways to Clear the CMOS - Reset BIOS.URL

Lasy B said:

Couldn't the spinning dodaddy (love that word!) be replaced with a static icon of the same name? Save the .ani files in a zipped folder in the cursor folder just in case?

ucm said:

@Lazy B: That's a great idea! I'm going to go try that now. I made a zip of the cursor files but it made me put the zip on my desktop which is cool but 'different' from my XP Pro understanding

ummm when i try to delete the cursor files i get an error message saying:
"You need permission to perform this action
You need permisson from TrusteedIntaller"
@_# ummm what? Did i upset windows7 already

OK - I finally got into the administrator account and did a lot of permissions stuff in order to make trustedinstaller happy...

I copied the busy_m and the busy_l ( also the busy_l to the _XL ) of the circle ani cursors. I zipped up the circle icons and deleted them.

Note i renamed the .cur to .ani and they show up just fine.

But

the circle still shows up in the log on and shut down screens

Could there be some kind of theme like win98 Plus ( wow i havent used themes in many years ) that someone knows about that would change the circle?

I gave you twelve steps to try to resolve the hang, leading up to a clean reinstall to wiped HD. How many of these have you tried?

In addition, test your memory with memtest86 for 5-6 passes, swap RAM sticks to reseat RAM.

Then test your HD with maker's full diag/repair CD scan: Hard Drive Diagnostics Tools and Utilities (Storage) - TACKtech Corp.

If you are serious about resolving the issue, then work through all of the steps given in the thread, or else ask as many questions as you need to get them done.

@gregrocker: I tried to explain before that there is no hang, the waiting cursors occur like they should. They just give me a headache. I changed them for the mouse cursor but I was wanting to also get rid of them in the startup and shutdown screens too.

As for your recommendations, they are quite good and I really do appreciate your making them into an easy to follow step by step process :)

I do have a wide range of large software applications that I plan to install in the near future so I have bookmarked your information especially with me being new to windows 7 and never having used vista more than 4 or 5 times

Please don't be offended; again, there isn't a slow down ( i just got win7 and dont have any apps on it yet ). My issue is that I really really realy hate the headaches i get from that darn circle -_-

Do you know of some win7 themes like 98plus that would change those to something else?

@gregrocker: I just re-read everything and I think I finally realized where the miscommunication is coming from.

You are trying to explain that there shouldn't be a waiting or busy cursor for any extended length of time and if I see the waiting/busy cursor for any extended period then that should logically mean that there is a problem somewhere causing the computer to freeze up for some reason.

Here's the thing on that; the computer and all of it's parts are totally brand new and custom built. Blender3D litterally destroyed my intel_core2duo/2GB_ddr1-400/ati system ( as in killed the hardware which everyone i've talked to agree has something to do with python that blender uses and my 8xAGP ati model x1550 ).

I use two computers for my work as a software engineer/game developer and when my family and friends heard about what happend they spent 7 weeks acquiring the parts I needed ( all 100% brand new ) from several online stores like TigerDirect, Newegg, and Microcenter. I only bring them up because I am extremely moved by their devotion :)

I did go out and get another new 1TB hard drive for my new system which I installed and then re-installed win7 on this past weekend. Aside from that here are my win7 specs:
Asus Motherboard <-- no floppy conncector
core i5 3.2GHz
4gb DDR3 dual channel ram
ATI HD 5750 pcie x16 vid card
onboard sound ( via )
and now a brand new 1TB hard drive

For software I have now:
Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit <-- that's it lol

I do have roughly about 27GB of software to install and sometime within the next couple of months I plan to add another 8GB of ddr3 dual-channel ram to my system to get it up to 12GB but that all depends on available funds at the time.


Also please keep in mind that when you use windows update, often the shutdown screen is up along with the circle as win7 is installing the updates.

ucm you hit the nail on the head right here,

I think I finally realized where the miscommunication is coming from.

pretty much everyone responding missed this little bit from your first post,

when windows is on the log in screen it plays the circle as well as on the log off screen when installing updates.

and just went on with how to change it once in your user account, which is not what you are asking (and said that you had already done).

Now with that all siad I know you can change the logon screen picture,

Log On Screen - Change

but no idea how to go about changing the cursor on the logon screen.