Boot pauses on black screen with cursor, possible PlugPlay Start issue

My computer used to boot very quickly (less than 20 seconds to desktop, I'm on an SSD), but at some point recently it started pausing at a black screen with the cursor in the middle for about 40 seconds before getting to the logon screen. I ran Xbootmgr and it shows that PlugPlay start is taking 40029ms, during which time Xperfview shows that there is no disk or CPU activity.

This is the line from the xperf XML from a boot trace that is worrying me:

Code:

      <serviceTransition name="PlugPlay" group="PlugPlay" transition="start"
                         totalTransitionTimeDelta="40048" firstCheckpointTimeDelta="18" processingTimeDelta="40029"
                         container="DcomLaunch svchost (956)" startedAt="5644" firstCheckpointedAt="5663" endedAt="45693"/>

I've attached the full XML file below.

Any help identifying what's actually causing the issue?

Right after a start run this in cmd:

Code:

tasklist /svc /fi "imagename eq svchost.exe"

and see what comes up, post a screenshot perhaps

Also check event viewer for any abnormal hangs.

Try removing the Ethernet cable and start. Also try restarting in Safe Mode (with and without networking).
Try a clean startup too - Troubleshoot Application Conflicts by Performing a Clean Startup

GokAy said:

Right after a start run this in cmd:

Code:

tasklist /svc /fi "imagename eq svchost.exe"

and see what comes up, post a screenshot perhaps

Also check event viewer for any abnormal hangs.

Try removing the Ethernet cable and start. Also try restarting in Safe Mode (with and without networking).
Try a clean startup too - Troubleshoot Application Conflicts by Performing a Clean Startup

Here's the output of tasklist:

Code:

C:\Windows\system32>tasklist /svc /fi "imagename eq svchost.exe"

Image Name                     PID Services
========================= ======== ============================================
svchost.exe                    844 DcomLaunch, PlugPlay, Power
svchost.exe                   1052 RpcEptMapper, RpcSs
svchost.exe                   1196 AudioSrv, Dhcp, eventlog,
                                   HomeGroupProvider, lmhosts
svchost.exe                   1232 AudioEndpointBuilder, CscService, hidserv,
                                   Netman, PcaSvc, TrkWks, UmRdpService,
                                   UxSms, WdiSystemHost, WPDBusEnum, wudfsvc
svchost.exe                   1260 EventSystem, fdPHost, FontCache, netprofm,
                                   nsi, SstpSvc, WdiServiceHost, WebClient,
                                   WinHttpAutoProxySvc
svchost.exe                   1308 AeLookupSvc, Appinfo, Browser, CertPropSvc,
                                   iphlpsvc, LanmanServer, MMCSS, ProfSvc,
                                   RasMan, Schedule, SENS, SessionEnv,
                                   ShellHWDetection, Themes, Winmgmt
svchost.exe                   1420 gpsvc
svchost.exe                   1616 CryptSvc, Dnscache, LanmanWorkstation,
                                   NlaSvc, TapiSrv, TermService
svchost.exe                   1748 BFE, DPS, MpsSvc
svchost.exe                   1968 DiagTrack
svchost.exe                   2008 FDResPub, SSDPSRV
svchost.exe                   5504 swprv
svchost.exe                   5928 PolicyAgent
svchost.exe                   5968 WinDefend

C:\Windows\system32>

No errors in my error log, and unplugging the ethernet didn't help. I'll try the safe mode and clean startup tonight.

GokAy said:

Right after a start run this in cmd:

Code:

tasklist /svc /fi "imagename eq svchost.exe"

and see what comes up, post a screenshot perhaps

Also check event viewer for any abnormal hangs.

Try removing the Ethernet cable and start. Also try restarting in Safe Mode (with and without networking).
Try a clean startup too - Troubleshoot Application Conflicts by Performing a Clean Startup

No luck with safe mode or clean startup either -- I get the same 35-40 seconds of black screen with a cursor and no errors in the log (other than a long gap before "Plug and Play service" reports that it entered the running state).