Windows 7 Freezes/Hangs On Startup

[JSliha]

Hello helpful people,

I'm having a really troublesome problem with my computer.

Before you ask, yes I looked in the forums and all the other threads I found either were irrelevant or didn't help with my problem.

I have an HP desktop computer with Windows 7 Home Premium x64 bit.

Earlier this morning I was on my computer, and it was working fine, without hiccup.

A few hours ago, I turned on my computer and it began to hang on startup. Once it hit the welcome screen with the small spinning circle, the small circle stopped spinning after a couple seconds, and would freeze right there. I then started the computer in safe mode, where it would appear to run fine.

I ran CCleaner (because that worked for me a couple of times before), and cleaned up some stuff, and restarted again. That didn't help. Back to safe mode. In safe mode, I figured i would look for a solution to my problem, so I clicked the Google Chrome symbol in the taskbar. As soon as I clicked the symbol, the computer froze. I figured it was just something with my programs then. Back to safe mode. Now I open up System Recovery and restore my computer to yesterday. Yesterday, I tried installing Daemon Tools Lite, but that wouldn't work. I tried reinstalling it several times, thus installing the SPDT or something at least 7 times (restarting a lot). I also installed the NVidia PhysX engine and tried installing it yesterday. Anyway, I performed a system restore to a point before the PhysX installation and SPDT installs and whatnot.

Now, when I start the computer normally, it hangs at the black screen right after the Windows Startup screen (The four colored dots spiraling together) but without the Welcome Screen showing. It then freezes with the mouse sitting there. I can move the mouse for a few seconds, but then the computer locks up and freezes. Back to safe mode. However, once my computer starts in safe mode, it also freezes with a black screen and a mouse. I can move the mouse in this mode without it freezing. However, that doesn't do me much good.

What's the problem? What can I do? Please help and respond ASAP.

A few notes

- Using Ctrl-Alt-Del freezes the computer in normal mode and simply does not do anything in safe mode

- For some reason, pressing f11 repeatedly at the bootup screen has no effect on the computer.

- The computer is unplugged now, as I am left with no options.

 

[richc46]

Im not there, I can only go by what you tell me. If the problem started after Daemon, that is it. Daemon (SPTD) is the cause of many problems with Windows 7. Go to search type cmd, in cmd type driverquery, make sure that sptd is gone. That can very well be the cause.If it is there do a system restore from a week before the installation..

 

[JSliha]

Nope

As I said, I keep getting a black screen hang and f11 doesn't work, so there is really no way that I can see that I can interact with the computer right now. I can't do a system restore or open up a program or anything like that.

Edit: Sorry if I'm not being specific enough. I'll try to be as cooperative as I can. But what I describe is EXACTLY what's happening. If any other info is needed, let me know.

 

[richc46]

See if this can work for you .If it does and you can get in, look for sptd the way that I told you.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/681-startup-repair.html

Once in go back a week before the problem with System Restore.

 

[JSliha]

See if this can work for you .If it does and you can get in, look for sptd the way that I told you.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/681-startup-repair.html

Once in go back a week before the problem with System Restore.

Well right now the only way I can do a Startup Repair is by using the disc and going to the boot menu (hopefully that'll work)

Unfortunately, I can't get my hands on my disc right now, but I should be able to in the morning. I'll try it then and get back to you with any results.

Thanks!

 

[richc46]

This may help, too, If you cannot find your DVD
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2083-system-repair-disc-create.html

 

[JSliha]

So I got the CD, and I did the following...

I booted from CD and ran Startup Repair - It found no problems

I booted from the CD and ran a System Recovery to about a week ago. Still, same problem, EXCEPT

Now my computer shows me the welcome screen, fades out, then freezes at a black screen with a cursor again (Which freezes after a couple seconds)

I tried to remove SPTD. I went into Safe Mode with a command prompt, and I used it to navigate to System32/drivers. I then tried to delete SPTD.sys (which I think I did, I didn't run the cmd prompt again to check)

I then tried booting the PC using the Last Known Good Configuration option. Same problem

I ran the PC-Doctor diagnostic tool for my hardware on power-up. It says everything was fine.

I just finished running the Memory Diagnostics Tool (From the F8 menu), and it says no problems were found.

However, I can now boot into Safe Mode with it showing the desktop and everything, but once I click a program on the taskbar (Google Chrome specifically) it freezes and locks up. It also shows the "System Restore was successful" message every time I start Safe Mode.

Any suggestions on what to do from here?

 

[richc46]

It is good that you can work in safe mode, gives us several options.
Try this:
First be sure that you have already done or will do this, follow what is suggested by Greg.
http://www.sevenforums.com/installation-setup/108401-problem-system-recovery.html

If that does not work we will use an approach using Safe Mode and clean boot
How to troubleshoot a problem by performing a clean boot in Windows Vista or in Windows 7

The difference between safe mode and normal mode is that in safe mode only limited drivers and programs are loaded. This tells us that you do not have a hardware problem, but rather software.

Lets see if we can find out which program is causing the problems

In safe mode set up the clean boot.

Then boot the computer if it works, fine, we know it was one of the programs that you disabled. Then we could continue with the process to find out which one.

 

[JSliha]

So I disabled about half of the startup services, and now it will boot into normal mode, going to the desktop (it didn't do this before), but now it'll just freeze after a few seconds. I'll continue to go through the services and let you know what happens.

 

[JSliha]

In the list, I disabled the following 4 services from startup


Intel Matrix Storage Event Monitor
Intel Rapid Storage Technology
Norton Internet Security
SBSD Security Center Service

And the computer seems to be working fine now. I'm still going to try to narrow it down. I just enabled the Norton and Spybot services.

EDIT: Upon enabling those two, Windows froze up at the welcome screen again. Going to try to reconfigure in safe mode again now.

UPDATE: Enabled Norton and disabled SBSD, now only the desktop and the taskbar show up without the mouse, frozen. Going to only enable SBSD now.

UPDATE: I think Norton was my problem :shock: Was not expecting that. Upon only enabling Norton of the two, my computer works fine. I'm going to enable everything except Norton now.

UPDATE: With every service enabled except Norton, my computer runs fine. No freezing or anything here.

 

[richc46]

You are doing good> If it is the antivirus, uninstall with the uninstall tool and then download and use Microsoft Security Essentials and Malwarebytes and the Windows Firewall, which is part of MSE>http://www.microsoft.com/Security_Essentials/

 

[richc46]

I can tell from your posts, you are so excited with happy anticipation, Im glad. It was the antivirus. Common problem.

 

[JSliha]

I plan on doing that. Thanks. But do you know if there is any way around this? Norton hasn't been a problem before. The thing is, I paid good money for this and I don't want it to be a waste. Is there a way of re-activating Norton at a later date?

 

[JSliha]

Yeah this was surprising. I'm just so glad I fixed this. My PC has EVERYTHING on it!

 

[richc46]

Lets think. It is my position the MSE is as good as Norton, IMO, someways better. Your money is gone. So what if you use Norton or MSE. And when a year is up you do not have to renew with MSE, it is always free and made just for Windows.

 

[JSliha]

I get what you mean. This was great! I have to say:

1) Thank you, thank you, thank you for taking the time to stick with me through this!

and

2) Thank you even more!

I get what you mean. I guess I'll just have to say goodbye to Norton. I never really liked Symantec anyway.

Oh, and I forgot to mention: thanks.

 

[richc46]

You are too kind. When you uninstall Norton, go to their website and use the uninstall tool or we will have more problems
Before you touch it again, make a system restore point so we can get back here again and finally.
Shame on you important papers and no back up.

If interested, post and I will give you free links to great back up software. Put the back up on a finger driver or external drive in case you cant boot again.

Ill be away for a while, if you have questions just post. Do not do anything unless you are sure.

and
You are welcome, welcome, welcome
You seem like a nice person, glad that I was here for you.

 

[JSliha]

You're right, I should make a back up. Quite foolish of me.

I will definitely create a system restore point. I do have an external drive I can use, and a bunch of blank DVD's. Should I use those? I think that would be of more use to me.

I'm thinking of using Windows Firewall with AVG Antivirus.

 

[richc46]

Read this and save.







Let me suggest this for a start. Based upon my experience this is the best combination and it agrees with the feeling of most other members
Microsoft Security Essentials-For great antivirus protection and good real time malware protection

Malwarebytes, to scan once a week for any malware that may have been missed by MSE.

The firewall can be your decison, but the Windows firewall once you learn how to use it, its one of the best.

Dont use registry cleaning software etc, just follow these guidelines.
http://www.sevenforums.com/performa...uggestions-proper-maintenance.html#post764471

Seven is not like anything that you have used before (except Vista), it does not need to be taken care of, with reg cleaners, tune up software etc.

 

[JSliha]

Well, I tried running MSE, but it crashes once it hits the validation process. And thanks for the other tips.