Windows 7 takes forever to load the select user/switch user screen

[Timbro]

Earlier today I turned on my Toshiba laptop (Satellite P855-S5200) and got some sort of error screen, and then it brought me to a screen asking if I wanted to do a system repair or start windows normally. I chose system repair, but then it seemed to get stuck in that process (It was taking forever and nothing was happening), so I turned off the laptop (I know, big no no), booted in safe mode, and did a system restore to a restore point from about a week ago. The "starting Windows" screen came and went, no problem. Everything seemed fine till I got to the User Selection screen (the default blue one with the little hummingbird or whatever). Then it just sat there on that screen. I could see the hummingbird and the little squiggly lines, but there were no buttons to click my user. I just let it sit there, and after about 5 minutes, the user names popped up, and I was able to continue using the computer without any problems, no other speed issues whatsoever. It now makes me wait every time, always about 5 minutes, before the user names pop up. It does this when I restart the machine and when I try to switch users.

It is a Pentium Core i7
2.3 Ghz
8 GB RAM
Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit
Let me know if you need any other specs.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Tim

 

[gregrocker]

Work through these steps for Troubleshooting Windows 7 Failure to Start.

The steps begin with disinfection from Safe Mode or boot disk, since if Win7 is badly infected it may not repair until cleaned up. Then everything possible to start it is sequenced.

I would also do the hardware tests provided before rescuiing the data to run Recovery or get the superior Clean Reinstall.