Windows Hungs Before Login

NickM

NickM

NickM

Soldato
Joined
12 Dec 2003
Posts
2,588
My laptop (Vista 32) hangs on the loading bar just before the login screen after a reboot. By hangs I mean the bar keeps scrolling but even after ~5mins, whereas it normally takes a few seconds, it still wont progress to the login sceen. I usually hibernate so this isnt a problem and it usually resolves its self after several forced restarts but right now its not working. I can get into safe mode with networking fine.

This has been going on for a while now and is starting to really irritate me! :(

Any ideas?

Edit: hangs*
 
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I tried doing a restore last time it happened like this (which was after a windows update) but it didn't help so doubt it will this time. I'll give it a go though.

To clarify: if hangs after every reboot but usually only takes one extra reboot to get past it to the login screen.

Edit: restored to before last program update but still won't work :(
 
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Run Msconfig and see what services and apps are being loaded on startup, disable as many as you safely can, then reboot to see if the problem goes away, if it does, start enabling them one by one, reboot each time, till you get the fault back.... this should help find the offending app/service.... if it is one?
 
It's not services or apps as it's hanging before that stage (it's the green revolving scroll bar on the black screen). It's more likely to be device or driver issues or compatibility (even a corrupt driver or something).

Have a look in event viewer to see if there's a driver which couldn't be loaded, or any errors which may indicate a driver issue.

I had this a while back, and the cause took me ages to discover - a hard drive which wasn't being correctly identified. The BIOS wasn't registering it, but Windows wouldn't get beyond this stage while that drive was connected. If I connected the drive while in Windows it works perfectly fine, but the PC would just hang on this screen on startup.

While in Windows I'd do an SFC /scannow, which should check system files to ensure they're signed, genuine and not corrupt. A chkdsk is always a good idea (though I guess you've done that already).
 
If you can get in safe mode, run MSCONFIG, select the Boot tab, and enable No GUI boot and OS boot information. That should tell you which driver you're getting stuck on next time you boot.

In the General tab there are other options that might help you troubleshoot.
 
Thanks for the ideas everyone. I tried booting with everything possible unplugged (just power cable plugged in) and it still wouldnt do it. It does have a card reader but its internal.

The Applicaions tab of Event Viewer was the only one with recent events. These are what it had (not including the !Info messages):

16:06:51 [ID 3011] !Error: Unloading the performance counter strings for service WmiApRpl (WmiApRpl) failed. The first DWORD in the Data section contains the error code.

16:06:51 [ID 3012] !Error: The performance strings in the Performance registry value is corrupted when process Performance extension counter provider. The BaseIndex value from the Performance registry is the first DWORD in the Data section, LastCounter value is the second DWORD in the Data section, and LastHelp value is the third DWORD in the Data section.

16:00:01 [ID 4609] !Error: The COM+ Event System detected a bad return code during its internal processing. HRESULT was 8007043c from line 45 of d:\vistasp1_gdr\com\complus\src\events\tier1\eventsystemobj.cpp. Please contact Microsoft Product Support Services to report this error.

15:59:35 [ID 6000] !Warning: The winlogon notification subscriber <GPClient> was unavailable to handle a notification event.


SFC /scannow was Clean.
About to try a No GUI & OS Boot Info boot now.
 
Ok when I tried booting up normally all the .sys files loaded up to crcdisk.sys which paused for a few seconds then the screen went blank. Now if I try safemode w. Networking it just stops on crcdisk.sys.

Edit: maybe it's because I scheduled a chkdsk before I rebooted with No GUI & OS info but then I'm sure it would just show the chkdsk progress.

Edit2: left it for 40mins trying to get into safe mode but when I came back it was still on crcdisk.sys
 
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crcdisk.sys is the last to load, so that's normal. Next in line it begins to utilise your video driver, so that's probably your culprit.

edit: oh, even in safemode w/ networking? Disable your NIC and see what happens.

edit2: UKDTweak is correct about using MSConfig to disable startup items to find the cause. If you were to contact Microsoft directly that is what they would tell you. Disable everything, see if it boots, and if so start enabling them one at a time until you find the one.

It is a long and tedious process, but it will get you results.
 
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I managed to get a cmd window up and run chkdsk /f which found a few problems but hasn't changed my ability to boot into either windows or safemode. None of the 3 safe modes work. All end up stuck on crcdisk. 640x480 and last know good do the same as a normal boot, black screen after crcdisk. Is it possible to update gfx drivers from dos/a boot CD? Tried running a repair too. Came up with no problems.

I've had trouble with the gfx card in this comp before. It's been replaced twice! (Dell M1330 / nVidia 8400GS)
 
Ok. I've booted from a linux live CD. I have write access to c:\, how can I put msconfig back to how it was so I can get back into windows safe mode? Is there an ini file I can edit to re-enable GUI boot/disable OS info?
 
The MSConfig stuff can't affect booting into safe mode. If you have C: drive access, copy your critical files off there now and rebuild your OS. ;)
 
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Damn it. I don't have time right now, got exams. Gonna have to wait a week now :(

Update: After messing around blowing dust out of my mobo / hard drive and then doing another Last Known Good boot its sucessfully got into Windows! ..but only into the Admin account, not my everyday account, and even that didn't load properly, explorer didn't load. AGHHH.

If I try and log into my day to day account via the 'Other User' link on the welcome screen (because it doesn't show up like it used to) I get "account disabled" :mad:

Update 2: And because I'm on HP I cant access stuff via MMC so had to google the command line way to reactive accounts, most annoying but I'm back online again from my main account! Wooo! Thanks for the help everyone!
 
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