Desktop freezes shortly after login

becks2307

Honorable
Apr 16, 2013
5
0
10,510
The cursor gets stuck as hourglass. Start menu/taskbar doesn't work. I can access task manager through ctrl/alt/del but can't click or scroll to end any processes, and then the task manager window gets stuck (can't close it).

However, internet (Firefox) works fine if I started it in first few seconds after login before everything freezes...

Safe mode appears to work fine but I can't seem to uninstall anything that might be causing a problem.

Any ideas?
 

becks2307

Honorable
Apr 16, 2013
5
0
10,510


Thanks for your suggestion. Unfortunately I don't have access to another pc where I could download and make a cd. I tried an online virus scanner and it didn't come up with anything, and obviously the version of AVG I had running didn't catch anything either. Currently running chkdsk now as house70 recommended but it'll be a while yet...
 
You can try an antivirus as suggested above; the symptoms of your system point to registry errors/driver errors. Try to upgrade the graphics drivers. If still no go after all this, you might have to do a repair-install of your OS, as registry cleaners/fixers are not reliable in this case.
Can you run a hardware monitor program in safe mode? If you can, check the temps of your CPU and your GPU in safe mode, then again in normal mode.
 

becks2307

Honorable
Apr 16, 2013
5
0
10,510


I was able to run CPUID HWMonitor in safe mode, but it only shows one temperature, so I'm not sure which one it is. I can't run it in normal mode to compare it.

I've realized that the Win7 gadgets (clock, temperature, etc) will work until I hover the mouse over one of them or try to run a desktop shortcut or open the start menu, at which point the gadgets freeze and the mouse turns to the hourglass, but only when hovering over gadgets. It goes back to the normal pointer once the mouse is moved off of them, but can't click on anything. However, my desktop background slideshow still changes.

 
As wild as it might sound, the problem might reside with one of the RAM sticks. Can you eliminate them one at the time(or 2 at a time, if applicable) and check?
Another question: what graphics does your system have? Integrated, or discrete (and what card, if so).
 

becks2307

Honorable
Apr 16, 2013
5
0
10,510
Figured it out! I disabled startup programs that had been updated around the time I started having this problem, turns out the culprit was Skype 6.3! Uninstalled it and downgraded to 6.1 and everything works fine.

Thanks for your ideas!!