Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit - Boot issue: slow loading after splash screen, hangs forever at "Welcome"

ViPeRx007 · Dec 16, 2014

Hi all,

Recently my computer decided to restart itself overnight, I think because of Windows Updates; that's usually the only time it restarts; I don't think there were any power outages or surges (I have it all protected and usually other things in the house are also affected if it's something like that). Anyway, it was sitting at the login screen when I turned on the monitor so I entered my password and it went to the screen that says "Welcome" with the spinning wheel, which you usually only see for a couple seconds....Well, mine just sits there and doesn't load past this. It doesn't totally lock up. The wheel keeps spinning and it even sounds like the hard-drive is working on loading things periodically; it's not a grindy, your-HDD-is-dying sound either, it's normal loading sounds. I keep thinking it's going to pop on when it does that but I've left it for hours and it doesn't ever load.

I restarted and noticed that after the Windows splash screen (before the login screen) the screen goes black and just sits there for a longer than normal time before it finally loads the login screen. So there seems to be a few spots where it hangs up.

I've tried a number of things:

1) Safe mode: I tried going into safe mode, it does the exact same thing and I can't get logged in.

2) I have a Windows 7 repair disk and have tried running the Startup repair, it says it "can't be automatically repaired". Unfortunately I don't have any system restores or anything to resort back to either.

3) I made a diagnostic boot disc that has various tools/programs ran various programs testing different parts of my system from DOS; memory, HDD's, boot sectors, all came back with no problems.

4) I made a bootable Kaspersky anti-virus disk and ran that. 0 threats detected.

5) I removed any extra USB devices and any other unnecessary hardware in case they might have been causing some problem; didn't help.

The only thing I can think that happened was that maybe the Windows Updates didn't get fully installed or something and that caused a problem. I'm not sure how to fix that though.

My other idea was to try and create a new user profile via command prompt to see if my profile is damaged somehow but I can't get those to show up either.

It's getting really frustrating. I've spent quite a few hours on this and really need to get it resolved, but I'm running out of ideas. I'm afraid I'm going to have to do a fresh install, but I really don't want to do that if there are any alternatives.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

bambiboom · Dec 16, 2014

VIPeRx007,

I use Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit also and I think your intuition that updates are involved in your startup problem may be correct. Recently, Windows Explorer would quit working and close if I clicked on any file. If I opened a file from inside a program, the files would open, but it was of course a major problem not to be able to copy and move files. I tried Malwarebytes, Avast, and all kinds of things, but fairly quickly reverted the system with a restore point. When choosing the restore point I noticed that here had been two Windows Update restore points automatically created so I chose the point of the earlier of the two recent updates. After the restore there was no problem. I was happy the system worked properly again, but maddeningly didn't know the problem except it was connected to updating. Then following week- my updates always arrive on Tuesday nights- Windows update had reinstalled the previous round and Explorer again didn't work. I reverted to the old restore point again and everything was fine. For now at least, I've disabled Windows Update. I'm redoing the C:\ drive soon anyway (new Intel 730 480GB SSD).

Sorry for all the history since you don't have restore points, but this was to support your idea that Windows Updates is fiddling the system.

Checking, the last two updates that affected my system were "security" updates. Overall, I think the best solution for your system would be to do a "repair install" which replaces the OS with a fresh install, but leaves the programs, drivers, and files intact.: See:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RC_5eb9wTfk

I haven't done this in a long while but if you'd don't need the fuss or have the time, it's may well be your best option. Be aware that this can take a long time- I seem to remember it took my system about 5-6 hours, but for me it's a time-saver as when I reinstall everything (my C:\ drive is 170GB) I think of it as about 20 hours work.

If you go this route, I'd suggest creating some restore points so the system can be reverted if the problem returns.

Another possibility is some kind of driver conflict, but unless you can list changes made recently, it's difficult to predict.

Let us know what you discover.

Cheers,

BambiBoom

HP z420 (2014) > Xeon E5-1620 quad core @ 3.6 / 3.8GHz > 24GB DDR3 ECC 1600 RAM > Quadro K2200 (4GB)> Samsung 840 SSD 250GB /Western Digital Black WD1003FZEX 1TB> M-Audio 192 sound card > AE3000 USB WiFi > 2X Dell Ultrasharp U2715H 2560 X 1440 > Windows 7 Ultimate 64 >[Passmark Rating = 4032 > CPU= 9247 / 2D= 821 / 3D=3263 / Mem= 2584 / Disk= 2470]

Dell Precision T5400 (2008) > 2X Xeon X5460 quad core @3.16GHz > 16GB DDR2 ECC 667> Quadro FX 4800 (1.5GB) > WD RE4 500GB / Seagate Barracuda 500GB > M-Audio 2496 Sound Card / Linksys 600N WiFi > HP 2711X, 27" 1920 X 1080 and and Dell 19" LCD > Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit > [Passmark system Rating = 1859, CPU = 8528 / 2D= 512 / 3D=1097]

2D, 3D CAD, Image Processing, Rendering, Text > Architecture, industrial design, graphic design, written projects

ViPeRx007 · Dec 16, 2014

bambiboom :

VIPeRx007,

I use Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit also and I think your intuition that updates are involved in your startup problem may be correct. Recently, Windows Explorer would quit working and close if I clicked on any file. If I opened a file from inside a program, the files would open, but it was of course a major problem not to be able to copy and move files. I tried Malwarebytes, Avast, and all kinds of things, but fairly quickly reverted the system with a restore point. When choosing the restore point I noticed that here had been two Windows Update restore points automatically created so I chose the point of the earlier of the two recent updates. After the restore there was no problem. I was happy the system worked properly again, but maddeningly didn't know the problem except it was connected to updating. Then following week- my updates always arrive on Tuesday nights- Windows update had reinstalled the previous round and Explorer again didn't work. I reverted to the old restore point again and everything was fine. For now at least, I've disabled Windows Update. I'm redoing the C:\ drive soon anyway (new Intel 730 480GB SSD).

Sorry for all the history since you don't have restore points, but this was to support your idea that Windows Updates is fiddling the system.

Checking, the last two updates that affected my system were "security" updates. Overall, I think the best solution for your system would be to do a "repair install" which replaces the OS with a fresh install, but leaves the programs, drivers, and files intact.: See:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RC_5eb9wTfk

I haven't done this in a long while but if you'd don't need the fuss or have the time, it's may well be your best option. Be aware that this can take a long time- I seem to remember it took my system about 5-6 hours, but for me it's a time-saver as when I reinstall everything (my C:\ drive is 170GB) I think of it as about 20 hours work.

If you go this route, I'd suggest creating some restore points so the system can be reverted if the problem returns.

Another possibility is some kind of driver conflict, but unless you can list changes made recently, it's difficult to predict.

Let us know what you discover.

Cheers,

BambiBoom

HP z420 (2014) > Xeon E5-1620 quad core @ 3.6 / 3.8GHz > 24GB DDR3 ECC 1600 RAM > Quadro K2200 (4GB)> Samsung 840 SSD 250GB /Western Digital Black WD1003FZEX 1TB> M-Audio 192 sound card > AE3000 USB WiFi > 2X Dell Ultrasharp U2715H 2560 X 1440 > Windows 7 Ultimate 64 >[Passmark Rating = 4032 > CPU= 9247 / 2D= 821 / 3D=3263 / Mem= 2584 / Disk= 2470]

Dell Precision T5400 (2008) > 2X Xeon X5460 quad core @3.16GHz > 16GB DDR2 ECC 667> Quadro FX 4800 (1.5GB) > WD RE4 500GB / Seagate Barracuda 500GB > M-Audio 2496 Sound Card / Linksys 600N WiFi > HP 2711X, 27" 1920 X 1080 and and Dell 19" LCD > Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit > [Passmark system Rating = 1859, CPU = 8528 / 2D= 512 / 3D=1097]

2D, 3D CAD, Image Processing, Rendering, Text > Architecture, industrial design, graphic design, written projects

Thank you. I appreciate the information regarding your experience with Windows Updates. Unfortunately, according to the video you linked to, I can't do a repair install. It requires being on the desktop and also removing the service pack, both of which I can't do because I can't get logged into Windows all the way.

It's looking more and more like I'm going to have to bite the bullet and do a complete reinstall. Ugh...

I'm going to do a bit more research though, even though I've already spent well over a day scouring message boards, etc and nothing I'm finding is working for me.

bambiboom · Dec 16, 2014

VIPeRx007,

Sorry you're still having the troubles.

And I apologize as I didn't watch the entire YouTube video. My memory of the repair install though is that this is done when booting from the install disc- not starting on the HD and into Windows. With BIOS set to boot from the DVD, and starting with the disk in the tray, Setup loads files and then asks the type of install, which I think is "custom" and then select "repair". This is different from the automatic repair as it's really a new installation but preserving the DLL's and drivers.

Cheers,

BambiBoom

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Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit - Boot issue: slow loading after splash screen, hangs forever at "Welcome"

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