Windows xp loading very slowly and system freezes in between

1) Go into BIOS and see if you have a Temp monitor in the BIOS. IF so report temps you see after sitting for 3 mins or so in the BIOS. If you see anything at the 85C level shut down immediately. Dust clogging the heatsink matches your symptoms, if the PC is hot power down, blow out the fan backwards (blow compressed air from the exhaust vent). A can of compressed air is $7 at staples. This is most likely the problem -- thermal throttling leading to slow boot followed by high temp shutdown.

2) Download and boot a diagnostic load. If the problem is software than a bootable diagnostic will not have a problem. Download from laptop manufacturer (or if they don't have a bootable diagnostic google "ultimate boot disk". Note some BIOS include a nice set of diagnostics invokable from the BIOS.

If bootable diagnostics works cleanly and it looks like a software problem than I would create an image of your PC's current disk drive on a USB attached drive then use the factory recovery boot to make a clean copy of XP on your laptop. Then recover one at a time the files you need from the external USB drive.

Good luck.

Thanks for your reply but i dont think it is temperature problem.I would like to present you my detailed problem.
I am using XP SP-2 On My HCL Laptop configured as Intel dual core CPU 1.4 GHz,160GB Harddisk,1GB Ram.Since last few days it is getting hanged in between any programm or idleness suddenly, without any load on system(screen remains halted & cursor wont move,key pad doesnt work even Ctrl+Alt+Del wont work & i Have to shut down it by long pressing the power button) .I uninstalled all the drivers and third party softwares but problem becomes more severe.Now It doesent get boot completely and hanges on Windows XP logo ot 'loading your personal settings' screen or anywhere randomly.Then I Tried to reinstall the OS.So initially formating & system files copying goes ok but during installation process after 5-10 minutes again it get hanged as previously.Again I Shut doun it by long pressing Power button and tried to boot & Install The XP Many times but same problem Occurs.System Fan is working properly and there is no indication of overheating.Please help me to solve it.Whether it is some virus problem or any Hard disc problem? I havent taken backup of my hard disc & I dont want to loose my important data.Please help..

Hi, what ruled out temp problems.... it matches all of your symptoms. So would failing memory, a bad hard drive, a pcie mini-network card that is lose in the socket, etc.

Did you try any of the steps suggested? (1) Get temps on your CPU through a program like REALTEMP or HWMONITOR. Google them. (2) download a bootable diagnostic (so that you are *not* using your SW stack) and see if the diagnostic has problems.

Exactly what model is your computer? We can help you find a bootable diagnostic which can really help. I don't think this is a RAM problem because that would cause a blue screen of utter death, but the diagnostic would determine that.

I've seen this happen when certain anti-virus software is updated, like Avast for instance. So has anything like that recently changed?

Now did you say you reinstalled Windows? Has that finished? Explain this more thoroughly and describe the screen where it hangs.

If you reinstalled Windows and the problem still happens then it's got to be a hardware issue. When you formatted your disk, did you do the long or quick format? The long way will examine your hard disk entirely for any corruption.

Finally, is there anything plugged into your laptop, anything at all? Mouse, external monitor, etc.? That could be your problem.

HEY TSNOR, I can understand it but how to check this temperature problem if my system is at all not getting start?
You suggest these programs 'REALTEMP or HWMONITOR' but in order to install them i would need a OS to be installed,ok(if i am correct),but here is the main problem that my laptop hangs during the XP installation on the screen of "Installing XP' when it shows near about 39 minutes to complete the setup.I havent inserted any network card.please suggest

I Have HCL Notebook P30PDC model with Intel dual core CPU 1.4 GHz,160GB Harddisk,1GB DDR2 Ram.I am not facing any blue screen.Also i havent installed any antivirus program. Reinstallation of Windows XP is not completing at all,it hangs in between at the screen of 'Installing windows XP" and 39 minutes to complete' screen. During formatting i have used quick format because if i choose long format,again it hangs abruptly.
I sometimes use usb mouse of IBM make.but even without this mouse also the same problem occurs.

Another thing,In my boot priority sequence there are options for

HDD
CD/DVD
Removable device
Network

So i want to know that, can i use bootable USB to install Windows XP? IS "removable device' means 'USB' ?

Another thing can i take back up of my harddrive without any OS installed so that after taking backup I can fearlessly give my laptop to professional person for repairing as they usually demands to keep it with them for 2-3 days.

Don't take your laptop to those "professionals". Especially if the guy is rude and pushy, and doesn't want to take time to answer your questions. Computer repair businesses are the biggest scam since car mechanics, both learning to overcharge you for problems you could easily fix yourself.

Anyway, I think you found the problem. If long format doesn't work and just hangs, I don't think it's a bad sector because it would tell you. I'm still guessing ram is the culprit. Go here:
http://www.memtest86.com/download.html#R40a
and choose the first download option. Burn the ISO and start the CD boot. AT least you can then rule out ram.

Also, try the usb install. Why not? If it works then the problem is likely the hard drive, if it doesn't work we;re back to ram....