Vista hangs unless in safe mode

Hey,


I'm new here but have had a few looks at these forums and found alot of helpful and very useful posts/replies so I thoguht this would be my best chance for advice.


The problem is on a Toshiba Satellite laptop and info is:


Vista home SP1

Normal mode allows user log in but freezes 5 - 10 seconds after log on, the pointer still moves and the hdd light seems to stay on constant.

Safe mode works fine even with networking with the exception that in safe mode it hangs when populating the program list.

I have used msconfig to alter the start up, it still freezes in normal.

I have used command prompt to both defrag and run check disk.

I have installed and run both rkill and Spybot.

I have ran a windows repair still nothing.

System Restore hung so after sorting that out there are now no restore points I can use.

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I am just wondering if anyone has any idea what it could be, I'm by far no expert but and the person who owns the laptop has very little idea about it, can't even tell me the last download/update before it started this nonesense as he shares the laptop with his wife, I can't see what was downloaded lately as the Program list freezes even in safe mode.

The only recovery CD I have is from my own PC, he has noidea where his is, it helped when the system restore went awry but it rules out as far as I am concerned a full reinstall.

Any help or suggestions is very much appreciated.

13

 

And what are you using for anti-virus? On the computers I work on, I routinely run both the Norton and Mcaffee special removal tools found on the bottom the the Best Freeware page here on MG. Unless of course the user is actively using one of these. Most computers came preloaded with one of these from the retailer and most people have only uninstalled with the Windows program.
You said you tried msconfig to disable some programs. Do you go through the entire list, one by one disabling and then restarting? Tedious I know, but that might identify a program causing a hang.
Safe mode works fine even with networking with the exception that in safe mode it hangs when populating the program list.
Not sure what you mean by "when populating the program list"?
rkill doesn't remove anything, it only supposedly stops processes so you can clean them out. Have you run the other tools from the malware removal forum? I usually run all of them in the order and manner laid out there. Until you do that, you can't rule out malware, in fact it is common on infected machines that safe mode works when normal mode won't.:wave

 

populating the program list - I meant when I went into to add/remove programs the list causes windows to freeze even in safemode.

Yep Macafee is already installed I tried but it also seems to hang.

When I disabled start up programs I disabled all non Ms services and all start up.

I'll have a try with the malware removal forum tools and let you know.

 

McAfee makes it freeze and Malwarebytes Anti-Malware stops responding after a few mins.

I'll still trying different stuff I'll report back on any progress

 

I'm not sure if you/your friend always uses MSConfig to control start ups or if it's something you've just tried as a fix but you shouldn't use MSConfig to control start ups indefinitely. Reading this (scroll to the bottom) http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=149804 will help you understand why. Good luck! :wave

 

Restart the computer and make a note of the time,go to control panel,admin tools,event viewer and check for events and logs around the time of the hangs.

Include notable events with your next post especially program hangs.