North Georgia Computer Repair – Blizzard Computers

Windows XP Hangs at Boot (The Blue Progress Bar Just Keeps Going)

[If safe mode fails to boot] You should use the recovery console to run chkdsk /P on the hard drive. Try rebooting when chkdsk completes a scan.

[If you can boot in safe mode] It seems to be getting more common, so much so that when I am called upon to troubleshoot a Windows XP boot issue, more specifically, Windows XP hangs at the blue “starting Windows” bar the first thing I do is check to see if I can boot in safe mode. If I can then I check to see if they are running Computer Associates CA Antivirus. If they are then I copy their installation code for CA AV and then I uninstall that product. I then restart and 9 times out of 10 the problem is gone and Windows XP boots. At that point we can re-install CA or try a different product.

What is causing this to be so common? My guess is that it’s related to the way CA scans email. At the time of this writing they were using the LSP or layered service provider approach. This is the same type of coding that some spyware/adware type applications would use as well as other network filter programs (i.e. Covenant Eyes). If you get a few LSPs running it seems to make a difference what order they load, install, uninstall, as to how many problems you will have. This is only a guess but it’s based on experience and contact with companies that write LSP based software.

If CA AV is not the issue then you should try using System Restore and restore to an earlier date when you knew the computer was working.

How To Perform a System Restore From the Recovery Console in Windows XP

Warning! This is dangerous and not for the faint of heart. You could make your computer worse than it already is. This is a last resort option. You have been warned.

1) Boot to your Windows XP CD and choose the “Recovery Console” option.

2) Once you get to a command prompt you will need to use the change directory command to get tot the root folder. [ Type cd \ and press enter ]

3) Now you need to change to the system restor folder. [ Type: cd system~1\_resto~1 and press enter ]

4) List the contents of the folder. [ Type: dir and press enter ]

5) Scroll to the end of the directory list and make note of the next to last restore point number not the last number. [ RP2...RP3 etc ]

6) Change directories to the next to last or a previous directory if you think there is a good reason to. [ Type: cd RPxx ]

7) Change to the snapshot folder. [ Type: cd snapshot ]

8)Overwrite the existing system registry entries. [ Type: copy _registry_machine_system c:\windows\system32\config\system ] [ press enter ]

9) Overwrite the existing software registry entries. [ Type: copy _registry_machine_software c:\windows\system32\config\software ] [ press enter ]

If you see an access is denied error then perform the following steps:

[ Type CD\ ] [ press Enter ]
[ Type cd windows\system32\config ] [ press Enter ]
[ Type ren system system.bak ]  [ press Enter ]
[Type exit ] [ press Enter ]

Reboot to the recovery console and start at step 1 again. Once you replace the existing registry settings then reboot and see if Windows XP boots properly.

Q: What do I do if  I get a USB filter driver error in Windows XP?

If  Windows XP has trouble installing some updates you be able to resolve the problem as follows.

Q: How do I change the port that Remote Desktop listens on?

Open registry editor and navigate to

Q: Task Manager is grayed out how do I enable it?

A: You can control the use of task manger with the following registry key.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\DisableTaskMgr

It should be a DWORD value of 0=enabled 1=disabled

If it’s set to 1 and you change it to 0 be sure to refresh the registry view and see if it changes back to 1. If it does you might have some nasty malware controlling task manager.

Q: How do I turn off factory wallpaper that shows when I connect remotely? It makes the connection really slow.

If it’s on a domain and you are an admin you can use the remote registry.
Otherwise you can suffer through it for one more connection. Open regedit and navigate to the following registry branch:
HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\Desktop
Find the Wallpaper key and change it to (none) including the parenthesis.

Q: In windows XP how do I create a connection to my office VPN? (Virtual Private Network)

Windows XP:
Start > Control Panel > Network Connections
On the left panel choose “Create a new connection”
Connection wizard should pop up > next
Choose “Connect to the network at my workplace” > next
Choose “virtual Private Network connection” > next
Type a name for the connection (i.e. MyOffice VPN) > next
If it appears choose “do not dial the initial connection” > next
For host name or IP address enter the office IP or domain name provided by your network administrator > next
Choose “My use only” > next
Check “add a shortcut” > next > finish
The VPN connection should pop up
Choose properties and then click the network tab
Highlight “Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)” and click properties
Click the advanced button and then uncheck “use default gateway”
Click OK 3 times and then you are ready to use the VPN.
Enter your name and password.

That’s it.

Once you establish the connection you can:

• Run Remote Desktop and enter the IP of any computer at the office that is configured to allow remote Desktop Connections.
• Transfer files using UNC paths.
• Ping or Trace the route to private IPS at the office.
• Manage computers.

Anything you could do from the office can be done but beware of trying to run “fat” client applications over broadband, you could corrupt data.