Gerrado, Hanspuppa and Dell Larry-R Thank you for your responses to my post. I am just posting to let you know that the problems I have had with my computer were related to a Windows Update. After Factory Image reinstalled last time, I set Windows Update to look for new updates but NOT to download and install them until I told it to. I then found a very kind soul on the Vista64.com forum who advised me that it was not necessary to install all the downloads that were llisted. I went to Windows Update and hid the updates I didn't want, then downloaded and installed the rest without a problem.  I installed them one by one and created a Restore Point before each. I can shut down, restart, log off and log on, no probs.  My old computer is back! One of the posts that was mentioned was KB955839 for Windows Server 2008  a clock adjustment and has been reported as causing major startup problems ie KB955839 will not install. IMHO the likely other suspects were a bunch of Office updates that showed up around the beginning of November and then again after my first reinstall. My computer, i am happy to say so far, is very happy. My next project is waiting for SP1 to pop up and then to reinstall THAT. I am posting in hopes that this will help someone with a similiar problem. Thank you guys again. Peppurr101
Hello I am having a problem starting my computer.  It loads fine up until it asks for the account user login.  When I log in, the desktop starts to load and then freezes.  I can see a 'greyed out' desktop, sometimes some icons and sometimes not.  I can see from the lights on my box that the keyboard and mouse have loaded but I can't use either of them.  There are no 'code lights' for hardware failure. I'm left with no option but to hold the power button down and restart that way.  This wreaks havoc with my RAID mirror configuration (yeah, bad choice, I know, but if I break the RAID, Dell says it my warrantee will not support it) which takes around 4 hours to re-verify. I have called Dell three times now and they have done hardware diagnostics and are confident I have no virus (I have Norton Security and Antivirus) and we have done 2 Factory Image reinstalls. In both instances, these have worked up until I have downloaded and installed updates from Windows with  my Windows Automatic Update.  I believe in both instances, the updates came through the week of November 25th and are the updates to the help files for Microsoft Office and 3 Vista Security Updates.   The last time it happened, I had shut the computer down before going away and turned it back on on the 27th when I came home after doing the first Factory Reinstall.  It worked fine.. absolutely fine until it downloaded these updates again and then froze on startup.  This time I was able to go into Safe Mode (the last time even that didn't work) and restore to a system check point earlier in the day. It has now restarted and is working fine, just I notice it's using a bit more RAM than I'm used to seeing.. 40% plus ralther than the 25-35% before.  I have reloaded (again) hours worth of photos and music and frankly, am afraid to shut it down. My questions are these: Has anybody had this problem with updates? If so, which ones and what to do about it? I have my Auto Update shut OFF right now but realise that I can't not download security  updates, but which ones? Dell XPS support have been very good and have worked through the problem with me even to the point of calling me back right when they say they will (they have obviously been taking suggestions as to their tech support) and being clear and understandable but they say that since this is probably not a hardware problem, they want me to phone the software support line and pay a fee.  Has anyone used this?   Are there any logs or events I can look at to help me suss this out? It seems Vista has enough stuff monitored so that I should.. Can anyone help? I am reasonably good with computers, but the last one I took apart and messed with the innards was Windows 3.1,  some of this has gone past me.. Thanks Liz  PS Here are my specs Dell 420XPS running Windows Vista Home Premium 32 bit4GB dual channel DDR2 667MHZ [4x 1024]500G Data Safe local hard driveDVD+/-RW 16x max and DVD 16x reader20" wide flat panel monitorSingle 768MB nVidia GeForce 8800GTXSound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Gamer PCI soundcardTV Tuner and AVIO AcceleratorInternal V.92 PCI Data Fax modemSpeedtouch 330 external USB broadband modemNorton Internet SecurityAdobe Reader 7.0.8MS Office 2007 Home and StudentStandard mouse keyboard and speakers
XPS 420 with Vista 32 bit hangs when loading desktop-- please help?