XP Pro Hangs at Login Prompt

[reicherb]

I'm not sure if this is a hardware or software problem.
Here is my config:
WinXP Pro -with all service packs and patches
ASUS A7V8X
AthlonXP 2100 (not yet overclocked)
512MB Kingston PC3200
Old PCI video card until I get the system built and can take my Radeon out of my old system

I'm got a new system and 3-4 times that the system boots, it hangs at the login screen. The keyboard and mouse do not respond, but if I hit the power button, the system goes through a full shutdown. The only other thing that I've noticed is that when the system is locked the num lock key is on. Normally it is off. After shutting down after a lock the num lock key stays on until the system is unplugged for a few minutes. After unplugging and the num lock goes off, the system boots a few times ok. If I turn it back on without unplugging the system it locks again at the login screen. I have also experienced the system locking up a couple of times trying to shut it down after a normal boot. I'm not sure if that is related or not.

I've tried updating BIOS, reseating everything, a different keyboard and mouse, and reinstalling Windows. Nothing seems to affect my problem. Has anybody seen this? Does anybody have any suggestions how to fix it? I?m totally stumped.

Thanks for the help.

 

[silent tone]

Are you saying that it freezes after 3 or 4 boots, or it freezes ~75% of the time? When you CAN logon, are there any other problems? Anything in the event log? What are the temps on the cpu? Can it boot to safe mode?

 

[SOSTrooper]

Can you set your XP to auto log-in so it doesnt have to wait for you to input the pw? Also when the PC does boot ok into XP, can it stay on for days w/o problems?

 

[reicherb]

Originally posted by: istallion
Are you saying that it freezes after 3 or 4 boots, or it freezes ~75% of the time? When you CAN logon, are there any other problems? Anything in the event log? What are the temps on the cpu? Can it boot to safe mode?

It locks at 30% of the time. Once I'm in, everything seems ok. I don't see anything in the event log. The CPU temp is 47F. I just booted into safe mode 5 times and everytime it went.

Originally posted by: SOSTrooper
Can you set your XP to auto log-in so it doesnt have to wait for you to input the pw? Also when the PC does boot ok into XP, can it stay on for days w/o problems?

I'll try the auto logon and report back. I'm just building the PC so I haven't left in up for more than a couple of hours, but once it's up it seems ok.

 

[reicherb]

I setup Auto Admin Logon and it still locks.

 

[reicherb]

Any ideas?

 

[HumbleFish]

www.tweak3d.net has some tweaks that are supposed to help you boot up faster; you might want to check them out.

 

[HumbleFish]

I think that there's some Keyboard Number lock settings in the BIOs... You might want to check that.

 

[reicherb]

Originally posted by: HumbleFish
I think that there's some Keyboard Number lock settings in the BIOs... You might want to check that.

I've tried changing the BIOs setting but it made no difference. I'll try that link tonight.


BTW apparently the moderators have determined this is a software problem and not a hardware problem and moved the thread to the OS forum. I'm still not sure if it's software or hardware. I've installed WinXP 3 times with the same results.