XP Freezes after Windows Splash Screen

I have looked at a number of similar posts on the forum. I have a Dell laptop with WinXP Pro SP2. Worked fine then without warning it won't go past the windows spalsh screen. I have tried,

1) Repair
2) Boot disks
3) Recovery
4) Safe Mode, Safe Mode with Networking etc
5) Last known good condition
etc

All of then hang at the same point each time

In desperation I tried to re-install on top the current one and it hangs when "Searching for previous versions of Microsft Versions "

Is there any way of checking the hard disk etc or should I just bite the built and format and install?

 

The BIOS should tell you what manufacturer made your harddrive. You should be able to go to the manufacturers website and get their utility. Another option is to download the "Ultimate Boot CD" www.ultimatebootcd.com download and burn the ISO. The CD is bootable. Check your RAM also, that can cause weird problems too.

 

Hello dishon,

Either take Dcrypter's advice about getting a drive diagnostic utility or use your XP cd to get to the Recovery Console and run chkdsk /r from a command prompt.

A similar problem here:
http://www.windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?t=48243

Regards - Charles

 

I tried the recovery console and it also freezes when running the chkdsk /r. Makes me nervy about my HD. Thankfully, most of my stuff is backed up. I will look at the thread Charles posted. Just down loading UBCD.

Ta,

 

On a laptop, I would agree.
My first suggestion is that you check the hard drive cable.
Often on laptops, these work loose enough to cause your problem. They are still secure enough to allow the drive to be detected and start to load, but when you get a bunch of drive activity it shakes loose a bit and you lock up.
If you can figure this out, there should be a couple of tabs which lock down the keyboard, You slide them and rotate the keyboard towards you. Be careful, it is connected to the motherboard by a thin connector which resembles a peice of 35MM film which is easily torn loose or damaged. The hard drive should be underneath. It too has a similar connector. You release the locking ears where it connects, reseat the cable and lock it back and put the keyboard back.

As charlesvar noted, decrypter's advice of using a disk diagnosis tool is spot on , you want to eliminate the possibility that the drive itself is defective.