Out the Window Computer

Tech Log: Windows Load Hang

On the bench today: One personal machine with fully functioning, though extremely dusty, hardware.  Seriously, does it occur to anyone that it might be a really good idea to at least clean the outside of the computer case, much less the inside.

Upon further inspection, and waiting for literally two hours, for the machine to move beyond the “Windows is Loading” screen.  I determined that Windows was not going to load.  (An amazing leap of deduction that was!)

First things first.
Can’t fix what you can’t get into, and based upon what I’d been told about this user (and the fact that 98.9% of the time any Windows machine that comes my way has the same problem) I assumed that the problem was spyware and viruses.  (See, being a tech isn’t so hard.)  So, I booted into safe-mode by pressing the F8 key during the initial boot. (The very first thing that happens when the power button is pressed, then navigate to the “Safe Mode” option at the menu.)  Next, I directed my attention to Start>Run and typed “msconfig” into the resulting window.  I deselected everything, and applied my changes.  Deselecting everything is not a cure all, some of the options that are deselected are going to be drivers, but for the moment, we don’t care if it looks pretty, sounds pretty, or can operate your bluetooth, wireless, bells and whistles media keyboard with mouse and handlebars. We just want to log in.  Later they can be re-enabled in the same fashion.  For the moment, we want to make sure that untoward things are not loading on startup.  This clear-cutting method should shut them down effectively enough to log in.

Success!

The machine has been rebooted and I can see the log-in screen now.  If only my client had given me the password…

Ah well, progress has been made, and my first tech log has been completed.