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

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.