Frozen on start up

[dgreen]

I've never experienced this one before.....

When I try to boot up my laptop it freezes on the desktop with the blue hoop and mouse pointer showing.

I tried booting in safe mode with networking but it still froze.
I left it on to see if it would actually clear and work normally but it turned itself off after about 10 mins.
The laptop is running Windows 7 Professional 64bit.
The laptop is a HP g56

I can't remember much else about its spec.
Can anyone help me sort this please.
Thanks

[dgreen]

Can anyone help me at all with this problem, even if it's the most obvious of solutions, I'd really appreciate it.
Any guidance no matter how small would be great, thanks!

[Allan]

1) What is new or different since the last time everything worked properly (ie, new hw, new sw, virus, error, etc)?

2) Let's run some basic troubleshooting steps:

To check the ram, download memtest (http://memtest.org/). Burn it to a cd using a dedicated .iso burning utility (http://www.petri.co.il/how_to_write_iso_files_to_cd.htm), make sure the cd drive is at the top of the boot order in bios, then boot to the newly created cd and run the utility.

Hard Drive Diagnostics:

http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=287
Make sure, you select tool, which is appropriate for the brand of your hard drive.
Depending on the program, it'll create bootable floppy, or bootable CD.
If downloaded file is of .iso type, use ImgBurn: http://www.imgburn.com/ to burn .iso file to a CD (select "Write image file to disc" option), to make the CD bootable.
For Toshiba drives, see here: http://sdd.toshiba.com/main.aspx?Path=ServicesSupport/FujitsuDrivesUSandCanada/SoftwareUtilities#diagnostic

[dgreen]

Thanks Allan,

I think I ran the memtest you intended me to but I'm not entirely sure as it came up Windows Memory Diagnostics Tool which ran automatically on boot up, is this supposed to happen?
I left it running and came back to a black screen and had to turn off the laptop with the button.
I turned it back on, it booted up to the desktop And froze but i could move the cursor this time.

[Allan]

You did not follow the instructions properly. Please read and follow the instructions above for running memtest.

[dgreen]

Sorry, I thought I had followed your instructions properly, my apologies.
Please tell me where I went wrong.
I burnt the .iso to cd, turned on the laptop and pressed f12.

It came up with the option to run the tool so I selected it.
I may be pressing the wrong function key.
Which one should I have pressed?

[jason2074]

Windows Memory Diagnostics Tool which ran automatically on boot up, is this supposed to happen?

Try checking the built-in hardware diagnostic utility for your laptop model. Try pressing ESC to access the different hardware test for RAM and hard drive.  The manual says you have these testing features.

[dgreen]

Ok, I managed to run the memtest and no errors were found.

For the Hard Drive diagnostics I'm not sure how to find out what hard drive I have.

[dgreen]

I went on the HP support web site and found the specifications of the laptop but all it said about the hard drive is that it is a 250 GB SATA Hard Disk Drive 5400 rpm.
I can't find the actual make.
do you know how i find this information without opening the laptop of course.

I did run the Primary Hard Disk Self Test and it came up Hard Disk 1 Full (305) on the Long Test Executing.
It did the first test ok without any errors though.

[Allan]

Can you boot to safe mode WITHOUT networking?

You did not answer my question above - What is new or different since the last time everything worked properly (ie, new hw, new sw, virus, error, etc)?

Can you boot to the W7 dvd and run the startup repair tests? (http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/products/features/startup-repair)

[dgreen]

Yes, I could boot to safe mode WITHOUT networking.

As far as I am aware there is nothing new installed but this problem occurred after my son had been using it for the day as he was off school.

The laptop didnt come with a w7 DVD, everything was preinstalled.

[Allan]

So there IS something different - your son was using for the day and the problem arose immediately afterward. That's worth knowing.

Please boot to safe mode and run full scans with both your installed anti virus app AND with MalwareBytes. Let's either rule in or rule out malware.

[dgreen]

It freezes on the desktop when I try booting in safe mode!

[Allan]

I'm confused. Your previous post said you can boot to safe mode. Now when you get there it freezes?

If your ram passed the tests and your hd passed the tests any additional tests I'd suggest would have to be run from within Windows. One other thing we can try is to create a bootable av cd and run a scan that way

http://www.techmixer.com/free-bootable-antivirus-rescue-cds-download-list/

[dgreen]

Sorry about the confusion, I don't know why I said yes to being able to boot into safe mode, I must have been having another mad moment !

I ran the HP test for Start up and Memory passed, SMART test passed but Short DST failed (whatever that is)
I also ran the hard disk test which failed.