1.
Operating System. What operating system and service pack level are you currently using?
One way to check is: Start -> right-click My_Computer -> Properties -> General tab -> System subsection.
2.
Recommendation. Since it works in Safe Mode with Networking, I'd hold off on the format and reinstall. Yes, it sounds like a software problem: malware, security software, and/or configuration settings. Safe Mode runs with a minimal set of services and drivers. Although time consuming, one troubleshooting approach is to use the "
msconfig" utility to selectively disable (or enable)
startup programs and
non-Microsoft services until the "bad boys" are discovered.
Different people use different approaches:
a.
Disable all startup programs and non-Microsoft services, then enable one at a time, reboot, and see if problem is gone.
b.
Enable all startup programs and non-Microsoft services, then disable one at a time, reboot, and see if problem is gone.
c.
Disable all startup and non-Microsoft services of
third party security software, reboot, and see if problem is gone.
You get the picture...
3.
Msconfig. May be accessed from either Safe Mode or Normal Mode. If you disable all startup programs and non-Microsoft services and problem still exists when booted to Normal mode, then we might have to try a "
clean" boot.
Following procedures and notes "stolen" from Broni.
Go Start>Run (Start Search in Vista), type in:
msconfig
Click OK (hit Enter in Vista).
Click on Startup tab.
Click Disable all
IMPORTANT! In case of laptop, make sure, you do NOT disable any keyboard, or touchpad entries.
Click Services tab.
Put checkmark in Hide all Microsoft services
Click Disable all.
Click OK.
Restart computer in Normal Mode.
NOTE. If you use different firewall, than Windows firewall, turn Windows firewall on, just for this test, since your regular firewall won't be running.
If you use Windows firewall, you're fine.
