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I have an older Gateway computer. When I turn it on, it goes to the Microsoft screen and you can see it loading, then it goes to the user screen. But lately it gets stuck on the Microsoft screen. You can see the line going across, and across, but it never changes. Eventually, if it finally loads, I end up leaving my computer on because I am afraid it’s not going to start next time. What kinds of things can cause this?

Windows Slow Startup

I don’t blame you for leaving your computer running. After all, who has the free time to wait for Windows to load? However, something is going wrong somewhere. Let’s take a look at some of the more common causes behind slow startup times.

Causes for Slow Startup Times

Many culprits can be to blame including a fragmented hard drive, a nearly full hard drive, excessive startup programs, a bloated Windows registry, spyware and viruses, and failing hardware. Your computer could have a combination of these errors.

Disk Cleanup and Defragmenter

Since your computer is currently running, let’s first do some basic maintenance by cleaning up the hard drive and defragging it. Your computer needs a certain amount of free disk space in order to function, so this is a good place to start. First, double-click on My Computer and look at the C:\ drive. Is it nearly full? If so, then that’s not helping matters. Right-click the C:\ drive and choose Properties. Click Disk Cleanup and clear up as much space as possible.

Once the drive has been cleaned up, use the Disk Defragmenter utility to defrag it. This article describes this tool:

System Tools: Defragmenter

Excessive Startup Programs

Another common contributor to startup issues is having too many programs loading up at boot up. It’s hard enough for Windows to load itself let alone all those extra computer programs. This article describes how to manage startup programs in detail:

Managing Startup Items

Bloated Windows Registry

The Windows registry is a huge index containing nearly all of the instructions that Windows needs in order to work with the computer’s installed components. It is constantly growing as new programs are installed, old ones removed, new hardware added, user settings changed, and so on. Unfortunately, when it gets too large, computer performance suffers. Plus, many of the instructions end up becoming obsolete or even damaged.

For example, what if you’ve since uninstalled a program, but the uninstallation didn’t complete successfully? Partial instructions could be left behind. When Windows starts up and receives those instructions, it tries its best to carry them out but since the program has been partially installed, it can’t find what it needs in order to carry out the mission. Windows may get stuck, generate an error, or work slowly as it goes through a series of unnecessary steps.

Because your computer is having major startup problems, I highly recommend a good registry cleaning. The article, Why Use a Registry Cleaning Tool, explains registry issues in greater detail.

Spyware and Viruses

Spyware and computer viruses are notorious for damaging system files and interfering with performance. If you have a reputable antivirus product on your computer, update it and run a full system scan. If you’re unsure about the reliability of your product, any of the following free tools would be a good place to start.

• Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool
• BitDefender Scan Online
• Trend Micro House Call
• McAfee Free Scan

Failing Hardware

Finally, failing hardware can lead to slow start times. A qualified computer technician can diagnose your hardware to see if any of the computer’s components is failing. If your computer continues having startup issues after freeing disk space, removing startup items, cleaning the registry, and removing malware, then it’s time to let a professional take a look.

My Fujitsu/Siemens base unit cannot access Windows page. The screen shows: press tab or delete for set up.

Startup errors are particularly frustrating to say the least. Fortunately, there are a few strategies that you can try to resolve the situation. Typically, a computer fails to start when files that it needs to do so go missing or become corrupted. Follow the tips here and see if you can get it up and running again.

Troubleshooting Startup Errors: Press Tab to Enter Setup

Have you tried pressing tab or delete to enter the set up? If you haven’t done so, it is possible that doing so might lead you to the path that you need. Once you enter the set up, you can follow the prompts to restore your computer so that you can access Windows.

Troubleshooting Startup Errors: “Safe Mode”

Perhaps the next step to try is to boot up in “Safe Mode” since it uses the least amount of drivers and applications. To do so, turn the power to the computer on and immediately press the “F8″ button on the keyboard. If this does not work, try another key such as the “F2″ or “F12.” Now, use the arrow keys to select “Last known good configuration.” If this gets you into Windows, consider running a reliable anti-spyware/anti-virus application to check for any malware that might have infected the computer. I can recommend Anti-VirusPLUS.

Troubleshooting Startup Errors: Boot up from Installation CD

If you have the installation CD, you can use it to boot up and repair your operating system. The CD includes all of the files that you need to run the computer so you can use it to replace any missing or corrupted files. Many Windows errors can be resolved in this manner.

Troubleshooting Startup Errors: Drives

Startup errors are sometimes caused when floppy disks or CDs are left in the disk drives. Check to see if this is the case and remove them and reboot.

Troubleshooting Startup Errors: Hardware

If you have recently added some hardware to your computer, you might want to try uninstalling it to see if that will make a difference. Sometimes hardware can be incompatible with the existing set up of a computer and removing it can make all the difference.