Any ideas why my Windows computer is locking up?A blue screen appeared after I logged in and it takes a long time to fully load my desktop, like...

I have to make a few guesses about the type of hardware and software you are using.  I am guessing that you have a fairly recent computer running windows XP.  I am also assuming that what you are talking about when you say "blue screen" is not the infamous "blue screen of death" more common to Windows NT and 98 but rather a screen that stays blue when trying to log on.  It sounds as if you are able to log on, but then it takes a long time for Windows to start and then freezes.  These can be hard to diagnose because there are so many different types of interactions between hardware and software that must be working in order to keep the system running correctly.

The fact that you have done a lot of scans may or may not be imortant here, depending on what scans you did.  I am going to assume, though that you did the most common ones and they did not return any sort of virus or registry problem.

I know you have probably been asked this before, but have you installed any new hardware or software recently?  Probably not, but if you can think of something it might be worth a try uninstalling it.  It would have to be something that tries to load every time you start windows, like an anti-virus program, crash reporter....that kind of thing.

The problem is that it doesn't sound like you are able to use your computer long enough to uninstall the things because it freezes.

Here are three things you can try:

1. Reinstall Windows.  This is the mother of all fixes and the most disruptive, but you'd be surprised how many problems this can cure. Although you have done a lot of scans, they might not be scanning for exactly the thing that is causing the problem (could be some kind of driver or something.)  Reinstalling Windows would probably fix it (though you would have to be sure you were doing a "clean" install....erase the hard drive first.


2. Maybe it is a driver or self launching program that is screwing with your system.  Try starting in "safe mode" which doesn't load all that junk.  If your computer starts and does not freeze, you will have narrowed down your problem to one of those. (as your computer starts up hold down F8 to get to the menu to start safe mode)


3. It is possible a piece of hardware is failing.  RAM is notorious for freezing systems and is hard to detect when it goes bad.  If you have more than one RAM stick in your computer, try removing one and starting XP up.  If it still freezes, put  that one back and remove the other, repeating the process.  If XP then boots fine, you know that your RAM is messed up and needs to be replaced.


4. I have also seen a failing hard drive cause a lot of problems.  It starts to chuck little bits of data that you need to keep the system running properly.


5. If you have an upgraded video or sound card, try taking them out and booting the computer using the "built in option."  You might find out if there is something wrong with your video or sound card.  If you just have the built in audio/video, well, that won't work. 

Hope this gives you some ideas.  Good luck to you!