Weird Start Up Problem

Jeremy 0 Reputation points
2026-09-17T02:20:31.11+00:00

Just got a new computer within the last month or so, and updated everything. Ever since when I log in after start up, desktop pops up fine but within 30 seconds to 1 minute its like it partially freezes. Mouse cursor still moves but clicking on anything produces a beep and nothing will open during this 'freeze'. Cannot open task manager during it either to try to see what is having issues. Only my anti virus and the Windows Defender are active on start up.

In advance, thanks for any and all ideas!

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Performance and system failures
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  1. SD - IA 179.3K Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-09-17T03:06:54.73+00:00

    Hi Jeremy,

    I will walk through a few steps with you. Some of these are just to help figure out what is wrong, not to fix it right away. So if nothing changes after a step, that is normal. I will keep going until we solve it.

    Let me suggest putting the PC in a clean boot state and see if that helps.

    Does the issue persist in a clean boot state?

    Type “msconfig” (without quotes) and press Enter.

    In the System Configuration window, select the Services tab.

    Check the box next to “Hide all Microsoft services”. Ensure you do it carefully, and not disable all Microsoft services.

    Click on “Disable all”.

    Select the Startup tab and click on “Open Task Manager”.

    In the Task Manager window, select each startup item and click on “Disable”.

    Close Task Manager and click on OK in the System Configuration window.

    Restart your computer.

    More details: https://aka.ms/wincleanboot

    I look forward to hearing from you to get the results of the troubleshooting.

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  2. AI answer

    2026-09-17T02:20:51.3566667+00:00

    This pattern matches a Windows freeze rather than a full crash: the desktop appears, the mouse still moves, but apps and shell actions stop responding.

    Try these steps in order:

    1. Check for Surface/Windows updates equivalent on the PC Go to Settings > Windows Update and install all available updates, then restart.
    2. Reduce startup load Since the issue happens shortly after sign-in, disable unnecessary startup apps:
      • Open Settings > Apps > Startup
      • Turn off anything nonessential
      • Restart and test
    3. Run a Windows Security scan Open Windows Security and run a scan to rule out malware or unwanted software contributing to the freeze.
    4. Free up drive space Low free space can affect startup and responsiveness:
      • Open Settings > System > Storage
      • Remove temporary or unnecessary files
    5. If the freeze keeps happening, collect diagnostic data First identify the pattern:
      • Does it happen on every startup or only sometimes?
      • Does it affect only this PC?
      • What exact operation is happening when it freezes?
    6. Prepare the PC to capture a complete memory dump This helps diagnose freezes that cannot be reproduced easily:
      • Press Win + R, type Sysdm.cpl, press Enter
      • In System Properties > Advanced:
        • Under Performance, select Settings > Advanced > Change and verify virtual memory settings
        • Under Startup and Recovery, select Settings
        • In Write Debugging Information, select Complete Memory Dump
        • Enable Overwrite any existing file
      • Ensure the system drive has a paging file and enough free space
    7. Enable keyboard-triggered crash dump for a hard freeze Warning: this requires editing the registry. Incorrect registry changes can cause serious problems.
      • Open Registry Editor
      • Add CrashOnCtrlScroll as a REG_DWORD with value 1 under both:
        • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\i8042prt\Parameters
        • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\kbdhid\Parameters
      • Restart the PC
      • When the system freezes, hold the right Ctrl key and press Scroll Lock twice to generate a memory dump
      • By default, the dump file is saved at %SystemRoot%\MEMORY.DMP
    8. Validate the dump file Use Dumpchk.exe to verify the dump was created correctly.

    If the problem started only after recent updates, a restore to a point when startup worked normally is also a supported path.

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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