User loads very slow :(

[waaaks!]

Ok my father asked help from me about his PC because it starts like crazy, when his PC is started, the desktop icons are gone, only the task bar and the background are left, and even how many times I do the "Show the Desktop" by right clicking the task bar, the desktop still doesn't load.

I searched for start up items and some processes that may slow up the start up, and found nothing, then later I found out in the user tab, that the user is not active, there's nothing on the list, and after a few minutes, the desktop appears, as well as the user in the task manager.

I believe that his computer starts faster than I have because he has a faster processor and much newer than mine, it just halts because the user doesn't load.

here are the pc specs
intel core duo 2.4ghz
512 mb ram
128 mb video card
Windows XP

I found some answers in the internet stating that if I want to load the user, I need to run the userinit, I tried it but nothing happens, so, how to fix this?

thanks

 

[Exide]

I would first try system restore.
If that don't work I would format C: and re-install the OS. (Or even better: upgrade to Windows 7.)

I once added a lot (about 10 000 items) of crap on my desktop (by accident), which took about 15 min to load. Then I cleaned the desktop of all the junk and it worked perfectly again.
I doubt your dad has that much junk on his desktop, though.

 

[Slapshot136]

any anti-virus program on the computer? try running a scan

 

[Avaleirra]

any anti-virus program on the computer? try running a scan

I was gonna say this. If your really worried though,I would bring it in to have it looked at.

 

[ertaboy356b]

Maybe your anti-virus is scanning.. I had this once.. But just once, when I first installed NOD32

 

[waaaks!]

he has avg anti virus, and spybot, I scanned both and there are no viruses

 

[Slapshot136]

i would try looking through the list of installed programs and uninstalling necessary ones and then defragging the hard drive

 

[Samael88]

Have you checked if explorer.exe is running?
If it is not, then do a startmeny->run->"explorer.exe"

Have you tried starting it in safe mode?
Does the problem remain when you do that?

It could also be a virus btw, I found this on another site when googling, it could help you:

When I checked system32 there was no userinit.Exe, but my pc wouldnt let me download
userinit.Exe (it just plain refused)
So I saved the file as userinit.Exee and it worked.. Thats when I realised it was something more malicious. Especially since I then couldnt rename userinit.Exee to .Exe hmmmm

Went into safemode, and userinit had re-appeared in system32, but it had a blank description and was the wrong size!
In safemode I could rename userinit.Exee to userinit.Exe and copied it over the FAKE one in C:\windows\system32\

It would appear on startup this fake one would run, copy itself, delete itself (so you cant find it), and stop you from downloading a new one!

So basically:
Download http://www.F-prot.Com/support/files/win-xp-sp2-de/userinit.Exe
(call it something else if it wont let you save it)
Goto safemode
Rename downloaded file to userinit.Exe
Copy it to C:\windows\system32\
Reboot