Computer Hangs After Windows Logo Screen Is Displayed

ID: Q150516

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows 98
Microsoft Windows 95

SYMPTOMS

When you start Windows, your computer may stop responding (hang) after the Windows logo screen is displayed.

NOTE: Windows 95 may start properly if you press the F8 key when you see the "Starting Windows 95" message, choose Step-By-Step Confirmation from the Startup menu, and then press Y at each prompt. In Windows 98, press and hold CTRL.

CAUSE

This problem may be caused by either of the following situations:

An anti-virus program warning screen may be hidden behind the Windows logo screen. This problem occurs if Windows is loading an anti- virus program from the Autoexec.bat file to automatically check for a virus. The anti-virus program detects that the Command.com file has changed as a result of the Windows installation and pauses the system to inform you and receive further instructions.

The display adapter installed in your computer is not properly handling the video mode switching that occurs when the Windows logo screen is displayed. This video mode switching does not occur when you choose Step-By-Step Confirmation from the Startup menu, because the Windows logo screen is not displayed.

This problem is known to occur with the following display adapters:
- ATI Graphics Ultra Pro (Mach32)

RESOLUTION

To determine whether anti-virus software is running, press the ESC key to close the Windows logo screen. If anti-virus software is running, you may be able to access it from this screen. Choose the option that allows the program to update any affected files. This prevents the pause from occurring when you start Windows in the future.

If no anti-virus software is running, use one of the following options to determine whether disabling the logo screen will resolve the problem:

Add the following line to the [Options] section of the Msdos.sys file in the root folder of the physical boot drive:
```
 
      Logo=0
   
```
This method permanently prevents the logo screen from being displayed.

For information about how to edit the Msdos.sys file, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
ARTICLE-ID: Q118579
TITLE : Contents of the Windows Msdos.sys File

Press the ESC key when you see the "Starting Windows 95" message. This method must be used each time you start Windows 95.

Press the F8 key when you see the "Starting Windows 95" message, choose Step-By-Step Confirmation from the Startup menu, and then press Y at each prompt. This method must be used each time you start Windows 95.

If disabling the logo screen resolves the problem, contact the manufacturer of your display adapter for additional information about this problem. You may be able to reconfigure the display adapter so that the problem does not occur when the Windows logo screen is displayed.

MORE INFORMATION

The following anti-virus programs may seem to cause the computer to stop responding after the Windows logo screen is displayed:

Microsoft Anti-Virus

Norton Anti-Virus

Central Point Anti-Virus

The third-party products discussed in this article are manufactured by vendors independent of Microsoft; we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding these products' performance or reliability.

Additional query words: 3rdparty third party msav nav cpav


Keywords          : kbhw win95 winboot appscomp win98 
Version           : 95
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: January 29, 1999