Laptop hangs on start-up

[escapee]

When I start my laptop it often hangs after the windows screen and before the pointer appears. The screen is black at this time and just remains black. On a normal start-up the pointer appears in the center of the screen after the windows screen. The computer has a touch pad. I do not know who makes the software for the mouse but suspect the problem is in loading the software. Does anybody have any ideas about where to start trouble shooting this problem? Thanks

[bailey]

what is the O/S on it and is it connected to a lan at any time

[Statica]

Firstly, what changes if any did you make to your windows? Any new programs? Any suspected virus files that was reported? Secondly, why do you specifically suspect the touchpad. Most laptops have a touchpad, and usually the drivers are as generic as mouse drivers. What make is your laptop? Have you checked to see if there are any updated drivers for your touchpad (if that is what's causing the issue).
Have you tried booting to safemode and seeing if everything works?

[escapee]

I'm running XP Pro. The computer is a Sager and is about 3 years old. The hard drive died about 1 year ago and I sent it back to Sager for replacement and upgrade to 60 gig and 540 RPM. They sent it back with Windows 98 installed. I reinstalled XP Pro and that's when the problem started. It has gotten worse over time. I didn't have the problem with the original HD using XP Pro. The only mouse upgrade on the Sager web site is the one required when you upgrade this computer to XP from Windows 98. I haven't tried restarting in Safe MOde because it ALMOST always starts normally on the second try. When it hangs I have to hold the start switch down to turn it off and then I restart using Normal start-up instead of Safe Mode.

The reason I though it might be a mouse problem is because after the windows screen, the pointer is the next thing that flashes on the screen. Since you question my assumption that it is a mouse problem, I'm not going to assume the mouse is, in fact, the problem.

I don't think I have a virus. At least Norton can't find it if I do and I don't go to web sites that are likely to pass along a virus and I don' have any other problems with the computer. I usually connect to the intenet with a phone line, a cell phone, a Verizon AirCard or Wi-Fi.

This laptop is old by laptop standards but it has a second HD that I use for backups, DVD, CD burner, Floppy Drive and just about everything a desk top has. I don't have an operating system on the second HD so I can't use that drive to Boot and try the mouse. Granted it's heavy at 10+ lbs. but I don't have to carry it long distances.

Sager is absolutely no help in trying to resolve the problem.

[escapee]

Statica,
Thanks for the post. It made me think, finally. After months of putting up with the hang starts your question as to why I thought it was the mouse made me look for something else that might be causing the problem. It was a little spell check program I sometime use. I removed it from the start up items and I haven't had a hang start since. You are a real computer guru.