About once or twice a week, my computer won't start up and I will have to reboot using the on/off button. When it restarts, there is a screen that says basically that Windows did not start properly, possibly due to new software, etc., and gives me options to start in safe mode, etc., but if I don't know why it didn't start properly to select 'start normally', which I always do and it always starts the 2nd time. I'm concerned that one day this is not going to happen . . . I've been using this computer as my primary computer since November 4th, as the hard drive on my primary computer crashed then, and I replaced it with this one that I've had nearly as long as the old one, but was used on a less frequent basis by my assistant. This just started being a problem probably in the last month. I have all the same things connected to it as my other computer had (optical mouse, card reader, printer, ext. hard drive, monitor, keyboard). I do all the updates, downloads, scans, etc. I do occasionally have trouble with the mouse not working when I start it up, and I have to unplug and then plug in the mouse to get it working. That's all. Everything is fine once I get it going, but am nervous that one day it will not reboot for me. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance for any help you can provide. Katrinka

When it gives you the option to start in safe mode, choose that option and see if your computer is able to boot normally.

When it won't startup, are there any fan/power/hdd noises? Any beeps? What happens if you just leave it powered on? Does it shut down on its own? "So won’t you give this man his wings What a shame To have to beg you to see We’re not all the same What a shame" - Shinedown

Tried to respond to this earlier, but I guess it didn't go thru. kx5m2g, I will try that the next time this occurs. Thank you. Jennifer SUMN, When I turn it on, all appears to sound normal and it first shows the hp screen, then the windows xp screen with scrolling blue bar under logo. The blue bar begins to scroll along fine, and then suddenly freezes and won't go further. There is the power noise, humming, but not beeping or clicking and no flickering light on the tower. I haven't tried to let it sit and see if it will shut down . . . too nervous to wait! I'll try that next time and see what happens and update you. Thank you. Katrinka

I think I figured out what is going on . . . after ANOTHER computer crashing and hooking up my external hard drive (Maxtor 500 GB Plus 4) and then encountering the same problem everyday with this new computer. It may be something in the startup or whatever, I don't know, but when I start up my computer WITHOUT the external hard drive hooked up, it starts OK. If I start it up WITH the external hard drive hooked up, it freezes during the opening Windows XP screen and I have to reboot using the on/off button and go thru the restart etc. Since this is my 3rd computer in 6 months, I need to backup my files to my ext hard drive, but maybe I will just have to plug in my ext hd and manually backup each night instead of leaving it plugged in all day. However, there are files I access on there, too, besides back ups. Hmmm, I just don't know if unplugging and replugging my hard drive everyday will be a problem in the long run, too . . . Katrinka