Hi Curdledwaif,

Please follow the below mentioned steps to isolate the issue, from the description it can be a software /hardware concern: 

1. Power off the computer and wait for 10 seconds.
2. Power on the computer and at Dell logo tap F12 key for 3-4 times.
3. There should an option for Advanced Boot Menu.
4. Select an option Diagnostics and run the complete diagnostics.
5. If the diagnostics passes, please check in Safe Mode with Networking, if the computer is working fine.
6. Power off the computer.
7. Power on the computer at Dell logo and press F8. Advance options menu is displayed.
8. Select an option that says Safe Mode with Networking. Press Enter.
9. If you are able to login in Safe Mode with Networking try to use the computer and check the performance.

 Please perform the steps mentioned above and post the results, also include the exact system model to assist you better.

Hi Curdledwaif,

Sorry I haven't sent you back info yet.  I did the first thing you asked me to do and the diagnostics passed, so then I tried to do what you asked me to in safe mode and couldn't get there.  I wound up re-installing my Windows XP OS, based on something I read, but still can't get to safe mode.  I looked at doing it by going through msconfig option, but something I read on Dell website from another forum scared me, because I didn't want to have to reload everything again.  Do you think going through msconfig and doing the bootini option is what I need to do.  My system model is a Dell Dimension 4700.

Hi Curdledwaif,

When you go to F8 does it give you any options?

If yes, what are the options available/

If no, then you can use “msconfig” to login in safe mode.

Ensure to uncheck the box /SAFEBOOT, to get back in normal mode.

I can't get anything to happen when I do F8, but one other concern I have is in msconfig it doesn't show any of the boxes checked on the boot.ini tab, should there be at least one of the boxes checked.

Hi Curdledwaif,

If the computer is in Normal mode, then there would not be any options checked under BOOT.INI tab.

If it is in Safe Mode, then it should be checked under BOOT.INI tab (for Safe Mode).

I was able to go to safe mode using msconfig.  I didn't really notice anything odd being in safe mode.  I was able to

open some programs, but other such as microsoft excel, word, said that it couldn't verify the license and that a repair attempt was canceled by the user.  I was able to get to the internet and use more than one search engine.

Perform clean boot, use this link to perform clean boot and go to normal mode and check: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929135

If it does not work, then create a new user account and use the computer: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/279783