Can't make it past desktop background (no start menu or icons)...

[liquidfire]

I start my computer... everything is normal.
I get to the User Screen, enter my password, hit enter... everything is normal.
I see the desktop background... and then my computer just stops loading.

I can move the mouse, but I can't click or right click. I don't see a start menu or icons. I can't ctrl+alt+del to bring up task manager. basically I can just wiggle my mouse and frustrate myself.

I decided to reinstall windows (I'm just that frustrated) and I make it to the screen where it asks me if I want to repair or install windows XP. I choose "Install Windows XP" and it says that "Setup did not find any hard disk drives installed in this computer." I would assume it would at least detect the other 3 hard drives (not the one that has the problem on it, whatever the problem is).

The wierd thing is that while the computer is booting and detecting drives, it shows these 4 hard drives.

Once again Techspot is the first and only place I go to.
You guys are the best!

Time to drink dark beer and wait for therealblackstuff to save my life... again.

 

[Masque]

Have you used any utilities to check your drive(s) and have you checked all of your date cables?

 

[liquidfire]

Some problems fixed...

I was running a program (WindowsBlinds) which is a program that changes the looks of Windows. I had blocked a file (of WindowsBlinds) using my firewall, which prevented (I assume) the computer to completely load.

I unistalled WindowsBlinds (in safe mode) and now i can get into my computer just fine.

I'm currently doing a Selective Startup only loading my firewall and norton (until I feel completely comfurtable with the files loading). I have Windows Automatic Update turned off, but it pops up first durring loading, and it wont stop popping up no matter if i click continue, or terminate.