I bought a Dell Inspiron 700m and ever since I did a full format (as soon as I got it, because I hate having an OEM configuration) I keep getting wierd startup patterns. Like Apache won't start sometimes, and various other programs I have running randomly won't startup. Now after I restart sometimes everything will load, and sometimes nothing will. (This is just in the system tray) Is my msconfig file corrupt? Also please note, that I have only formatted (several times as of now) using the XP Pro SP2 Disk Dell gives you (although I do have a legit XP Pro SP2 CD) and that I get no errors during installs, I use a NTFS partition. Hopefully I gave you enough information.

Try doing a system repair using your Windows Install disk.

[quote author=Mangix link=topic=12617.msg125401#msg125401 date=1124986254]
Dell sucks

their hardware is of the lowest quality


[/quote]

I have not found this to be true. I would say JTN's problems are probably not hardware-related.

[quote author=Stealth link=topic=12617.msg125406#msg125406 date=1124988104]
[quote author=Mangix link=topic=12617.msg125401#msg125401 date=1124986254]
Dell sucks

their hardware is of the lowest quality
[/quote]
I have not found this to be true. I would say JTN's problems are probably not hardware-related.
[/quote]
I would agree with stealth on this, and at least dell isn't a part reseller like MDG. *shudder*

[quote author=Mangix link=topic=12617.msg125401#msg125401 date=1124986254]
Dell sucks

their hardware is of the lowest quality


[/quote]

Ok then build me a laptop....

Also I know it's not hardware related, any other suggestions?

[quote author=Mangix link=topic=12617.msg125417#msg125417 date=1124991268]
...i was being sarcastic

but Dell comps arent the best even though they have all their commercials


[/quote]

Go back to grade school, Mangix.

JTN: Have you tried using your warranty and calling in? There might be a solution or reason for why this is happening.

[quote author=Topaz link=topic=12617.msg125467#msg125467 date=1125010226]
[quote author=Mangix link=topic=12617.msg125417#msg125417 date=1124991268]
...i was being sarcastic

but Dell comps arent the best even though they have all their commercials


[/quote]

Go back to grade school, Mangix.

JTN: Have you tried using your warranty and calling in? There might be a solution or reason for why this is happening.
[/quote]

Nope, I don't really think I need to send it back in, since it 99.9% is a software problem.

[quote author=Mangix link=topic=12617.msg125417#msg125417 date=1124991268]
...i was being sarcastic

but Dell comps arent the best even though they have all their commercials


[/quote]

What the heck? What do TV commercials have to do with quality?

I think that reference was:

"Just because they have a lot of commercials (eg, money to burn on advertisements) doesn't mean their products are good, they just make money from the general, unknowing public."

Sorry for the extreme bump, but I felt I needed to do a follow up. Assuming you've read this post, I have now bought a desktop that came with XP Home SP2, and since I have 2 seperate XP Pro SP2 install disks, I obviously wanted to upgrade. Well it does the same thing the laptop does. Same configurations, however I have done some experimenting and this is the weird part:

I've always had Welcome Screen and Fast User Switching Disabled, hence giving you a prompt before you login into windows. Now here comes with the interesting part, if I let the laptop OR the desktop sit at an idle cpu process, for as long as the LED shows obvious activity and not just idle activity, and then I proceed to login, everything works fine, all my system tray icons, and all of the process I want running start up just fine.

Now I would like to stop waiting at the prompt for 1-2 minutes and just be able to login, any new ideas on how to solve my problem?