One of my computers (running on XP Home Edition ) will not boot up until i have turned it on and off at the power socket about 10 or 15 times, the power is on as all the lights are on and it sounds as though the hard drive is runnig but the screen stays blank untill eventually it boots up as normal and then runs perfect for the rest of the day with no problems, anyone got any ideas of what could be causing the problem ? Thanks.

Hi,· Does the same happen when starting the computer when all the external devices are unplugged?Step 1: Improve performance by doing the steps mentioned in http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/maintain/improveperf.mspxStep 2: Check if the same happens in Safe mode and Low resolution mode (VGA Mode).“A description of the Safe Mode Boot options in Windows XP” http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315222Note: If the issue does happen in VGA mode, then this could be an issue with the video card. You may need to update it with the latest drivers from the manufacturer’s website.DianaMicrosoft Answers Support EngineerVisit our Microsoft Answers Feedback Forum and let us know what you think.If this post helps to resolve your issue, please click the "Mark as Answer" or "Helpful" button at the top of this message. By marking a post as Answered, or Helpful you help others find the answer faster.