won't finish renoot
 

Windows 10 Dellxp5
Will not complete reboot process. When I move cursor screen locks. I suspect problem has to do with golf buddy software just installed but cannot remove because screen locks when I click icon. can't troubleshoot. Have restarted several times and system diagnostics hasn't reported anything. Any work-around ideas? Also restarted with Restore file thumb drive but it didn't do anything.

Try rebooting is SAFE mode I think but am not sure this is the F8 key right after power up, this can usually take care of some problems and then allow normal reboot. If you have another device to access the internet, do a search on your model and booting into safe mode.

Good advice. If you think it is the golf software, once you are in Safe Mode, uninstall the app, run a virus scan and reboot.

reboot
 

Thanks but still digging. Oddly F8 doesn't take to safe mode and control alt delete doesn't do anything. All the online advice tells me to navigate this way and that but can't navigate with a frozen cursor, which works at restart but freezes on first click. This is above my pay grade. I'll contact some techs at Microsoft.

For Dell XP5:

Select Restart.
The computer restarts and enters the Startup Settings menu.
Select 4 or F4 to start the computer in Safe Mode.
If you must use the Internet, select 5 or F5 for Safe Mode with Networking.

restart
 

On restart I get f1 and f2 settings tools, no safe mode to be found. I'm using a VPN. Would that make a difference? It never did before. Thanks for your input. I'm starting to this could be a hardware or programming failure.

OP, on all of the computers I have owned, you need to press and hold the correct function key DURING the power up cycle, I am guessing yours will be the same. So, press the power button, IMMEDIATELY press the F4 (or F5 ) key as noted above, and HOLD it down until the computer comes up in safe mode. If this does not work, you can try Jacobs on Main street in wildwood, or MMD on 441 (I have used them). Also, there are a few experts in TV that I am hoping see this and will contact you for help.

It can be tricky getting it to start in a different mode - keep trying, and follow VillageTinker's guidance.

When you reboot, do NOT click on any icon.

Ctrl-alt-delete used to be the universal reboot command, but it doesn't do anything that would address your problem.

Instead, try Ctrl-shift-ESC (escape button on the far upper left of your keyboard, next to the F1 button). This will bring up your task manager. It might take a minute to load up, if one of your applications is causing the hang-up.

You'll see a tabbed menu on top: Processes, Performance, App history, Startup, Users, Details, Services.

The first thing you need to do there is simply observe the first screen that shows up, which will be Processes. Watch it, and notice the CPU% and Memory%. If you use Google Chrome, it'll probably have some insane amount like 400MB in Memory. That's okay. It will also appear to use up between 2% and 6% Memory. That's okay too.

Your VPN should be using no CPU, and a very minimal amount of memory - maybe 5mb, give or take.

The next largest memory hog other than your browser should be your security software. It might show up as a few different lines, each with its own memory and CPU use.

These are "true things" that you should be observing. If you see some other insanely large memory hog, write down whatever it is, and move on to the tab called STARTUP.

Startup will display all the applications that are intended to automatically load when you - start up your computer. For me, that list is somewhat small: CCleaner, Google Drive, HP Message Service, HPAudioSwitchLC.vbs, Microsoft Edge, Phone Link, Realtek HD Audio Manager, VPN by Google One, and Windows Security notification center.

However when I look to the "Status" column of that window I'll see only CCleaner, HP Audio, Realtek HD Audio, VPN, and Windows Security are "enabled." The rest is disabled. That was intentional on my part, because I don't want or need those other things to automatically load up.

If your golf program is the program you wrote down, AND it is showing up on Startup, then first - DISABLE it there. Do that by right-clicking on that line, and clicking "disable" in the drop-down menu that shows up.

THEN - reboot your computer.

THEN - uninstall that program.

On Win10 to get into safe mode you use just the power button. Turn on the computer and before it boots, hold the power button down for several seconds to shut is off. Do this 2 or 3 times and then let it boot itself into safe mode.

F8 safe mode?

Sorry, senior moment, I have had many different computers and the BIOS operation for getting into safe mode was slightly different between different brands.

reboot update
 

Thanks to all who offered advice. Status, if you're still interested. I took the desktop in question to MMD. They said the motherboard is bad, and they don't do motherboard fixes, even if they could source one. They will build a new machine for me with all the bells and whistles I want for around 4 grand. They'll also xfer all apps and data too (for additional fee). Seems high. Dell will sell me a new machine with the same features for about half of MMD quoted. Question: if I buy the Dell, how do I port the apps and files from the dead PC? It remains frozen, can't navigate.

I would suggest that you start over and reinstall the apps as needed. If there is data that you need to keep, copy it to the cloud. I have an HP desktop with Windows 11, an i7 processor, 16gb of RAM, a 1tb hard drive, a 500gb hard drive, and a 32 inch ips screen. I bought it from HP about 2 years ago for about $2,000.

$4K?! LoL I hope you are getting a high end gaming machine for that. I build all of my machines and don’t get close to that amount unless I’m doing something very high end, even with a 4090 GPU.

As far as your existing files, that’s simple enough with an inexpensive hard drive to USB cable / adapter purchased from Amazon, provided the hard drive isn’t dead, which it doesn’t sound like it is.