Windows loads to blank screen

Check your RAM. I suggest using something like MemTest86. I ran into a very similar problem where applications would no longer respond to input and getting a black screen. After hitting ctrl-alt-del and starting the task manager, I'd get a black screen but keyboard and mouse would still respond (mouse cursor moved, caps lock light on keyboard would toggle). I booted up memtest86 and determined one of my sticks of RAM was bad. I've been running for a number of hours now with no problems after removing it.

Make sure explorer.exe is in your startup programs list. Also try disabling unwanted programs in the same startup list. Sometimes certain programs can mess with explorer.exe starting up properly.

"I guess the first step should be to get service pack 3 on then make sure you're up to date with all other updates. I found service pack 3 seemed to sort a number of odd little issues on the 100+ pcs I've installed it on.

As an alternative you could log on as a different user move your user profile folder out of documents and settings and then log in as yourself so that it gets recreated then move back your my docs, desktop etc but not the user profile folder itself."

"I encountered a similar problem after a virus cleanup: I could login, but the screen was blank, only showing the desktop wallpaper. Explorer and task manager did not work.

I had to use Hiren's Ultimate Boot CD, and the ""Registry Restore Wizard"" to bring the registry back to a previous restore point."