Applying Computer Settings Hangs – (FIXED)

[JCB1]

Issue Applying Computer Settings Hangs – After you enter your login and password to log on to a Microsoft windows machine your computer hangs on the “Applying Computer Settings” screen. This can be caused by many issues, I will list all the issues I know that will cause your computer to hang on applying computer settings, Please feel free to post any other issues that you think might cause this hanging.


Roaming profiles - Applying Computer Settings Hangs


If you are using a roaming profile this will be the issue 99% of the time. The issue will be that you have a large roaming profile as your computer has to download all the files from the profile server to your local machine every time you log on, hence applying computer settings hangs.

There are two things that will make a roaming profile hang at applying computer settings, 1 – The size of the roaming profile and 2 how many files are in the roaming profile. Google download and install a program called “Byte Count” Once this is installed make sure the user is logged off and browse to where there roaming profile is located then right click on the folder and select “Byte Count” This will now show you how large in size each folder is as well as how many files is in each folder.

Now go through each folder and delete large files and also small files such as temp files / cookies if they are not needed. A roaming profile will store a lot of temp files which are not needed, These files over time will build up and will slow down your logon speed. A good roaming profile will be about 15mb in size and contain no more than 1000 files. Even tho the small files don't take up that much disk space they will still slow down logon times as your virus scanner will scan every single file when you log on.


To keep profile sizes under control I do the following. I create a file called “Profile_Clean.cmd” and add it to a GPO so that this file runs every time a user logs on and off. If you don't use GPOs you can add this file to the users local startup folder. An example of what I put in the Profile_Clean.cmd file is shown below

——————Profile_Clean.cmd——————
@Echo On
Del /f /q /s /A “%userprofile%\*.tmp”
Del /f /q /s /A “%userprofile%\GoogleEarth.exe”
Del /f /q /s /A “%userprofile%\Desktop\GoogleEarth.exe”
Del /f /q /s /A “%userprofile%\Local Settings\Shoppers Reports\*”
Del /f /q /s /A “%userprofile%\Application Data\Shoppers Reports\*”
Del /f /q /s /A “%userprofile%\Shoppers Reports\*”
Del /f /q /s /A “%userprofile%\Application Data\Hotbar\*”
Del /f /q /s /A “%userprofile%\Application Data\Hotbar\*”
Del /f /q /s /A “%userprofile%\Application Data\Google\GoogleEarth\*”
Del /f /q /s “%userprofile%\*.dbx”
Del /f /q /s “%userprofile%\archive.pst”
Del /f /q /s “%userprofile%\Temporary Internet Files\*.*”
Del /f /q /s “%userprofile%\Local Setting\Temporary Internet Files\*.*”
Del /f /q “%userprofile%\Downloaded Program Files\*.*”
Del /f “%userprofile%\Desktop\Outlook Express.Lnk”
Del /f “%userprofile%\Desktop\WinZip.Lnk”
Del /f “%userprofile%\SendTo\My Briefcase.lnk”
Del /f “%userprofile%\SendTo\Web Publishing WizaRd.lnk”
Del /f “%userprofile%\Start Menu\WinZip.Lnk”
Del /f “%userprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Outlook Express.Lnk”
Del /f “%userprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Books Online.Lnk”
Del /f “%userprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Outlook Express.Lnk”
Del /f “%userprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\Chat.Lnk”
Del /f “%userprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\ClipboaRd Viewer.Lnk”
Del /f “%userprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\Object Packager.Lnk”
Del /f “%userprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\Phone Dialer.Lnk”
Del /f “%userprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\Synchronize.Lnk”
Del /f “%userprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\Telnet.Lnk”
Del /f “%userprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\HyperTerminal\AT&T Mail.Ht”
Del /f “%userprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\HyperTerminal\CompuServe.Ht”
Del /f “%userprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\HyperTerminal\HyperTerminal BBS.Ht”
Del /f “%userprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\HyperTerminal\MCI Mail.Ht”
Del /f “%userprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\HyperTerminal\Microsoft BBS.Ht”
Del /f /q “%userprofile%\My Documents\My Pictures\Sample.jpg”
Del /f /q “%userprofile%\SendTo\MYDOCU~1.MYD”
Del /f “%userprofile%\Recent\*.lnk
Del /f “%userprofile%\Recent\*.jde
Del /f “%userprofile%\My Recent Documents\*.lnk
Del /f “%userprofile%\My Recent Documents\*.jde
Rd /s /q “%userprofile%\Application Data\Microsoft Web Folders”
Rd /s /q “%userprofile%\Desktop\My BriefCase”
Rd /s /q “%userprofile%\Start Menu\Citrix Program Neighborhood”
Rd /s /q “%userprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Microsoft Image Composer”
Rd /s /q “%userprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Microsoft Web Publishing”
Del /f /q /A:S “%userprofile%\Favorites\AOL Preview Channel”
Del /f /q /A:S “%userprofile%\Favorites\BBC Online”
Del /f /q /A:S “%userprofile%\Favorites\Disney”
Del /f /q /A:S “%userprofile%\Favorites\Financial Times”
Del /f /q /A:S “%userprofile%\Favorites\Microsoft Channel Guide”
Del /f /q /A:S “%userprofile%\Favorites\MSN UK”
Del /f /q /A:S “%userprofile%\Favorites\MSNBC”
Del /f /q /A:S “%userprofile%\Favorites\New Scientist”
Del /f /q /A:S “%userprofile%\Favorites\Sky Online”
Del /f /q /A:S “%userprofile%\Favorites\The Microsoft NetWork”
Del /f /q /A:S “%userprofile%\Favorites\The PointCast Business Network”
Del /f /q /A:S “%userprofile%\Favorites\Virgin Net”
Del /f /q /A:S “%userprofile%\Favorites\Vogue”
Del /f /q /A:S “%userprofile%\Favorites\Warner Bros”
Del /f /q /A:S “%userprofile%\Favorites\Welcome to LineOne”
Del /f /q /A:S “%userprofile%\Favorites\whatsnew.com channel”
Del /f “%userprofile%\Favorites\MSN.url”
Del /f “%userprofile%\Favorites\MSN.Com.url”
Del /f “%userprofile%\Favorites\Radio Station Guide.url”
Del /f “%userprofile%\Favorites\Web Events.url”
Rd /s /q “%userprofile%\Favorites\Business”
Rd /s /q “%userprofile%\Favorites\Entertainment”
Rd /s /q “%userprofile%\Favorites\Lifestyle and Travel”
Rd /s /q “%userprofile%\Favorites\Links”
Rd /s /q “%userprofile%\Favorites\Media”
Rd /s /q “%userprofile%\Favorites\News and Technology”
Rd /s /q “%userprofile%\Favorites\Sports”
Rd /q /s “%userprofile%\Temporary Internet Files”
Rd /q /s “%userprofile%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files”
Rd /q /s “%userprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\Communications”
Rd /q /s “%userprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\MultiMedia”
Rd /q /s “%userprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\Internet Tools”
Rd /q /s “%userprofile%\Windows\Web”
Rd /q /s “%userprofile%\unread”
RD /q /s “%userprofile%\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\Launch Outlook Express.lnk”
RD /s /q “%userprofile%\Application Data\Microsoft\Queries”
RD /s /q “%userprofile%\Application Data\Google Earth”
RD /s /q “%userprofile%\Application Data\GoogleEarth”
RD /s /q “%userprofile%\Application Data\Hotbar”
RD /s /q “%userprofile%\Hotbar”
RD /s /q “%userprofile%\Local Settings\Hotbar”
RD /s /q “%userprofile%\Shoppers Reports”
RD /s /q “%userprofile%\Local Settings\Shoppers Reports”
RD /s /q “%userprofile%\Application Data\Shoppers Reports”
——————Profile_Clean.cmd——————

I would recommend you take a look at your roaming profiles and see if you can work out which folders contain the largest files / most files that you can delete. For example if you install a program called “CoreFTP” and it creates 1000's of temp files in the %userprofile%\CoreFTP\Temp\ folder simply add this folder to the Profile_Clean.cmd file so this folder will be cleaned every time you log on.

If possible have a dedicated server hosting the roaming profiles, and a fast network connection between the profile server and the client.


Install Microsoft UserHive- Applying Computer Settings Hangs


There is a program Microsoft have released called “User Hive” download this program and install on all your client machines, This program will help the logon / logoff process run smoother and hopefully applying computer settings wont hang.


Install Latest Microsoft Updates - Applying Computer Settings Hangs


Make sure the latest service pack for your operating system is installed and also run windows update and install the latest hotfixes. Microsoft have released a few hotfixes to fix our applying computer settings hangs issue.


House Keep Your System - Applying Computer Settings Hangs


If your system has lots of un-required / temp files this can also cause the issue “applying computer settings hangs” First run system cleanup, Open windows explorer then right click on your C: drive and click on properties, Then click on “Disk Cleanup” Tick all the boxes and click ok.

Open internet explorer and firefox and delete all your browsing history, Cookies and Temp internet files. Download and run CCLEANER to further cleanup your internet browsers from temp files.

Delete all temp files that have been created on your system. Click on start > run > type in cmd and hit enter, then in the black window enter the following

C:
cd..
cd..
cd..
del *.tmp /a /s /f /q
del *.temp /a /s /f /q


Run Disk Checks - Applying Computer Settings Hangs


Check your disk for errors. Open windows explorer, right click on the C: drive and select properties, click tools tab and hit check now under “Error Checking” Tick both the boxes and click on start, Your system should now ask you to reboot to run the error check, Your system will fix any issues it finds.

Next run a defrag. Open windows explorer, right click on the C: drive and select properties, click tools tab and hit defrag now.


Update Computers Software Drivers - Applying Computer Settings Hangs


Go in to device manager (Right click on mycomputer on the desktop and select manage, then click on device manager) Now go through every hardware device you have and check if there is an updated driver available.


Update Computers Firmware - Applying Computer Settings Hangs


It will be a good idea to update your BIOS and motherboard firmware if possible.


Make Sure Computer Is Not Paging To Disk- Applying Computer Settings Hangs


Make sure your computer has plenty of memory installed. If your computer runs out of memory it will use hard-disk space as memory which will slow your system down and make it hang at the applying computer settings screen.


Apply Misc Settings – Applying Computer Settings Hangs


Take a look at this guide http://www.computerforums.org/compu...-life-your-ssd-drives-windows-7-a-104162.html and apply the settings in this guide on to your computer. This will help your computer run a bit smoother and could minimise the time you see the “Applying computer settings hangs” screen.