Can you explain to me why my computer works in safe mode but freezes in regular mode shortly after XP starts?

Question

Hint: I think it has something to do with the time my heatsink got clogged with lint and my computer got too hot. And yes, it's a Toshiba Satellite laptop.

Answer 1

OK!  

If it is a CPU faliure, computer will never turn on, i mean, it will never show anything on the motnitor, and you will hear beeps.

If you have a ram problem, it will open, but will never go beyond boot menu. You will hear beeps when opening.

If it is a hard drive failure, it will open up, and will probably say that no OS is installed.

All this things are before normal and safe mood. If you can access it fine in safe mood, in my opinion, there is nothing wrong with your hardware. It has something to do with the software, and the bios settings in boot menu. There is a option for S.M.A.R.T, enable it.

There is another setting too, both deals with hard drive, find it and change it.

I had the same problem, and i had the same symptoms, and i corrected it in that way.

OR that might be a virus, got to safe mood, in the start menu, select run and type 'msconfig' and hit enter. In the startup tab, if there is anything specious, untick it.

Hope it helps!

Answer 2

No, I strongly think it has something to do with you ram, see you said that it works fine in safe mode, safe mode runs only limited drivers and all your start up programs do not run. I suggest upgrading your Ram will help.