[nanacama]

When I started my computer this morning, I briefly saw a screen which said, "Please wait." This screen was in SAFE MODE. It then started and is working normally. Another recent issue is that it sometimes takes awhile to come back from standby mode, and I sometimes see a black screen with just the bottom toolbar showing while waiting for it to come back.

This is a 1+ year old Dell inspiron with XP sp3 and is up to date with Norton Internet Security 2009 and all windows updates. It is also under an extended Dell warranty, but you can perhaps imagine trying to explain this to those guys in India!

I'm just hoping someone has an idea of what may be happening (or about to happen) and what steps I should take.

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This screen was in SAFE MODE. It then started and is working normally

This would be quite impossible. Computer doesn't go by itself from Safe Mode to Normal Mode.
Did you see "Safe Mode" written in all 4 corners of your screen?

Is it laptop, or desktop?

[Broni]

This screen was in SAFE MODE. It then started and is working normally

This would be quite impossible. Computer doesn't go by itself from Safe Mode to Normal Mode.
Did you see "Safe Mode" written in all 4 corners of your screen?

Is it laptop, or desktop?

[nanacama]

Well, it just looked like a safe mode screen to me - everything large and simplified. "Please wait" was in that funky type we used to see in Dos. I just never saw anything like this in all my years of starting up Windows. (It's a desktop.)

[Broni]

it just looked like a safe mode screen to me - everything large and simplified

One of the possible reasons - video card, or its driver malfunctioning
Did it happen just once, or it keeps happening?
You didn't answer my other question.

[nanacama]

Ref your question about "safe mode" being on the screen, I don't remember seeing that; but the screen was quickly gone.

Now I believe I have figured out the standby issue, but just what and not why. I am a photographer and I have always used my own fairly hi res photos for wallpaper, continually switching them around. Since changing to one of the standard Windows wallpapers this morning, I have not experienced any more black screen delays in coming out of standby. Wonder why the computer suddenly can't handle my photos?

Also, I have restarted the computer with no delays or funny business there.

[Broni]

Well, let's keep fingers crossed.

[nanacama]

Broni, thanks for your time. I just want to tell you I have figured this whole thing out. For several days I have been ignoring an error message in Photoshop Elements, because the program seemed to be working OK. Turns out all the pictures I have saved recently are about twice the size that they should be! Using these huge images for wallpaper was just overwheming my computer.

I will be reinstalling Elements today and I feel everything will be fine.

Thanks again.

[Broni]

You're very welcome