Somehow same problem with my Windows XP and Its just started few weeks back.
Just after the Blue Welcome screen. the Start up bar got freeze. the Quick Launch and the Task Icons are beside the Time does not display any icons. Instead they display Blue rectangles. After that I have only option to keep PC power button pressed until it shutdown forcefuly.
On restart it again happens unless I select F8 key for booting in safe mode! after getting it restart from safe mode it boots fine still having 25% chances for the startup bar to get freezed.
Event viewer show DHCP warning
Details are as following
-----------------------------------------------------
Event Type: Warning
Event Source: Dhcp
Event Category: None
Event ID: 1007
Date: 1/29/2007
Time: 5:37:11 PM
User: N/A
Computer: ALVIS
Description:
Your computer has automatically configured the IP address for the Network Card with network address 000E50EBDA2F. The IP address being used is 169.254.253.219.
For more information, see Help and Support Center at
http://go.microsoft....link/events.asp.
Data:
0000: 00 00 00 00 ....