John have you added any new drivers or applications to your laptop? Also have you shut down all background programs. XP is a bit of a hog like that, try using a program called EndItAll to stop the excess background programs (use carefully!)

I prefer FSAutoStart as it gives you advice as to what to shut down when you configure it.  It is available here.

Nope the problem still persists. I installed FSAutostart successfully, stopped most of the suggested programs and started up. The intro screen comes up and one can hear the HDD working for a few secs and then the task manager shows ACOF not responding. Anyone with more suggestions an how to address this?

Beautiful Chippy that (or is it not a Chipmunk). Still one or two tandem seat ones flying out here in ZAR.

No, the machine was not connected to the net at all. It gets checked by VirusScan every morning when connecting to a LAN. I am not too clued up on the whole antivirus thing. Do you think that a trojan or spyware could slip past in any way?

Not all Trojans or Spyware programs can be detected with antivirus programs. They usually sneak in using an unprotected port rather than via e-mails. Ad-aware is a free spyware detector which will update regularly. Use Microsoft's free firewall which is included with Win XP. It won't slow your machine down like Norton's or other software firewalls. If you really want to protect your machine, buy a router with a hardware firewall. Meanwhile go to add/remove software and remove any programs you don't recognise. BTW the Chipmunk is the Canadian version with the clear canopy. The Brit version has a "Greenhouse" canopy. 

for removal of spyware try a program called ad aware 6. its free to download and does an entire search of the registry and files for any spyware programs

forgot the url of download just google it

daz

Hey thanks for the advice - really appreciate the care with a fellow flight simmer in distress!

Iroquois, I have enabled the XP firewallas suggested by logjam and I have tried closing down the processes as you suggested. There were about 10 (decimal) processes running on my name of which explorer were the largest. I stopped all except explorer and started up again with FS Autostart and the same happened after about 15 secs - Not *#$@ responding. I will try reinstalling again tonight.

The machine does not get turned of but is left on standby most of the time - will turn it off for a change to "rest" as suggested.

The graphics adapter is an ATI Mobility RADEON 9600 with 32MB memory.

Personally I am still blaming that North American AT6 (or Harvard as we in ZAR know it) for all the problems cause that was the last plane that managed an electronic takeoff....... just kidding, the plane is great. I guess it must be something else.

Gonna try that Ad-aware and see if some foreign e managed to slip through.