Windows 7 hangs on Welcome Screen! No Safe Mode!

I've been running Windows 7 (32-bit, I believe) for a couple of months now. I'm sorry, but I don't know the build number or where to look for it. I was writing an e-mail in Firefox when suddenly Firefox stopped responding. After a minute I tried to run the task manager, but my computer had completely frozen. I reset the machine but when Windows 7 tried to boot it hung on the Welcome Screen. I can't get in using Safe Mode, either. It hangs on the Welcome Screen also. I booted to Windows XP on another drive (which I'm using now) to check that the computer was still functioning and that the boot HDD of Windows 7 was also. Both worked fine. I think Avast! Antivirus might have been doing a scheduled scan at the time of the crash. Here are my potentially pertinent physical computer specs:

ABIT IX38 Quad GT, Intel E6850, GeForce 9600GT, 2x2GB Patriot 240-pin DDR2 1066

If there's any other information you need from me, just ask. I'll do what I can, but I'm better with computer hardware than I am with software. This kind of thing makes my head spin...

Please help!

It sounds like a possible expired build. Is there no way at all you can find that information from the original source?
Unfortunately, if that is the case, you are not going to get much help, but at least you will have the doubtful satisfaction of knowing(??)

So which builds are expired already? I thought they were good until March, or June, or the middle of 2010 sometime. This sounds terrible.

So that's it? There's nothing anyone can suggest? I'm really in a bind here. Anything at all would be appreciated so much.

Imnotlaughin,
Windows 7 Beta (7000) is now expired. Windows 7 RC (Build 7100) is still valid until next year. Beginning March 1st, 2010 Windows 7 RC will begin bi-hourly shutdowns and come June 1st, 2010 the RC version of Win 7 will no longer be functional.
Windows 7 will officially be released on October 22nd. If you are planning on purchasing Windows 7 when it is released it may be helpful to know you don't have to wait until October to reserve your copy of Win 7! You can pre-order your copy of Windows 7 Home Premium or Windows 7 Professional today. For more information, see the Windows 7 Pre-Order offer page here: http://tinyurl.com/nldc8p
Also, if you are currently a student you may qualify for the $30 upgrade to Windows 7. For more information, please go here: Windows 7 US Online Store - Student Registration
Jessica
Microsoft Windows Client Team

Originally Posted by JessicaD

Imnotlaughin,
Windows 7 Beta (7000) is now expired. Windows 7 RC (Build 7100) is still valid until next year. Beginning March 1st, 2010 Windows 7 RC will begin bi-hourly...

I appreciate the info, but I think you missed the context of the discussion. Anyway, I definitely have the RC, not the beta. So if my version is still supposed to be valid, why does it hang at the Welcome Screen? Even in Safe Mode it hangs. Something must be really messed up, and no one seems to have any idea about how to figure out what that messed up something is... Or what to do about it. AHH! Please help if you can...

I know I'm digging up an old thread but after hours of searching the web, this topic seemed to be the closest to the issue I'm seeing. How I got to this problem:
1. Shut down my computer last night (windows update required a reboot so I decided to just shut it down and go to sleep).
2. Turned it on tonight after class, logged in successfully (I believe)
3. Attempted to startup Firefox but the computer became unresponsive
4. Ctrl+Alt+Del eventually led to a black screen with a popup message about it not being able to display
5. Hard reset the computer
6. Now computer will get to the login screen but will hang on welcome screen (even in safe mode)

I tried to do the startup repair and have used a restore point to no avail.

Update:
I am now able to login (after about 10 minutes of waiting) with a temporary profile(?). I'm trying to figure out what to do with this. Also my ESET Smart Security gives me a warning while in the temporary profile that reads "Error communicating with kernel"

I'm having the same issue as the others in this thread and could really use some help. I'm on windows 7 ultimate. It hangs on the welcome screen even in safe mode, so I cant even create a temporary account to fix the issue. I don't have my dvd with me. What should I do? PLEASE help

Don't know what to tell you. It turned out two of my four harddrives suffered massive corruption (to the level where low-level formatting failed and manufacturer diagnostics tools would tell me "Too many errors found: Contact manufacturer"). I just sucked it up, bought a new hdd, and reinstalled. If you really have some valuable data you need from that partition, you can try using BartPE. If I recall correctly, I was able to back up data from my 7 Ultimate partition using it. Hope this helps.

-Gary