Windows 7 starting windows hang

[spr1te]

My computer gets stuck on the "starting windows" screen when booting. It was working fine before that and I haven't changed anything at all. I had left my computer on overnight, found it had frozen, rebooted and then the 'starting windows' screen now hangs. I can get into safe mode.

Could the latest automatic windows update have caused this? Im hoping its not a hardware issue.

 

[fowang]

Very possibly a windows update, try and get logged on and removed the last installed updates OR restore to a previous point.

 

[spr1te]

Unfortunately I can't open windows update in safe mode and can't use system restore

 

[spr1te]

Actually I just got into "installed updates" in control panel and the last security update for Windows 7 was on 29/07/2011 so it can't have been an update that caused it. Now I have no idea.