10.04 won't boot up after 2-3 uses

Hi

Don't know if you can help, but I'll ask. I have been trying to use Ubuntu 10.04 because I had an older version on my kids' computer, and really liked the changes made for 10.04. I have installed Ubuntu 10.04 operating sytem on 1/2 my hard drive with the other 1/2 running windows XP. Ubuntu will run fine for 2 -3 uses, then won't boot up at all. When it starts, it flashes the "Ubuntu" sign, starts the music, then locks up with the music stuck in a loop. The courser is locked on the screen and the cap lock and scroll lock buttons flash on the keyboard. No error messages ever show up.

I have run the repair broken packages routine, and checked the disk for errors, and neither fixes the problem. The only thing that fixes it is reinstalling the operating system...which is a silly thing to do after 2-3 uses. I want to be able to use Ubuntu as my main operating system because of all the crashes and errors you get with XP, but right now, Ubuntu is less dependable.

My hard drive is about 6 months old, and is 500 GB, partitioned in half for each operating system. I have over 2 GB of ram, and an Intel Celeron 4 processor.

I am familiar with using Ubuntu, but not with terminal line-by-line code entries.

I appreciate any help you can provide.

John Davis