30 secs black from splash to desktop

Hi there my Windows 7 64 system boots fine except it now takes approx. 30 secs between the welcome splash fading and the desktop loading. All I get is a black screen with a moveable arrow head mouse pointer.

There are many references to this on the web but no obvious conclusion to the problem. I have as many people said updated my gfx card drivers, completed antivirus, spy and malware scans but there is nothing obvious to me a mere voice over bloke that needs his studio machine to work!

Should I be worried, what can we do to fix it

I should say that once the desktop has arrived the machine appears to be running perfectly

Intel Core i7-2600 @3.4ghz 8Gig Ram Windows pro sp1

Many thanks
Andy

 

Try changing the time to display list of operating systems in control panel. Control Panel -> System -> Advanced System Settings -> Startup and Recovery Settings Button -> Time to display list of operating systems (see att'd). Also, you may want to shorten the time to display recovery options when needed.

 

Hi, thanks for the reply, this is how it is set up at the moment. I didn't want to change anything without asking!

 

I get the impression that the load time is between the welcome screen of signing into Windows, to loading a usable desktop. This would affect more between BIOS screen to bootloader selection screen.

@original poster, yes there is cause for concern. Does it happen in Safe Mode? I am thinking probably not.

 

Adrynalyne thanks for the reply. Yes you are right about the sequence. I just tried to boot in safe mode holding the F8 key down and nothing happened it just booted normally.... I have tried this twice... same response

 

Yeah don't hold it.

Turn the machine off, then back on and repeatedly tap F8 until you get the boot options.

 

Ok, done... well it scrolled a load if stuff on screen and then arrived at the black screen with arrowhead for about 30 + seconds before the welcome which then as it does in normal mode fade into the desktop (I realise I should have described it better in the 1st post)

 

So no change.

Alright.

When did this first start happening?

 

To be honest I couldnt really tell you. My morning start up is to turn all the studio on and then go and have breakfast... I dont watch the boot...however thinking about the odd system reboot I doubt it is more than a week? But that really is only a guess ... sorry

 

There is something else you can do and that's clear out Prefetch. Start -> enter prefetch in search box -> click on prefetch in results pane -> in right pane select one by clicking on it -> type Ctrl A to select all -> hit Delete key -> confirm action -> restart computer.

I'm running Vista Ultimate and it was a "dog" on Startup until I did these things. I also checked my Autoruns (which were OK).

 

Hi mdonah, I typed that in and nothing named prefetch showed up...sorry

 

Hi, I have found a folder called Prefetch, but it also contains another folder. I am a little concerned about deleting the entire contents as recommended.

Plus a little research on this suggests that it might not fix the issue that I am getting.

Bootup felt even longer this morning 35 to 40 secs between splash and desktop.

Thanks so much

 

Our prefetch folders look very similar (see att'd). Microsoft says it will slow things down if you clear the prefetch folder — but that's Micro$oft. I've been trying to locate the page I got my information from and then used to speed up the startup time on my computer — it worked and that's why I suggested it to you.