My computer has a very slow start up. Can anyone help?

Hello,

My specs are:

Pentium 4 2.00 GHz
384 MB of RAM
Microsoft Windows XP
Home Edition
Version 2002
Service Pack 1
20 Gb Hard Drive

When I turn on my computer it loads up to my desktop screen in about 10 seconds (that's fine) then for reasons that escape me it stalls on my desktop for about 90 seconds. While it's stalled on my desktop I can't click on anything or go into any folder. When the 90 seconds is up the windows welcome music plays, my Norton Antivirus and Zone Alarm Firewall load up and then I can finally use my computer.

Why does my computer do this? It didn't always do this. It used to load up fast.

I've tried Bootvis and Cacheman programs but that didn't change the start up time. I've limited the amount of things that load on start up in the msconfig option. I don't have a virus or spyware and I defragment regularly. I can't figure out why it does this.

Someone please help.

 

Hey Colonel, haven't seen ya around in a while.
Do you have X-teq? If not, get it. You can find it here.

Make sure you have UDMA/66 enabled in HARDWARE/HARDDISK.

Also you may want to play with the Prefetch stuff. That's in SYSTEM/FILE SYSTEM/WINDOWS PREFETCHING. Try clearing the prefetch folder. I even disabled prefetching altogether. Hope it helps. Good to see ya.

 

I'm not a network pro, but I remember hearing that a botched network connection can cause the system to hang a while while Windows attempts to establish connection.

 

You are too modest. And correct, I might add.

 

Some alternatives>>

Correcting System Hang at Startup

If your system hangs about 2 or 3 minutes at startup, where you can't access the Start button or the Taskbar, it may be due to one specific service (Background Intelligent Transfer) running in the background. Microsoft put out a patch (pre SP1) for this but
it didn't work for me. Here's what you do:

1. Go to the control panel/admin tools/.
2. Go to the 'Services' tab, find the 'Background Intelligent Transfer' service, disable it, apply the changes & reboot.




Also if not on a network disable 'workstation' at the same place as above.

 

Thanks everybody. Major Geeks is fast, friendly and helpful as usuall. I'm going to try what was suggested tonight and hopefully I will solve the problem.

Oh yeah... How do I fix a botched network connection if that is the problem?

 

may not be a botched network connection.

Wht you described sounds like DHCP timing out. It takes close to that time sometimes for DHCP to time out and to get an APIPA address. (169)

If you are on PPPoE DSL, statically assign yourself a nonroutable IP address to your NIC, like 192.168.0.1. It wont hurt connecting to the net.

Problem solved.

 

When you say "network connection" do you mean internet connection? If so, why would that be an issue when turning on my computer? When I turn on my computer it doesn't connect to the internet. I have to turn on my modem and manually connect to the internet. And, I am on PPPoE DSL.

Also, Adrynalne, I like your avatar picture.

 

In this context, network connection would be in reference to Local Area Connection (your network card) in Network Connection in Control Panel.

 

Ok, I get it now. I do have an IP address starting with 169. Should I change it like you said Adrynalyne? Am I supposed to be able to change my IP address? Will changing it cause problems?

 

No, you dont need to change it. But if you want to fix your problem, go ahead.

If this is the only computer and you arent on a network, then it will not hurt a thing.

And even if it did, you simply undo the changes, and reboot your computer.

 

If it were me, I would change it right now. I think you will be quite pleased with the results.

Change it, then reboot and test results. Then come back here and post your findings.

 

What do i go into to change my IP address?

 

start-control panel.

Switch to classic view.

Double left click Network Connections.

Right click Local Area Connection (should say enabled underneath), choose properties.

Highlight Internet Protocol (TCP/P), choose properties.

You will see this:

 

Make it look like this:

Click OK All the way out when you are done.

Reboot, and test.

 

Didn't work My computer started up just as slow and it wouldn't let me connect to the internet after I changed it. Thanks for your help though.

 

Then I would guess you arent using PPPoE.

Did you change the Local Area Connection, or the Broadband connection?

 

WOW! Right when I clicked on Sbmit Rely the MG page disappeared!

It's all better now.

It say's that I'm using PPPoE. Anyway, I changed the Local Area Connection and it didn't work. Then I changed the Broadband Connection and it still didn't work.

I don't know if this means anything but It say' that I have two Broadband Connecitons. Is that wierd?

This is what they say:

My ISP
Disconnected, Firewalled
WAN Miniport (PPPOE)

Sympactico Access Manger
Connected
WAN Miniport (PPPOE)

 

This would be easier over windows messenger. Do you use it?

 

No. Sorry.

 

Ok, next test. Disable your network card. Yes, it will kick you offline.

Reboot.

See if its still slow. If it is, then your network connection has nothing to do with it.

Hurry back

 

I should have logged out of MG before I disabled my network card. I didn't have to log in this time cause' it thought I was still logged in from last time.

Anyway, I disabled my network card and it still took a long time to boot.

 

CA,, check in your "network connections" and see if there are entries that you don't use. if there are,, delete them. I had the same bootup problem, and found 4 of them listed. Axed 'em, and no more problems.

 

Ok, its not your network connection.

Download bootvis from MG. Not only will it optimize boot time, but it will show you in the form of a graph what time it takes to load different stuff.

Report back what you find.
Maybe even make a screenshot of the graph for everyone to examine.

I'm trying my best, but unfortunately, message board troubleshooting is slow and clumsy.

 

Thanks Adrynalyne. I appreciate you helping me. I used Bootvis before and it didn't help. When I used Bootvis before the Bootvis graph showed a huge gap in activity and never fixed it. If all else fails I will download ir again and do what you suggested.

@ dperino - there were two Broadband Connections and I got rid of one of them but nothing improved. Thanks for the suggestion though.

 

I'm going to try ArchAngel's suggestion next. I will let ya' know how it turns out.

 

I know it's been a few day's but I hope people are still interested in my problem.


@ robo - My computer will not start up in Safe Mode. It gets stuck on a bunch of lines of text that have something to do with System32 stuff. Do you or anyone out threre know wht to do?

 

What OS u running sounds like since ur seeing repeated lines of system32 ur trying to boot to safemode in either windows 2000 or windows XP. if this is the case it can take up to 5-10 min to boot an xp or 2k machine in safe mode depending on how hosed up the os is so be a good doctor and have lots of patients.

if still no luck then ur looking at a clean OS reload. in laymans terms this means booting to a windows 98 startup disk and fdisking and formatting your hard drive [yes i said loose any and all data] and start over. if your wondering why i so friviously suggest that is i dont believe in after the f-up data recovery.

if u need help with this write me back at webdevii@hotmail.com and i will send u a help sheet step x step.

good luck
Rob