Win XP, incredible slow boot time (looks like computer crashed)

Hi,

I'm running Win XP on a Q6600 Dell computer. i recently had some malware issues and had to do a safe reinstallation of windows (keeping my programs, but reinstalling windows).

my computer was back to normal, and running fine. average boot time <45 seconds.

Then, this monday, I turned on my computer. It seemed to Freeze on the boot screen, where you see the windows logo, and you see "Hit f2 or f12 to load BIOS or boot options".

I just let my computer sit there for 10 minutes. Finally, that screen disappeared, and i was greeted with a blank screen with a single hyphen on top.

After 10 minutes of that, the following screen appeared ...error. Please contact Dell."

10 minutes after that, Windows XP continued booting normally and i was able to access my computer. I can't tell you if anything else is going wrong, but so far, i have not noticed anything.

Basically, i haven't changed any settings or whatnot, and somehow my computer has went from 30 secs boot, to 30 minutes.

I have recently scanned Super spy ware, as well as malbytes, and i have tried hijackthis, and have run CC Cleaner.

Nothing out of the ordinary appeared.

Thanks

 

So does it take forever to boot all the time now or was it just a one-off?

 

We first need to determine whether your computer is actually clean, being that you had a known malware infection. Please work through the link below and, starting a new thread in the Malware Forum, post up the requested logs.

Once the Authorized Malware Fighters give your machine a clean bill of health, feel free to come back to this thread with any additional problems you are still experiencing.

http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=35407

 

sure, i will do that.

it is not a one-off...every time now.

 

So does it take forever to boot if you boot into Safe Mode? If not it may be struggling with an errant driver.

 

We need to determine the computer is clean of malware first. If it is not, all other assistance is pointless