XP Slow Boot Up

I installed and immediately un-installed an audio program to try and mess around with Ogg Vorbis sound format a couple of weeks ago. I uninstalled it because it said it had to install some Medial Player 9 files, i declined and then uninstalled. I know it would be helpful to have the name of the program but i can't remeber it and have since nuked the dl. Ever since this happened my computer would act strangely after a boot. Couldn't locate anything in my computer just got the searching flashlight, programs would be running but they would loose their placeholder on the menu bar. I am familiar with tweaking the services that start and are running and started checking the running services in services.msc, i found that at start-up the "server" service would be "starting" for anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes. I have done the dll check to make sure i have the correct dlls and system files. I am at a loss? I usually leave the computer on for a week at a time so it isn't a huge deal just rather annoying whenever i do have to re-boot. Also, i do not have any mapped network drives, but i do have some short-cuts to shared folders on my network on my desktop at boot up. I can access any of these with out any problems during this time along with my harddrive if i go to it through a shortcut, but i cannot access anything if i try to go through My Computer.
I have Win XP Home SP1, on a P4 1.5Ghz, 256 MB Ram, & 20 GB HD. My machine has a clean bill of health from Ad-Aware, Spy-Bot, and AntiVir, plus from Housecall as well. I just finished installing the latest patch from MS, so my Xp is up to date as well.

 

Does the slowness in booting happen in Safe Mode?

If not, does it happen in Safe Mode w/ Networking?

 

Does the slowness in booting happen in Safe Mode? - No

If not, does it happen in Safe Mode w/ Networking? - No

None of my start-up programs have changed either. I am starting the same things up at boot that i did before the installation.

 

Go through msconfig, disable non MS services.
Disable startup items.

Reboot.

Is it still slow?

 

Still slow.
Disabling NON MS services only disabled two items ZoneAlarm & AntiVir
Disabled Start-Up Items which FYI are CacheSentry, FastDefrag, ZoneAlarm, and I also automatically start JetAudio and Time & Chaos (nifty little shareable contact calender etc no server required)
Thanks for the help

 

Ok, well, I suspect its a Microsoft service then.

If I was to wager a guess, I would say SSDP Discovery service is your culprit.

In the event that it is not, this is the breakdown of what services are loaded in what mode.

NORMAL BOOT
=============
Automatic Updates
Computer Browser
Cryptographic Services
DHCP Client
Distributed Link Tracking Client
DNS Client
Error Reporting Service
Event Log
Help and Support
IPSEC Services
Logical Disk Manager
Messenger
Plug and Play
Portable Media Serial Number
Print Spooler
Protected Storage
Remote Procedure Call (RPC)
Remote Registry
Secondary Logon
Security Accounts Manager
Server
Shell Hardware Detection
System Event Notification
System Restore Service
Task Scheduler
TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper
Themes
Upload Manager
WebClient
Windows Audio
Windows Management Instrumentation
Windows Time
Wireless Zero Configuration
Workstation


SAFE MODE
==========
Cryptographic Services
Event Log
Help and Support
Logical Disk Manager
Plug and Play
Remote Procedure Call (RPC)
System Restore Service
Windows Management Instrumentation

Note: While running in "Safe Mode" no third party services set to Automatic will
start.


SAFE MODE WITH NETWORKING
===========================
Computer Browser
Cryptographic Services
DHCP Client
DNS Client
Event Log
Help and Support
Logical Disk Manager
Messenger
Plug and Play
Remote Procedure Call (RPC)
Server
System Restore Service
TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper Service
Upload Manager
Windows Management Instrumentation
Workstation






So what I would do is use msconfig to enable only those services in Safe Mode w/ Networking.

If everything works good, then re-enable the rest of the services, three at a time, rebooting each time.

You can use this process to find out what service is causing the problem.

 

Thanks for the help Adrynalyne. Any specific action to take if i narrow it down to a specific service, or does the action that needs to be taken depend on the service that might be corrupt?

 

Once you find the culprit, post it here for analysis.

If it turns out to be SSDP Discovery Service, dont bother, just disable it so it doesn't start on next reboot.

 

I double checked after reading your last post, i have already disabled SSDP. I will let you know what i find out. Thanks for the help.

 

Sounds good.

I'm logging out for a bit, but someone will pick up where I left off.

 

One more thing. I know the Server service seems to be the culprit, but I am not so sure, as Safe Mode w/ Networking loads that service and everything seems ok there from what you told me.

It still could be the culprit, but I'm thinking not.

 

Alright i have narrowed it down to one of these, Shell Hardware Detection or Print Spooler. I can't narrow it down to which one exactly because my machine has gone funky. I'm to lazy to post screenshots but here is what i have. Everything started fine until i enabled Shell Hardware Detection and Print Spooler. I went into msconfic and tried to disable one of them but it would lock-up, at the time it showed the server service with a start pending. I checked in services.msc and confirmed it had a starting dialog, with everything else started. I figured i needed to be patient and let the server service start. Once it started i went back into msconfig to disable print spooler so i could narrow down if it was this or the shell hardware. Low and behold neither print spooler or shell hardware are in my msconfig list anymore. I don't mean deactivated i mean plain old not on the list to deactivate, so i went to services.msc and see that print spooler is "started" but under start-up type it is listed as disabled. Shell hardware extension is disabled and not running. This leads me to believe it is the print spooler.
FYI - These are the services that i have running on a normal start-up
Crytographic Services
DHCP Client
Event Log
Network Connections
Plug and Play
Print Spooler
Remote Procedure Call
Security Accounts Manager
Server
Shell Hardware Detection
TrueVector Internet Monitor
Windows Audio
Windows Image Acquisition
Windows Management Insttrumentation
Workstation

My AntiVir doesn't show up because i thought it might some how be related so i nuked it, complete uninstall and removal from the system, thats why i double checked my virus status with housecall.

 

Ok, well I doubt that the problem is Shell hardware Detection, but wouldn't be shocked at all if its the spooler.

Why dont you try uninstalling your printer software and see what happens.

 

I would have never thought that uninstalling my printer and reinstalling it would solve an issue with my server service starting up, especially since my printer has been installed for a looooong time way before the software install and uninstall that proceeded the problem. But it did.
Thanks for the help Adrynalyne.

 

Not a problem. I enjoyed working with you on this; so many people these days want the silver bullet instead of getting their hands dirty in finding out the cause.