Very slow start up-Help

[WLeg]

THe defrag and more RAM (for the price, I'dd chuck in 2GB), will help. You also need to look at what is happening when Windows Starts.

Is it slow when loading Windows, or once the desktop has appeared ?
Have you installed any new device drivers, or changed AV/anti-spyware etc ?

Once it's got going....run msconfig and click on the startup tab. Check what is trying to startup with windows - tread carefully here....if unsure, you can disable ONE thing, reboot, and test. Feel free to screen dump the settings and send it so me, and I can tell you what most of the startup's are, although you can work out most of them by looking at the folders they are in.

 

[masqueraid]

Is this new behaviour or has it gradually got worse? If something has suddenly changed it may be easier to fix. Gradual slowing down over a few years is pretty common & is best fixed by reinstalling.

The slow down with a recent XP update doesn't seem to have affected many users but if you want to see if it has affected your system go to Add and Remove Programs, tick Show Updates and remove 'Hotfix Q811493'. Windows update will put it back later unless you tell it not to.

Adding the RAM will certainly improve startup time

 

[Ratz]

What AV software do you have? Try disabling on-access scan (or equivalent) as this has the AV software scanning everything that starts up when you boot.

Also, are you connected to the internet? If so, try booting with networking switched off and see if boot time improves - this is to try to discount machine having been hacked, although to be fair this shouldn't just affect at boot time.

Go to Start->Run and type msconfig and have a look at just how many services/programs are starting on bootup and try switching off a few non-essentials.

One possibility that your AV software is unlikely to see is a rootkit, and these are notoriously difficult to detect & get rid of, see Microsoft site for rootkit detection software(formerly Sysinternals).

Finally(and this may be the quickest option in the long run), back up all of your files and re-install Windows - it will take a few hours to get back where you were. If you are worried about losing files then buy a new HDD(they are so cheap now) and fit as your boot drive to install fresh Windows - that way your old disk is always there should you need it.

 

[Ratz]

What AV software do you have? Try disabling on-access scan (or equivalent) as this has the AV software scanning everything that starts up when you boot.

Also, are you connected to the internet? If so, try booting with networking switched off and see if boot time improves - this is to try to discount machine having been hacked, although to be fair this shouldn't just affect at boot time.

Go to Start->Run and type msconfig and have a look at just how many services/programs are starting on bootup and try switching off a few non-essentials.

One possibility that your AV software is unlikely to see is a rootkit, and these are notoriously difficult to detect & get rid of, see Microsoft site for rootkit detection software(formerly Sysinternals).

Finally(and this may be the quickest option in the long run), back up all of your files and re-install Windows - it will take a few hours to get back where you were. If you are worried about losing files then buy a new HDD(they are so cheap now) and fit as your boot drive to install fresh Windows - that way your old disk is always there should you need it.

Took me so long to type all of this that it looks like I haven't read above posts now .

 

[Madeira Jon]

If you are ordering SDRAM, then make certain you order the ram with the correct number of pins!

 

[Benzowner]

I think someone has already mentioned Crucial.com, let it scan you PC and it will tell you how many slots and how much RAM you can add, well woth it.

 

[reflexboy]

THe defrag and more RAM (for the price, I'dd chuck in 2GB), will help. You also need to look at what is happening when Windows Starts.

Is it slow when loading Windows, or once the desktop has appeared ?
Have you installed any new device drivers, or changed AV/anti-spyware etc ?

Once it's got going....run msconfig and click on the startup tab. Check what is trying to startup with windows - tread carefully here....if unsure, you can disable ONE thing, reboot, and test. Feel free to screen dump the settings and send it so me, and I can tell you what most of the startup's are, although you can work out most of them by looking at the folders they are in.

Thanks to you all-How do I 'screen dump the settings?

 

[WLeg]

get it on screen, press print screen button - (top right of the keyboard normally), open MSpaint, or cimiler, paste it in, convert it to a smaller file, upload...

 

[reflexboy]

Well, I unplugged the mains from the PC for about an hour and a half and then plugged it back in, turned it on and it booted up as normal, if not a bit faster than normal....Now I'm confused. I have ordered another 512Mb mermory card nonethe less. Any further thoughts chaps?

 

[andy_k]

turn off any auto updates (not just windows but everything) then start again

turn off your anti virus (just for a test) then start again

does it restart quicker?

Andy

 

[reflexboy]

New memory arrived today-Just installed it.....WOW!!! Double quick now :bannana: