OS Taking longer to load up?
- Thread starter Rip_Uk
- Start date
Are you on a network? If so, what kind?
If you're having network slow downs or connection issues, it can slow the boot process, especially in the Login page. If you're just logging into your local computer and don't need to load user settings or anything from a network server it shouldn't be an issue.
If you're having network slow downs or connection issues, it can slow the boot process, especially in the Login page. If you're just logging into your local computer and don't need to load user settings or anything from a network server it shouldn't be an issue.
Starman*
New Member
I'm sure there are many things that could cause the problem and different pcs are going to have different issues.
When it has happened to me, I run Task Manager as soon as I can get it going. More often than not, the problem is explorer.exe. It's running at maybe 50% and takes a while before it's down to nothing. That can be due to a number of things. The last time it happened to me one of my partitions was highly fragmented including the directory information. I guess it was taking explorer.exe a long time to sort out what was where. After defragmenting that partition, problem gone.
The only time shutdown affects my pc is when I'm installing software and XP has to do the necessaries on restart to finish the install.
You could also run msconfig to remove unnecessary startup items. That would not explain why you sometimes have a slow startup. You could think about each item in turn and consider if there are times when it may be doing a lot more than normal.
If you've set your AV program to run on startup, there may be some issues there.
Starman*
When it has happened to me, I run Task Manager as soon as I can get it going. More often than not, the problem is explorer.exe. It's running at maybe 50% and takes a while before it's down to nothing. That can be due to a number of things. The last time it happened to me one of my partitions was highly fragmented including the directory information. I guess it was taking explorer.exe a long time to sort out what was where. After defragmenting that partition, problem gone.
The only time shutdown affects my pc is when I'm installing software and XP has to do the necessaries on restart to finish the install.
You could also run msconfig to remove unnecessary startup items. That would not explain why you sometimes have a slow startup. You could think about each item in turn and consider if there are times when it may be doing a lot more than normal.
If you've set your AV program to run on startup, there may be some issues there.
Starman*
fade2green514
Active Member
startup time is normally effected by how many things the computer needs to open, and how fast the hard drive can read the programs and files.
other times it can be a virus
other times it can be a virus
Rip_Uk
Active Member
Starman* said:
Thanks for your input. My explorer.exe doesnt seem to be starting slow, especially with my specifications. The disc defragmenter says that the drive does not need to be defragmented. Should I just do it anyway? And I had these slow startups even when I first built my computer without the antivirus. This morning after removing all the running programs before I shut down last night it took 11secs to startup so I might be on to something there.
Rip_Uk
Active Member
Starman* said:
Thanks for your input. My explorer.exe doesnt seem to be starting slow, especially with my specifications. The disc defragmenter says that the drive does not need to be defragmented. Should I just do it anyway? And I had these slow startups even when I first built my computer without the antivirus. This morning after removing all the running programs before I shut down last night it took 11secs to startup so I might be on to something there.
Rip_Uk
Active Member
fade2green514 said:startup time is normally effected by how many things the computer needs to open, and how fast the hard drive can read the programs and files.
other times it can be a virus
Maybe it could be a hard drive problem then, its a Maxtor Diamonmax 10 300gb sata. And through running a virus scan Avast doesnt pick anything up.
Starman*
New Member
If your partitions don't need defragmenting it is unlikely to be part of the problem.
When you investigate this type of problem, you have to keep your eyes open. You are the only person who can see what's going on. I suggested you checked explorer.exe in Task Manager. I was half-expecting some additional information like "nothing else was using a lot of the processor either".
When I get this sort of thing I'm looking at when icons appear in the bottom right, is there a long gap between two icons appearing, how long before the desktop first appears, how long before the desktop items appears, etc etc? How does those compare to times when the startup is quick?
Anyway, next thing try to minimize the number of programs that start up with Windows. Typically done via the C:\Documents and Settings\"All Users and or Individual User"\Start Menu\Programs\Startup, and msconfig. Individual programs may be configured by running them and going to Options or Preferences. If the startup improves, add progs one at a time to the startup to find which is the problem. If you are unfamiliar with all that, make a note of the programs that actually start at startup and post a list.
You could be right too about the hdd. Anything that hinders access to startup files could be the problem.
As well as Avast, did you run an anti-spyware prog such as Spybot S&D?
Starman*
When you investigate this type of problem, you have to keep your eyes open. You are the only person who can see what's going on. I suggested you checked explorer.exe in Task Manager. I was half-expecting some additional information like "nothing else was using a lot of the processor either".
When I get this sort of thing I'm looking at when icons appear in the bottom right, is there a long gap between two icons appearing, how long before the desktop first appears, how long before the desktop items appears, etc etc? How does those compare to times when the startup is quick?
Anyway, next thing try to minimize the number of programs that start up with Windows. Typically done via the C:\Documents and Settings\"All Users and or Individual User"\Start Menu\Programs\Startup, and msconfig. Individual programs may be configured by running them and going to Options or Preferences. If the startup improves, add progs one at a time to the startup to find which is the problem. If you are unfamiliar with all that, make a note of the programs that actually start at startup and post a list.
You could be right too about the hdd. Anything that hinders access to startup files could be the problem.
As well as Avast, did you run an anti-spyware prog such as Spybot S&D?
Starman*
Rip_Uk
Active Member
It is not the startup from when I see my desktop it is when the windows xp x64 logo is showing with the black background before the desktop appears, it just seems to be stuck there for minutes sometimes. It cant be right, the hard drive is literally brand new. I have ran spybot S&D it detects some faults, I remove all the faults and when I start the program back up the faults re-appear.
Starman*
New Member
OK, I would put aside the startup problem for a while and get rid of the spyware that Spybot is picking up. Make sure you have the latest Spybot updates.
Spyware can use all sorts of resources on startup and running. Make a note of some of the items that return. I'd try Googling them first for ideas on removal and if no luck post in the Security forum here.
Starman*
Spyware can use all sorts of resources on startup and running. Make a note of some of the items that return. I'd try Googling them first for ideas on removal and if no luck post in the Security forum here.
Starman*