xp slow after boot
I'm running XP Pro SP2 (3 ghz, 1gb ram), and suddenly within the past week or so, right after boot up, it's as though the entire system semi-locks. I have 4 apps/processes that are supposed to automatically start up right at bootup:
1- Internet connection
2- VPN to my work
3- Outlook
4- MSN Chat
Prior to a week ago, the moment xp booted, these 4 items sprang to life within a few seconds and I was up and running. But about a week ago, after XP boots, the 4 items don't fire up for about 1.5 minutes. My PC doesn't appear to be frozen, though it is slow during that time. It's like it goes into some kind of limbo wait-mode, and then after a minute and a half, the 4 items suddenly spring to life as if they finally got the green light. As if some primary thread was blocking everything else from happening.
Also, my photoshop 6 now runs so slow it's intolerable. This may be unrelated (?).
- I have gone through msconfig and turned off everything unnecessary.
- I have uninstalled all unused programs.
- I have turned off several services that I know I didn't need.
- I have defragged my drive.
- I have doubled the size of my swap file / virtual disk.
- I have run the [worthless] Adaware 6 (all it does it deletes a bunch of cookies)
- I have rebooted many times. The bootup time happens fast, like usual, it's just that post-boot 1.5 minutes that is the problem.
I have examined Task Manager processes during the minute and a half limbo-time, and nothing is consuming cpu or memory. It all looks normal. I'm a programmer, so I'm constantly installing utilities and components, etc. So if you're wondering what i installed around the time this problem started happening, the answer is "nothing I can think of". It's possible that I did, but I can't think of any real junk that I installed recently that would put spyware/adware on my pc. And Adaware comes up with nothing. Spybot won't clean anything until you buy it, so I skipped that.
I hope somebody can help me out. I'm willing to try anything except reinstalling my OS, which costs me about 2 days of downtime because of everything I have to reinstall (about 30 tools and apps) and reconfigure.
1- Internet connection
2- VPN to my work
3- Outlook
4- MSN Chat
Prior to a week ago, the moment xp booted, these 4 items sprang to life within a few seconds and I was up and running. But about a week ago, after XP boots, the 4 items don't fire up for about 1.5 minutes. My PC doesn't appear to be frozen, though it is slow during that time. It's like it goes into some kind of limbo wait-mode, and then after a minute and a half, the 4 items suddenly spring to life as if they finally got the green light. As if some primary thread was blocking everything else from happening.
Also, my photoshop 6 now runs so slow it's intolerable. This may be unrelated (?).
- I have gone through msconfig and turned off everything unnecessary.
- I have uninstalled all unused programs.
- I have turned off several services that I know I didn't need.
- I have defragged my drive.
- I have doubled the size of my swap file / virtual disk.
- I have run the [worthless] Adaware 6 (all it does it deletes a bunch of cookies)
- I have rebooted many times. The bootup time happens fast, like usual, it's just that post-boot 1.5 minutes that is the problem.
I have examined Task Manager processes during the minute and a half limbo-time, and nothing is consuming cpu or memory. It all looks normal. I'm a programmer, so I'm constantly installing utilities and components, etc. So if you're wondering what i installed around the time this problem started happening, the answer is "nothing I can think of". It's possible that I did, but I can't think of any real junk that I installed recently that would put spyware/adware on my pc. And Adaware comes up with nothing. Spybot won't clean anything until you buy it, so I skipped that.
I hope somebody can help me out. I'm willing to try anything except reinstalling my OS, which costs me about 2 days of downtime because of everything I have to reinstall (about 30 tools and apps) and reconfigure.
If you need specific sites for ewido or any of the tools I mentioned please post back ( I just figured since you are a programmer that you didnt need that info :)
ASKER
I'm trying out these utilities you mentioned. In the meantime, a little more info:
I've had SP2 for quite some time, so that's not it.
- Whenever I do Save As from any app, the browse dialog that comes up seems to take 15-20 seconds before it lets me browse. This started happening at the same time as my post-boot delay.
(Great thing to be doing on New Year's Eve, huh?)
I've had SP2 for quite some time, so that's not it.
- Whenever I do Save As from any app, the browse dialog that comes up seems to take 15-20 seconds before it lets me browse. This started happening at the same time as my post-boot delay.
(Great thing to be doing on New Year's Eve, huh?)
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I don’t know if this would help, but there is a Add-on for Msconfig from Microsoft which is supposed to let you launch various diagnostic tools/utilities.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=9689f6e9-aded-44b8-bbbb-beae1b4a4bc9&displaylang=en
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=9689f6e9-aded-44b8-bbbb-beae1b4a4bc9&displaylang=en
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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awe i missed one do a scan for corrupt files from run at the start menue type in sfc /scannow.
ASKER
I tried nearly everything mentioned in this thread, no success. any other ideas? i've now scanned and repaired my pc 6 ways from sunday.
Is there any way to tell which process or thread is blocking my startup apps/processes from running? they do finally run after 1.5 minutes, but what's blocking them initially?
Is there any way to tell which process or thread is blocking my startup apps/processes from running? they do finally run after 1.5 minutes, but what's blocking them initially?
6 ways lol and there is more yet.
which ones havent you tried? if you can try everyone.
do you have any scans running? we need to see what is loading when windows boots this tool is great..
Startup Inspector for Windows helps manage your startup applications and provides information on programs that run when you start up Windows.
http://www.download.com/Startup-Inspector-for-Windows/3000-2086_4-10291346.html
as it started recently it maybe spyware or virus.
How old is your system?
ok next steps disabling unnessary services,
http://www.nus.edu.sg/comcen/security/newsletter/Aug2004/Disabling%20unnecessary%20services%20in%20Windows%20XP.htm
http://www.overclockersclub.com/guides/windows_xp_services_3.php
http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,23852,00.asp
which ones havent you tried? if you can try everyone.
do you have any scans running? we need to see what is loading when windows boots this tool is great..
Startup Inspector for Windows helps manage your startup applications and provides information on programs that run when you start up Windows.
http://www.download.com/Startup-Inspector-for-Windows/3000-2086_4-10291346.html
as it started recently it maybe spyware or virus.
How old is your system?
ok next steps disabling unnessary services,
http://www.nus.edu.sg/comcen/security/newsletter/Aug2004/Disabling%20unnecessary%20services%20in%20Windows%20XP.htm
http://www.overclockersclub.com/guides/windows_xp_services_3.php
http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,23852,00.asp
Do you have Norton's installed on this machine? If you do uninstall it completely from add/remove programs, use this to get rid of the rest of it
http://www.mickelson.org/files/zips/nonav.zip
and do a start<search for symantec all folders and files and opt for advanced search hidden files and folders. Delete all you find. Try NOD 32 for free for 30 days http://www.nod32.com/scriptless/download/trial.htm
http://www.mickelson.org/files/zips/nonav.zip
and do a start<search for symantec all folders and files and opt for advanced search hidden files and folders. Delete all you find. Try NOD 32 for free for 30 days http://www.nod32.com/scriptless/download/trial.htm
check your cpu temp first, if it goes up, it will slow down the CPU.
you can also do a system rstore to a previous date to see if that helps.
running sfc /scannow can help too.
and if it tries to access lost or bad devices, disconnect or disable them in the bios for testing.
you can also do a system rstore to a previous date to see if that helps.
running sfc /scannow can help too.
and if it tries to access lost or bad devices, disconnect or disable them in the bios for testing.
ASKER
I don't have Norton installed, and I already ran sfc /scannow.
ASKER
what is "cpu temp"?
You could do an in place upgrade aka a repair install but then you would lose your updates :
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm
Take a look at this open question with regards to the windows xp repair install :
https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/21680610/How-to-'Repair'-XP.html
https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/21680610/How-to-'Repair'-XP.html
cpu temp as in your processors temperature which you can check either in the bios or you can get programs like speedfan or motherboard monitor to monitor things like that :)
If you need links to those apps post back and let me know.
If you need links to those apps post back and let me know.
Corrupted event logs are pretty easy to fix if you do it right.
First, you have to stop the Event Log service (or you can't delete the files). Right-click My Computer, left-click Manage, expand Services and Applications, highlight Services. Click on the Event Log service ans Stop it.
Next, go to C:\Windows\System32\Config
Last; reboot. Windows will create new, blank files and you're done.
d_may
First, you have to stop the Event Log service (or you can't delete the files). Right-click My Computer, left-click Manage, expand Services and Applications, highlight Services. Click on the Event Log service ans Stop it.
Next, go to C:\Windows\System32\Config
Last; reboot. Windows will create new, blank files and you're done.
d_may
sweatcoder,
Why have you not answered my question about Norton's?
Why have you not answered my question about Norton's?
ASKER
tim, did you miss my 01/01/2006 05:47PM MST post? Also, I did a search on Symantec and found some folders and files. Should I remove all that, then?
ASKER
An xp repair sounds a little scary. Are you experts pretty confident that it leaves apps and data intact? Does this xp repair have a good track record?
sweatcoder,
I apologize for missing that post. Yes I would delete the symantec folder and files if you do not use any of their products. Read this about a repair install;
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm
I'd back up anything critical on to other media to be safe before doing it.
I apologize for missing that post. Yes I would delete the symantec folder and files if you do not use any of their products. Read this about a repair install;
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm
I'd back up anything critical on to other media to be safe before doing it.
SweatCoder,
have you ever performed a reformat/reinstall on your system? A clean install can fix many problems.
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html
have you ever performed a reformat/reinstall on your system? A clean install can fix many problems.
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html
ASKER
Yes, I know a full reformat/reinstall of my xp would fix the problem, but it would also cost me 2 whole days because of the 30 or so apps i would have to reinstall and reconfigure. At this point I would rather live with the problem rather than kill 2 days of my time. I was kind of hoping that there was a more surgical approach to this. There must be something causing this and there must be some smoking gun, some log/trail of what's going on.
SOLUTION
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did you check your CPU temp ?
download and install UPHClean, it should solve any user profile hive lags.which can cause the system to load files or open folders very slowly The memory used by the user's registry has not been freed.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=1B286E6D-8912-4E18-B570-42470E2F3582
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=1B286E6D-8912-4E18-B570-42470E2F3582
verview
The User Profile Hive Cleanup service helps to ensure user sessions are completely terminated when a user logs off. System processes and applications occasionally maintain connections to registry keys in the user profile after a user logs off. In those cases the user session is prevented from completely ending. This can result in problems when using Roaming User Profiles in a server environment or when using locked profiles as implemented through the Shared Computer Toolkit for Windows XP.
On Windows 2000 you can benefit from this service if the application event log shows event id 1000 where the message text indicates that the profile is not unloading and that the error is "Access is denied". On Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 either event ids 1517 and 1524 indicate the same profile unload problem.
To accomplish this the service monitors for logged off users that still have registry hives loaded. When that happens the service determines which application have handles opened to the hives and releases them. It logs the application name and what registry keys were left open. After this the system finishes unloading the profile.
see the above expert's link: merete
The User Profile Hive Cleanup service helps to ensure user sessions are completely terminated when a user logs off. System processes and applications occasionally maintain connections to registry keys in the user profile after a user logs off. In those cases the user session is prevented from completely ending. This can result in problems when using Roaming User Profiles in a server environment or when using locked profiles as implemented through the Shared Computer Toolkit for Windows XP.
On Windows 2000 you can benefit from this service if the application event log shows event id 1000 where the message text indicates that the profile is not unloading and that the error is "Access is denied". On Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 either event ids 1517 and 1524 indicate the same profile unload problem.
To accomplish this the service monitors for logged off users that still have registry hives loaded. When that happens the service determines which application have handles opened to the hives and releases them. It logs the application name and what registry keys were left open. After this the system finishes unloading the profile.
see the above expert's link: merete
ASKER
I tried almost everything in this thread, except for doing a full system repair. I looked at SpeedFan though I couldn't make anything of it.
BUT over the weekend I say a good improvement. Now, instead of a 1.5 minute post-login delay/hang, now it hangs for about 30 seconds before any desktop icons display and before the Task Bar displays, and then everything displays and my 3 startup apps spring to life.
From 1.5 minutes to 30 seconds is a great improvement, though I'm still puzzled by the initial half minute delay, which didn't used to happen. And I'm wondering why photoshop still runs intolerably slow (a week ago it was running fast).
I already ran UPHC days ago. Maybe it helped. I tried many different things suggested on this thread, so I have no doubt that one or a combo if these things improved my situation. I wouldn't know which was the silver bullet, though.
I would like to hear any other ideas, otherwise I'll just split up points for this question.
BUT over the weekend I say a good improvement. Now, instead of a 1.5 minute post-login delay/hang, now it hangs for about 30 seconds before any desktop icons display and before the Task Bar displays, and then everything displays and my 3 startup apps spring to life.
From 1.5 minutes to 30 seconds is a great improvement, though I'm still puzzled by the initial half minute delay, which didn't used to happen. And I'm wondering why photoshop still runs intolerably slow (a week ago it was running fast).
I already ran UPHC days ago. Maybe it helped. I tried many different things suggested on this thread, so I have no doubt that one or a combo if these things improved my situation. I wouldn't know which was the silver bullet, though.
I would like to hear any other ideas, otherwise I'll just split up points for this question.
SOLUTION
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SOLUTION
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ASKER
Sorry for delay. I will be trying out these recent suggestions and get back to everyone soon. I'm in the middle of a work deadline, but I don't want anyone to think that I've gone off and ignored this thread.
THANKS.
THANKS.
thank you SweatCoder best of luck with it.
ASKER
Well, I'm back if anyone cares, and I'll be awarding points. Sorry for the long delay but I've been swamped with work. My PC is firing up MUCH faster now, thanks to all the great posts on this thread.
One of the single biggest things that helped was...DUH...I had at least 1 mapped drive pointing to nonexistent UNC shares. Oops. This was causing delays at startup and other places as well.
Other things that I'm sure helped as well:
1- Cleaning junk off my system
2- Cleaning registry
3- Defragging drive
4- Running UPHClean
5- Disabling unnecessary services
THANKS ALL.
One of the single biggest things that helped was...DUH...I had at least 1 mapped drive pointing to nonexistent UNC shares. Oops. This was causing delays at startup and other places as well.
Other things that I'm sure helped as well:
1- Cleaning junk off my system
2- Cleaning registry
3- Defragging drive
4- Running UPHClean
5- Disabling unnecessary services
THANKS ALL.
ASKER
A bit more detail:
It seems that UPHClean got me 80% improvement at startup time. Thanks Merete. The other 20% came from VerifyMe and the UNC/Mapped drive idea.
It seems that UPHClean got me 80% improvement at startup time. Thanks Merete. The other 20% came from VerifyMe and the UNC/Mapped drive idea.
hey your wellcome good to hear you have a solution. I see this so often with xp maybe Bill G should look into the problem. I seem to be installing it oh so often.
Cheers Merete
Cheers Merete
Excellent feedback! Glad you got things resolved. Thanks for the points and grade!
Was happy for your progress, and the good advice from our experts. Wishing you well.
Thanks, D_may
Thanks, D_may
Also registry mechanic and www.ccleaner.com
Those would be two good tools to use and run to make sure everything is fine with regards to junk files and also damaged registry entries.
Aside from that what about an anti virus scan using trend micros website or any other anti spyware apps such as ewido , spy sweeper, spybot search and destroy or microsofts antispyware beta ?