Re: xp taking hours to boot

Tech Tip: Click here to run a free scan for Windows Errors and optimize PC performance

I like Patrick's answer.

The Sysytem Configuration Utility can be very helpful. Follow the
directions here to try a "clean boot":

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310353

By using process of elimination, you should be able to determine any
problematic resource hogs.

Of course, you need to rule out malware first. Here's a great guide:

http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Viruses_Malware


"AndyN" <AndyN@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:4AB34FE5-4326-411E-858D-2E43B9468D20@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Thanks Daave. My first thought had been malware and then too much
stuff
running on startup, but whatever the problem I'm having trouble
getting
anything to work in Windows. Is there any way to try to resolve these
issues
prior to windows starting?

"Daave" wrote:

"AndyN" <AndyN@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:AD727A86-CCCA-4516-9D32-719972FF7804@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I'm having trouble even trying any solutions that I've used in the
past to
resolve performance problems because it runs so slowly that
anything I
try
doesn't repond. Do I need to reinstall?

Here are the most common causes for PC slowness:

1. Malicious software (malware)

2. Certain programs that are designed to combat malware (e.g., Norton
and McAfee). Ironically, they can slow things down because they
simply
use way too many resources. Sometime they cause conflicts with other
programs. And their default mode is to scan your entire hard drive
each
time you boot up.

3. Too many of *certain types* of programs always running in the
background -- with or without your knowledge.

Use these sites to determine what these programs are and to learn how
to
configure them not to always run at startup:

http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_content.php#THE_PROGRAMS
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/startups/
http://www.answersthatwork.com/Tasklist_pages/tasklist.htm

Sometimes it is recommended to use msconfig to configure the programs
to
not run at startup. A better, more thorough program is Autoruns:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb963902.aspx

4. Not enough RAM, which causes the PC to overly rely on the
pagefile. A
quick way to determine if this is happening is to open Task Manager
(Ctrl+Alt+Del) and click the Performance tab. Then note the three
values
under Commit Charge (K): in the lower left-hand corner: Total, Limit,
and Peak.

The Total figure represents the amount of memory you are using at
that
very moment. The Peak figure represents the highest amount of memory
you
used since last bootup. If both these figures are below the value of
Physical Memory (K) Total, then you probably have plenty of RAM.
Otherwise, you may want to explore this further by running Page File
Monitor for Windows XP:

http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_pagefilemon.htm

5. You might also want to check that your hard drive's access mode
didn't change from DMA to PIO:

http://www.technize.com/2007/08/02/is-your-hard-disk-cddvd-drives-too-slow-while-copying/

and

http://users.bigpond.net.au/ninjaduck/itserviceduck/udma_fix/





.

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