Windows XP v.slow to start, music skipping: A result of weeks of standby mode?

Emerson

Running XP on a Centrino 2.0Ghz, 1gb ram Latitude D610.
It's all of a sudden taking very long to get through the Windows XP logo at the start before login and everything has slowed down alot. Firefox initially takes about 1-2mins to load after clicking when the desktop first appears.

Now I did a scan for spyware, I found some bits and pieces but they're now gone and both Spybot & Ad-aware are giving the all clear.
In addition, I've AntiVir up to date and this hasn't given me any alerts EVER.

I'd installed Flashget, DVD shrink & possibliy other free programs during the week which I've now removed and rescanned for spyware after. I defraged to no great available both in windows and the page files. Disk checker froze half way through when loaded after a reboot.

I have been putting the machine to standby several times a day for weeks and wondered was it an accumulation of waste data. But it's still like this after a full boot. Hard drive has 13gb out of 80gb free.....

Any advice?
Thanks!

r3nu4l

Look at msconfig.sys and see what programs you have booting on startup. Post a list if you like.

Run your firewall and monitor how much traffic is coming in and going out on bootup, even if you are not connected on bootup some programs may be attempting to access the web and this can take a long time.

Check and see if Windows automatic updates is trying to download something (look for a yellow shield with exclamation mark in the taskbar).

If you have HiJack This, run it and save the log, PM me the log or post it here but do not hit the 'fix' button unless you are 100% sure of what you are doing, otherwise it may be bye-bye computer

Probably not a result of a week in standby or continuous shutting down to standby rather than turning off although a cold boot every now and then can help.

Look at your temp folders, see what's there, any huge files?

Are there folders on your desktop containing a lot of data or large files? Large files on your desktop? Move them elsewhere and create a shortcut, see if that helps.

Ruu_Old

If you deal with large files often then try defrag.

Emerson

r3nu4l wrote:

Look at msconfig.sys and see what programs you have booting on startup. Post a list if you like.

Run your firewall and monitor how much traffic is coming in and going out on bootup, even if you are not connected on bootup some programs may be attempting to access the web and this can take a long time.

Before I even get into Windows, the black XP logo with the animated progress bar takes ages to shift. I don't think any applications would be running at that point, no?

r3nu4l wrote:

Check and see if Windows automatic updates is trying to download something (look for a yellow shield with exclamation mark in the taskbar).

No automatic updates enabled. I updated windows manually yesterday in the hope of an improvement, but it made little difference.

r3nu4l wrote:

If you have HiJack This, run it and save the log, PM me the log or post it here but do not hit the 'fix' button unless you are 100% sure of what you are doing, otherwise it may be bye-bye computer

Will do shortly

Look at your temp folders, see what's there, any huge files?

Are there folders on your desktop containing a lot of data or large files? Large files on your desktop? Move them elsewhere and create a shortcut, see if that helps.

Had about 800mb of video on my desktop.. it's now moved..
I'll try a reboot now

P.S. Ruu.. I've defraged a few times now!

goose06

Try this

http://ideas.live.com/programpage.aspx?versionid=b2456790-90e6-4d28-9219-5d7207d94d45

Emerson

In safe mode, the machine pauses on MUP.sys for over 30 seconds when starting up before Windows continues to load

r3nu4l

Google has a lot of info, haven't looked at it yet but you might recognise one or two things that you haven't told us about yet

Emerson

Ugh. Nightmare.
30 pages of posts in one thread on this problem.

No conclusive solutions. No conclusive causes.

I did a chkdsk /p.
Found one or more errors on the disk

Doing chkdsk /r to repair now..
Fingers crossed!

Emerson

Well Chkdsk just ran through and never said it repaired anything.
Still the same problem.

Pauses for 30 seconds on MUP.SYS when booting up then very slow thereafter.
I could cry looking at all of those threads in google. It seems to be the unsolvable problem!

Bios is up to date.
Maybe I should try a fixboot?

far2gud

Fixboot will fix you mbr which is pointless as the machine is booting. I would backup and zero fill the hard drive with powermax and do a fresh install.


**edit** you could try an os repair from disk first though

Good luck

Ruu_Old

Fixboot won't do it. Use the Repair option in Windows setup if you have the Windows XP disc.

edit: snap.

Emerson

It's a dell with XP Pro.. Only got an XP home disc off a friend as dell didn't give me the disc.

It's on the network drive in college though, must get it tomorrow

Emerson

UPDATE: Did a repair install and all is well again.

Thanks!