Very slow start up, help!

Appleblossom42

When I switch on the desktop it automatically runs disk check. Everything was perfect then all of a sudden this happens. Can't cancel the disk check by pressing any key. It seems to hang at 10%, then goes black. After ages it goes into windows vista and takes another age to load. From then on it takes an eternity to respond to any commands like opening programmes. Can anybody suggest why this is happening all of a sudden and how it can be fixed please.

zilog_jones

I can't say for certain but symptoms like this are typical of a failing hard drive.
Go to Event Viewer, and look in System logs for any Errors with "disk" (or maybe "DMIO") as the source. If you see some, open one and post the details here.

Help on opening and using Event Viewer: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-vista/Open-Event-Viewer

Biggins

Also, if eventually (given its slowed to a crawl) you can manage to install the likes of "Tune-up Utilities 2010", run the hard drive checks and repairs might help.
A full 30 day trial can be found here: http://www.tuneup-software.co.uk/products/tuneup-utilities/


You might want to look here as well:
http://freedownloadmanager.org/downloads/hard-drive-repair-tool-free-6334.html
http://billmullins.wordpress.com/2008/07/16/free-hard-drive-tools-diagnosemaintainclean-your-system/
http://software.informer.com/getfree-drive-scan-sector-repair/
http://www.free-av.com/en/tools/9/avira_boot_sector_repair_tool.html