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A frustratingly slow booting xp machine


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#1
ronners

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My xp based machine takes six minutes to boot up to desktop, it used to take just less than two minutes. l have reinstalled windows three times from the recovery disc and l still have the same problem. l have check the "MSCONFIG" startup tab its ok, and it still hangs after the XP logo goes off the screen stays black. Is it an hardware or software fault.

My set-up :-

E-machine 370
pro: celeron 1.8
mem: 512mb
hd: 60gig
gcard: geforce fx5200
onboard scard: foxcomm avance ac97 audio?
o/s: windows xp home

Ronners
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#2
Neil Jones

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If its doing the same thing after use of the recovery media, it will be a hardware issue, most likely hard drive.
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#3
ronners

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If its doing the same thing after use of the recovery media, it will be a hardware issue, most likely hard drive.




I have run a program called BOOTLOG XP and pin pointed where the machine is hanging.

(2m 26secs) system32\drivers\sacm2A.sys

(2m 30secs) smss.exe\sfcfiles.dll

It does no look like a hardware problem.

rooners
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#4
zbd

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Two suggestions:


1. How To Speed Up Windows XP Startup

Want to speed up Windows XP startup? Here is the trick: make your system do a boot defragment. This will put all the boot files next to one another on your hard disk. When boot files are in close proximity to one another, your system will start faster.

On most systems, boot defragment should be enabled by default, but it may not be on yours, or it may have been changed inadvertently. To make sure that boot defragment is enabled on your system, run regedit.exe from the Run dialog box.

Find this registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Dfrg\BootOptimizeFunction

Edit the Enable string value to Y if it is not already set to Y.

Exit regedit.exe and then restart your computer.


2.Improve Windows XP boot speed:

http://www.johntp.co...-xp-boot-speed/
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#5
cmw2010

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Hi ronners! Do you happen to have a Scientific-Atlanta USB Cable modem?
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#6
ronners

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Hi, yes l do have a Scientific-Atlanta USB Cable modem, lately it has been playing up, it some times loses its drivers.
My boot defrag in enabled and everthing else has failed to put it right. L throught my be l have a virus or some kind of malware.
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#7
cmw2010

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That is what sacm2A.sys is , a driver for your cable modem. Try to unhook the cable modem and see if it boots up any quicker. If not, unhook everything that is connected to USB and see if that helps. I have had quite a few e-Machines have USB problems but usually it is after a power supply blows.
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#8
ronners

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l had a power supply blow feburary this year ,it took out my on-board sound card, which l replaced both and have no problems since l reinstall the other day. l have pci (4) port card installed which works fine.

ronners
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#9
ronners

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That is what sacm2A.sys is , a driver for your cable modem. Try to unhook the cable modem and see if it boots up any quicker. If not, unhook everything that is connected to USB and see if that helps. I have had quite a few e-Machines have USB problems but usually it is after a power supply blows.


l had a power supply blow feburary this year ,it took out my on-board sound card, which l replaced both and have no problems since l reinstall the other day. when l pull out all my usb plugs it boots-up fast. l will have to replace my motherboard. unsure what motherboard to replace it with. The e-machine has served me good for five years.

E-machine 370
pro: celeron 1.8
mobo: Trigem Imperial-GL
mem: 512mb
hd: 60gig
gcard: geforce fx5200
pci: 4 port USB
pci: scard (sweetex)
onboard scard: foxcomm avance ac97 audio?
o/s: windows xp home


THANK YOU for all the help

ronners

Edited by ronners, 14 June 2007 - 01:02 AM.

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#10
cmw2010

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Virtually all of the e-Machines I have worked on have had a power supply blow, taking the soundcard and USB ports out with it. Did you say you have a 4 port USB PCI card? That has worked on most of the ones I have repaired. Here is a link to e-Machines Motherboards . I see they have the Imperial GL listed. Before you go that route though, did you try with other USB devices connected, it could be that your USB cable modem was fried in the PSU power surge.

Edited by cmw2010, 15 June 2007 - 03:07 PM.

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