[kcmast]

My PC startup has been slow for probably a year and getting slower. For the past month or so my desktop picture will display, but no icons or taskbar for a couple of minutes. It is then really slow to open any programs for about 5 minutes. After that it runs okay, but IE is sometimes slow. I tried switching to Mozilla, but that didn't seem to make a difference. My wife and I really only use it for internet, photos, and a little Word/Excel work.

Windows XP SP3
Pentium 4, 3.00GHz, 1GB RAM
F-Secure through Charter Security Suite

I belive I have run all the steps in the posting rules. First time posting, so if I forgot to add anything, please let me know. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

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This isn't the area to post those logs. They were clean anyway

Your problem is more than likely due to having F-Secure installed, it is a major resource hog

[Rorschach112]

This isn't the area to post those logs. They were clean anyway

Your problem is more than likely due to having F-Secure installed, it is a major resource hog

[kcmast]

Sorry, for future reference, what forum should it be posted in? F-Secure is free with my internet service. Is there a different one that is recommended on these boards?

[Broni]

I beg to differ here.
I don't believe any resource hog (F-Secure, Norton, or others) will cause 5 minutes delays on XP computer with Pentium 4, 3.00GHz, 1GB RAM.
Must be something else.

[wwarrior]

Hi kcmast

5 minutes is a long time to startup. Perhaps Rorschach112's advice of posting in here is a good idea in future.

Have a read of the "You Must Read This Before Posting A Hijackthis Log" first and then see if the Malware boys can spot anything next time.

If the logs are indeed clean, you could try starting the machine in Safe mode and seeing if it boots faster. Press F8 when it is starting and select Safe Mode at that menu.

If it is faster, perhaps the system event log will reveal it is awaiting a service to start or similar which is making it slow.

Other factors like the drive being very full or the drive being compressed can also cause that to happen.

Rog ..

[Broni]

He's not even talking about boot time, but the initial time to open single program.

[wwarrior]

He's not even talking about boot time, but the initial time to open single program.

"but no icons or taskbar for a couple of minutes"

I think that's boot /' startup time. kcmast, try pressing CTRL-Shift-Escape and when task manager comes up, click performance and see if there is a lot of CPU usage.

Clicking processes will reveal which one it is using up all the CPU resources if this is the case. This can make the machine dog slow also.

Rog ..

Edited by wwarrior, 01 January 2009 - 11:56 PM.

[Rorschach112]

I interpreted it the same way as Broni. I've seen this happen plenty of times with F-Secure security suite actually

His logs were clean and it definitely doesn't sound malware related, so please don't recommend they go there.

[wwarrior]

His logs were clean and it definitely doesn't sound malware related, so please don't recommend they go there.

Which is why I answered the question that he asked.

"Sorry, for future reference, what forum should it be posted in?"

He wanted to know where Hjt logs go and that's why I said 'in future' and 'next time'

I was not suggesting he go there in this instance.

[Broni]

kcmast
1. How is the issue, if you start computer in Safe Mode?
2. Go Start>Run (Start Search in Vista), type in:
msconfig
Click OK (hit Enter in Vista).

Click on Startup tab.
Click Disable all

Click Services tab.
Put checkmark in Hide all Microsoft services
Click Disable all.

Click OK.
Restart computer in Normal Mode.

NOTE. If you use different firewall, than Windows firewall, turn Windows firewall on, just for this test, since your regular firewall won't be running.
If you use Windows firewall, you're fine.

How is it now?

[kcmast]

Hi kcmast

5 minutes is a long time to startup. Perhaps Rorschach112's advice of posting in here is a good idea in future.

Have a read of the "You Must Read This Before Posting A Hijackthis Log" first and then see if the Malware boys can spot anything next time.

If the logs are indeed clean, you could try starting the machine in Safe mode and seeing if it boots faster. Press F8 when it is starting and select Safe Mode at that menu.

If it is faster, perhaps the system event log will reveal it is awaiting a service to start or similar which is making it slow.

Other factors like the drive being very full or the drive being compressed can also cause that to happen.

Rog ..

I believe I read that and followed all the steps (ATF cleaner, Malwarebytes, etc.)

I just tried running in safe mode and I could immediately selectthe START menu and open a program.

34.9GB used. 36.4 free. How do I know if the drive is compressed?

Edited by kcmast, 02 January 2009 - 09:19 PM.

[wwarrior]

I just tried running in safe mode and I could immediately select the START menu and open a program.

Hi

That's great - rules out hardware then for the most part. If it's 2 minutes to startup, then 5 minutes before it starts working ok, I think Rorschach112 may be on the right track with that virus scanner.

Perhaps review your virus scanners settings and see if it doing something like a full system scan in the background at startup which is making it so slow when starting up. If it is now doing a system scan at startup, perhaps a program update has changed this setting on you without your knowledge..

Pressing CTRL-Shift-Escape when it is in slow mode may reveal the culprit as well.

Perhaps post the name of the program here which is using up the CPU resources and hopefully someone here can comment on it.

Regards ..

[kcmast]

kcmast
1. How is the issue, if you start computer in Safe Mode?
2. Go Start>Run (Start Search in Vista), type in:
msconfig
Click OK (hit Enter in Vista).

Click on Startup tab.
Click Disable all

Click Services tab.
Put checkmark in Hide all Microsoft services
Click Disable all.

Click OK.
Restart computer in Normal Mode.

NOTE. If you use different firewall, than Windows firewall, turn Windows firewall on, just for this test, since your regular firewall won't be running.
If you use Windows firewall, you're fine.

How is it now?

It still had about a 2 minute time when there were no icons or taskbar, but when they appeared, I was immediately able to open IE.

[Broni]

Now, you'll need to take time. Don't worry about those 2 minutes to see taskbar, and icons. Just watch, how soon you can open any program.
Go back to msconfig, re-enable one service, restart computer, and see what happens. If it's still good, re-enable next service, and so on, until you find the culprit.

[kcmast]

Now, you'll need to take time. Don't worry about those 2 minutes to see taskbar, and icons. Just watch, how soon you can open any program.
Go back to msconfig, re-enable one service, restart computer, and see what happens. If it's still good, re-enable next service, and so on, until you find the culprit.

I was afraid that was the next step.

During the two minutes of no icons/taskbar, SYSTEM IDLE was 99%.