[Rob W.]

Computer recently within the past few weeks has become unbearably slow:

From a clean boot, following are some symptoms:

30 seconds to open a PDF document.
3-4 minutes to open a browser (IE)
1 minute to open an outlook express message
3-4 minutes to open a pdf document attached to an outlook express message

I've opened task manager while doing these things, and CPU usage appears low etc but the light to the hard drive is running constantly.

Computer is running Windows XP, service pack 3. It is AMD Sempron 2200+ 1.50GHz with 624 MB RAM. Hard drive is 38.2 GB with 16.4 GB used and 21.8 GB free.

I have compacted folders in OE, I have defragmented the hard drive, I have used the cleanup utility to clean temp files etc.

However, when I go to computer settings, advanced and select "no paging file", it appears to run quicker.

I'm at a loss for what else to do (other than wipe it clean and reinstall).

And just today it rebooted itself twice after trying to open up a browser (no browser came up, just a constant light on the hard drive and then a sudden reboot).

Thanks in advance for your help

Edited by Rob W., 22 February 2010 - 08:00 PM.

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Howszit Rob W?

Have you run the error check routine that comes with XP? It sounds like you may have a bad cluster on the drive. Go into the properties of your hard drive and the second tab in is "Tools". Open that and the top box is error checking. Start the process and put a check in both of the boxes that appear. The system will tell you that it can't do the error check until you restart. Once you restart, you should see a blue & white screen come up and it will go through 5 stages, (3 if your hard drive is FAT).

This will take about 45 minutes to an hour or so, so do this when you do not need your system for awhile. When its done, the system just goes to its normal start screen, but there will be a report in the Event log under a Winlogon event.

You have backed up all your data? If not do so soon...

Hope this helps..

[Mark D]

Howszit Rob W?

Have you run the error check routine that comes with XP? It sounds like you may have a bad cluster on the drive. Go into the properties of your hard drive and the second tab in is "Tools". Open that and the top box is error checking. Start the process and put a check in both of the boxes that appear. The system will tell you that it can't do the error check until you restart. Once you restart, you should see a blue & white screen come up and it will go through 5 stages, (3 if your hard drive is FAT).

This will take about 45 minutes to an hour or so, so do this when you do not need your system for awhile. When its done, the system just goes to its normal start screen, but there will be a report in the Event log under a Winlogon event.

You have backed up all your data? If not do so soon...

Hope this helps..

[Rob W.]

Hello Mark D,

Well right after I posted this, the computer rebooted itself after I attempted to open up a word document and upon restart I got the error message "Boot Disk failure - Insert system disk...".

I think its time to replace it, it is a work computer.

[Mark D]

If you still need to get data off that drive, you can boot up from an XP CD and choose the Repair at the 1st screen that comes up. It will eventually ask you what Windows installation do you want to log onto, (normally #1), then ask for the Administrator password, (usually just press enter). When it gets to the C:\> prompt, type CHKDSK /R and press enter. This should restore the drive so it can boot again

Good luck...