Slow, slow startup

well-medicated

I don't mean sluggish. From the black XP screen to entering my password can take 10-15 mins. Once I'm in, it's not so bad.

Windows XP home, pentium 4, 1.06 GHz, 512 DDR RAM, 40GB HD. I have a feeling that this laptop may have taken a bounce at sometime.

I find nothing odd when I run Hijack this, and I've run msconfig to strip the startup to an absolute minimum. Spyware/malware progs found nothing.

In system properties and in BIOS, RAM shows as 480. Is it damaged? and could this alone be causing the problem?

Could it be that the OS is corrupt? Can I use the XP disc to repair without losing any of my programs and files?

Thanks in advance

W_M

posted_2

Ram issue is probably your shared video ram 512-480=32MB video

If you have too much running at startup, it could be ram shortage, av scanners, firewall, post your log

well-medicated

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
Scan saved at 22:19:31, on 05/02/2009
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v7.00 (7.00.6000.16544)
Boot mode: Normal
Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\Program Files\SMART Board Software\SMARTBoardService.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\NETGEAR\WG511\Utility\WG511WLU.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\Program Files\MSN Messenger\msnmsgr.exe
C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.google.co.uk/
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchURL,(Default) = http://us.rd.yahoo.com/customize/ie/defaults/su/msgr8/*http://www.yahoo.com
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings,ProxyOverride = 127.0.0.1
R3 - URLSearchHook: Yahoo! Toolbar - {EF99BD32-C1FB-11D2-892F-0090271D4F88} - (no file)
O2 - BHO: Adobe PDF Reader Link Helper - !!06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 7.0\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: SMART Notebook Download Plugin - !!67BCF957-85FC-4036-8DC4-D4D80E00A77B} - C:\Program Files\SMART Board Software\NotebookPlugin.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - !!7E853D72-626A-48EC-A868-BA8D5E23E045} - (no file)
O2 - BHO: Windows Live Sign-in Helper - !!9030D464-4C02-4ABF-8ECC-5164760863C6} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Windows Live\WindowsLiveLogin.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [WG511WLU] C:\Program Files\NETGEAR\WG511\Utility\WG511WLU.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office10\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - !!08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\msjava.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - !!08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\msjava.dll
O9 - Extra button: Research - !!92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\REFIEBAR.DLL
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - C:\WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: @xpsp3res.dll,-20001 - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - C:\WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O16 - DPF: !!30528230-99f7-4bb4-88d8-fa1d4f56a2ab} (YInstStarter Class) - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Common\yinsthelper.dll
O16 - DPF: !!4F1E5B1A-2A80-42CA-8532-2D05CB959537} (MSN Photo Upload Tool) - http://gfx1.hotmail.com/mail/w2/pr02/resources/MSNPUpld.cab
O16 - DPF: !!55027008-315F-4F45-BBC3-8BE119764741} (Slide Image Uploader Control) - http://www.slide.com/uploader/SlideImageUploader.cab
O16 - DPF: !!6414512B-B978-451D-A0D8-FCFDF33E833C} (WUWebControl Class) - http://update.microsoft.com/windowsupdate/v6/V5Controls/en/x86/client/wuweb_site.cab?1137010871296
O16 - DPF: !!917623D1-D8E5-11D2-BE8B-00104B06BDE3} (CamImage Class) - http://www.belfastcity.gov.uk/webcam/AxisCamControl.ocx
O16 - DPF: {A8F2B9BD-A6A0-486A-9744-18920D898429} (ScorchPlugin Class) - http://www.sibelius.com/download/software/win/ActiveXPlugin.cab
O16 - DPF: {B38870E4-7ECB-40DA-8C6A-595F0A5519FF} (MsnMessengerSetupDownloadControl Class) - http://messenger.msn.com/download/MsnMessengerSetupDownloader.cab
O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\Tcpip\..\!!0FB18BE1-E5BE-42D2-8BD5-50554369796B}: NameServer = 192.168.0.1
O17 - HKLM\System\CS1\Services\Tcpip\..\!!0FB18BE1-E5BE-42D2-8BD5-50554369796B}: NameServer = 192.168.0.1
O23 - Service: SMART Board Service - SMART Technologies Inc. - C:\Program Files\SMART Board Software\SMARTBoardService.exe
O23 - Service: TrueVector Internet Monitor (vsmon) - Zone Labs, LLC - C:\WINDOWS\system32\ZoneLabs\vsmon.exe
--
End of file - 4808 bytes

posted_2

zonealarm is the first thing that stands out, always slows bootup.

Do you use smartboard?

What are the proxy settings in IE?

No antivirus?

Woofles

I upgraded my lappys memory from 512 to 1gb and the first thing I noticed was the faster start up time, although I must admit it was never quite as sluggish as yours. Didn't cost an arm and a leg either.

aliEnRIK

Def need 1 gig of ram or more

FIX these using hijack
O2 - BHO: (no name) - !!7E853D72-626A-48EC-A868-BA8D5E23E045} - (no file)
O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\Tcpip\..\!!0FB18BE1-E5BE-42D2-8BD5-50554369796B}: NameServer = 192.168.0.1
O17 - HKLM\System\CS1\Services\Tcpip\..\!!0FB18BE1-E5BE-42D2-8BD5-50554369796B}: NameServer = 192.168.0.1

Whats this? ~
C:\Program Files\SMART Board Software\SMARTBoardService.exe
Sounds like some sort of motherboard monitor? That will slow it RIGHT down for sure

Download SUPERANTISPYWARE (Top right)
http://www.filehippo.com/download_superantispyware/
UPDATE and SCAN

Download CCLEANER (Top right)
http://www.filehippo.com/download_ccleaner/
Run the top 2 scans (Backup the registry when it asks)

Id also personally change zonealarm to PCTOOLS FIREWALL

well-medicated

As I had said in first post, spyware progs already run. I also stated that I had the startup programs at a minimum.

I removed the items highlighted from the scan.

Smart board is teaching software - whiteboard - nothing to do with the motherboard.

What have my IE settings got to do with this problem, I don't understand? There are no IE issues.

The computer ran fine with 512 and then one day it stopped working - I might need to add RAM, but this is not the problem at the minute.

No AV, cos it's no longer used for accessing the internet.

Can anyone answer my question regarding using XP disc to repair?

asininity

Before you get more RAM and all that back up your important files. Uninstall zonealarm especially if its the free version its absolute crap.

As stated above download

Superantispyware, and
CCleaner.

Run both, CCleaner for cleaning up the hard disc and registry. I also reccommend avast! antivirus (run its boot time scan and normal scan) and PCTools Firewall along with threatfire (run threatfires scan as well). Then download,

Smart Defrag, and defragment you hard drive, use the optimisation option.

Then get WinPatrol to control your start up programs, WinPatrol has a facility to delay the start of certain programs you want to start automatically but dont want them slowing your boot time. Very good!

Download a program called Cleanmem, it clears the RAM every 30mins and is real good helps to speed things up. The good thing it runs from the xp scheduler and doesn't run all the time only when it needs to. No resources hoged.

Get yourself a decent uninstaller and uninstall anything you dont need. Something like MyUninstaller.

Finally for registry get EasyCleaner and run that and try a registry defrag using something like Auslogics Registry Defrag. You could also try a pagefile defrag.

If none of that works it might be a reinstall in order. Protect it with the right security and utilities and your laughing.

theboylard

There appears to be a bit of cross talking here, I think you feel that no-one is answering your questions?

The memory question was answered by posted - the difference will be used for the video.

The XP repair option will only reset certain settings, with a fingers crossed attitude to losing personal info/settings, so I wouldn't suggest that straight off

If the laptop is connected to the net, does it boot any faster? This is why people are curious about IE settings, some programs may be looking for a web side response?

What some of the others have posted is common sense suggestions to try and alleviate your symptoms.

As suggested, as you say it no longer connects to the net then uninstall the firewall as it will definitely slow things down, plus it's redundant now obviously as you say the AV is too?
And yet you connect to a school network? Isn't that a source of infection? I'd be surprised if the network support sanctioned that?

A question for you well-medicated:
Which psyware/malware progs? Specifics please as some are definitely better than others!

basmic

Don't bother with either SmartDefrag or Cleanmem!

I've just tried SmartDefrag, and it's a pretty bad excuse for a defragmenting program, even with the deep optimise method!

Firstly download, install and run Defraggler (link).

Secondly, download and install Bootvis (link), close all your programs and run it, then from the Tools menu choose Optimize System. It will ask to restart your computer - do so, but don't touch your computer while it starts up. A message saying something along the lines of "please wait while bootvis loads" will appear - then it will start the optimisation process.

Flushing your memory out frequently could well make your computer slower. What you're doing is flushing out the memory to your page/swap file. If Windows wants to access any of this data, it must access the swap file on your harddisk - which is much slower than than memory!

matty538

Id recomend running tune up utilities on the computer, not only does it clean up your registry defrag the hard drive and generally clear any rubbish out but it also has a system advisor which i find very useful.