[RESOLVED] Weird Windows Start

Hi Everyone !
My office computer is an Acer P4 1.8ghz, 1 gig RAM, onboard sound and video, WD hard drive. Windows XP Pro SP3. It is not connected nor has it ever been to the internet, but a home-type network in the same room with 2 other machines.

It has always booted up very quickly in the morning. It would quickly go from the CMOS splash-screen, to the BIOS screen, then to the Windows XP screen with the blue bar, then quickly to the Welcome screen, then just as quick to the desktop image, opening sound, and icons and taskbar. This would take about 30sec total.

Last Wed it started to hang on a blank screen after the black Windows XP screen, no Welcome screen, then the desktop image opens and sits there, a bit later the opening sound starts and the pointer appears, then a long wait and the icons and task bar finally pop up.

The computer then runs fine all during the day, and shuts down perfectly at the end of the day.

I first ran a System Restore from a couple days previous and the problem still existed, making me think hardware.

I first suspected the HD going bad, so I ran the WD diagnostics from the UBCD and found no problems. And the Hitachi diagnostics from the EBCD and no problems found.
I defrag regularly and the HD is not 1/2 full.

I'm stumped.:confused:

Is there some kind of boot log that I can read to see where it is hanging up ?

I also suspected the opening sound file, but I disabled that and it still booted slow.

Thanks as always for your input
Dave

Maybe time to do a clean install. Going by the Acer P4 1.8ghz, 1 gig RAM information.
XP, 3 years was the best I ever got with out a clean install. It flat slowed down.

You could check the Event Viewer logs to see if there are any clues there.

You can enable boot logging in XP. Have a read of these:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/l.../bb457123.aspx

http://www.watchingthenet.com/how-to...n-windows.html

http://wongablog.co.uk/2007/01/13/xp...oken-services/

Thanks Everyone,

Train,
That's the last resort. This install is about 2yrs old now. Everything still runs pretty well.

jdc2000,
I will take a look there.

Super Sparks,
Very interesting links, especially the first one.
I'll run a boot log.

I'm off Friday, so I'll do it on Saturday.

Thanks again,
Dave

Hey Everyone !
Good news ! I'm back to a 30 sec. boot :)

To make a long story short, After checking all of your suggestions and finding nothing, I began backing up everything to get ready for a complete reinstall and then I remembered something one of you regulars said in another thread about a similar problem, when I did a search about this issue. That it was a printer problem.

So I disconnected and uninstalled the printer and drivers.

Booted right up! Reinstalled drivers and reconnected printer and now all is well.

Thanks guys,
Dave

Excellent!

Cant do much better than a 30 second boot!

Well to be honest, I'll say 30ish seconds.. LOL
Now I'm going to have to time it on Monday :D
Dave