Slow Windows 2000

[beejay]

Over the last 2 weeks I have noticed that Win 2K takes about twice as long to boot up as it used to. Also, once the desktop has been created and I first click on an shortcut to open IE6 or OE6 or use any other button, it takes over 2 minutes before the appropriate browser or window or application opens up.

This was happening before the most recent download of 7 critical security updates (now downloaded) and also after their download.

I have been using AdAware, Spybot Search & Destroy, Spyware Blaster and Webroot Spy Sweeper so it is unlikely that some malware in slowing up the system.

Regular scans also show no virus on the PC.

What could be the problem and how can I fix it?

[jmtjet]

You could try rolling back to the "last known good configuration" this link will tell you how;

http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000626.htm

Hope this helps.

[beejay]

Thanks for the idea but no progress, I'm afraid. I successfully chose "last known good configuration" but (even after rebooting) the PC is still taking far too long to boot up and be usable e.g.

Time with Win 2K showing windows start up = 2 minutes;
(The progress bar goes quickly to halfway then stalls for 2 minutes before completion of start up)

Time for desktop to be established = 1 minute;

Time after clicking on desktop shortcut before application then opens = 5 long minutes!

After the first application opens the PC works fine; other applications open as quickly as they used to. It is as if something else is running during or after start up and is stopping any other operation until it is finished.

[SuperSparks]

Create a shortcut to Task Manager (taskmgr.exe in your System32 folder), and put it in your Programs>Startup folder. Open it to the Processes tab, and make sure that you have CPU and CPU time showing (you can choose them from View>Select Columns). Then as soon as the desktop appears you should be able to see what is hogging the CPU cycles with a bit of luck.

[beejay]

I followed jmtjet's suggestion yesterday and there was no improvement in speed taken but I was able to use the PC eventually. I waited to see what happened today. Maybe it needed a reboot?

Sadly, today, when I started to boot up into windows, it was taking the same lengthy time as before, then, when it appeared to be configuring settings, only the blue background screen of the desktop appeared - no icons or system tray - NOTHING!

Forutnately I am able to post this update by other means but I would really appreciate some help in getting Windows up and running properly again.

[Teknophobia]

Just a thought, but could you check your Spybot (Advanced Mode) Tools menu for 'System Startup', uncheck them all, and start your PC. If PC starts fine, then add/check the start-up programs one-by-one 'til you find the culprit!

TEk

EDIT - sorry, posted the above before I saw your last comment!

[beejay]

Thanks for the idea, Teknophobia, but I cannot do as you suggest because of my blank desktop and system tray. There is not even a start button to let me find any programs such as Spybot.

[beejay]

I re-tried booting up into Windows and this time the ever slow process did eventually give me a desktop.

I followed Supersparks suggestion and the task manager listed 20 processes when the desktop had formed. Very few showed any CPU time at all, only 1 or 2 seconds, apart from System Idle Process which seems to be on continually (still on now, 20 minutes after desktop formed) and gave the following readings :
PID = 0; CPU = 98; CPU Time 20 minutes and counting.

As for Tek's suggestion, I unchecked all of Spybot's boxes but this had no effect since it was not set to run at start up anyway.

Any other suggestions?

[zipulrich]

May be a silly question, but how often do you defrag?

[beejay]

There's no such thing as a silly question - apart from those you don't ask. Last defrag must have been around 6 - 7 months ago.

[SuperSparks]

A high value for the System Idle process is a good thing, it indicates that the CPU isn't doing much. So whatever the problem is, it isn't something hogging the CPU cycles anyway.

Go to Programs>Accessories>System Tools>System Information and see what the CPU speed is reprted as in System Symmary - I'm just wondering if the machine has become underclocked.

[beejay]

I have got to the System Information - System Summary but CPU Speed is not in the list of 17 items shown.

The list starts : OS Name, Version, OS Manufacturer, System Name........and ends up with Page File Space.

Have I got the right place?

[SuperSparks]

Yes, in mine, for example, it says:

Processor - x86 family 15 model 2 stepping 7 GenuineIntel ~2942MHz

It's that last figure that we want.

[shahan]

I have only one thing to say - I have the same problem. Slow system start-up. I have used other systems and i can tell you i will soon be moving away from Microsoft. The other systems i have used are much better and faster.

[beejay]

In reply to Supersparks, my System Info entry shows :

Processor - x86 family 6 model 6 stepping 2 AuthenticAMD ~1339MHz

Does this help shed any light on the problem?

To reiterate, after the very slow boot-up and after the desktop is formed, it is just the very first application which takes 5 minutes to open. After that, the PC works as fast as ever and subsequent applications open fine.