Painfully slow installations in Win 7 x64

m0nstr0s1ty

m0nstr0s1ty

m0nstr0s1ty

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31 Oct 2011
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Okay, so, I've built a new PC, had it for about 4 months now. Recently, within the last month or so, Windows 7 has been taking an absolute age to install anything whatsoever.

As an example, it took 30 mins or so to install the latest Java (32bit). Now I know Java isn't a particularly large program, and it shouldn't take that long. Comparing the install to an OptiPlex 755 with Win 7 x64 leaves no competition. The 755 completes the install after a few minutes.

I recently tried to install Blacklight Retribution, and it did install, but took near to an hour. Friends commented saying it took maybe 15-20 mins for the entire install for them.

I have tried disk defrag, registry cleaner and/or defrag, even changing the HDD operation.

It doesn't seem to make a difference and I know the easiest thing to do is wipe / clean install but.. really?! The effort.

So, I ended up here.. do any of you have any other ideas?!

I'd really appreciate the help. Thanks.

P.S. I have also tried disabling background processes, tasks etc, and there's nothing else running apart from the obvious (AV etc.) when I attempt, with no difference.
 
cpu overheating and running at low clock?

HDD on its way out? - check event logs for errors

I assume task manager shows cpu doing not a lot?
 
Have you run dskchk? Or scanned your HDD with the manufacturers diagnostic software? Sounds like a HDD problem to me but only at a guess. Worth disabling your AVs live features to see if it is causing issues, I haven't seen that myself for a few years but it can happen.
 
edscdk said:
cpu overheating and running at low clock?

HDD on its way out? - check event logs for errors

I assume task manager shows cpu doing not a lot?
Click to expand...

My CPU's (2700k @ 4.4) temp. idles at 34-38 and at as much load as it would ever have it doesnt go over 70(ish). It's well cooled. Nothing out of the ordinary for a loaded processor in Task Mgr, but when the 'install bar' stops moving.. so does the processor load. You'd expect that though wouldn't you? It's just that when the install sits idle... it sits idle for a long time. It does eventually install - and I don't install that often - only new games which I try out.

My HDD is new with the rest of the hardware, WD Caviar Black. That said, I'm not saying it isn't faulty, but less likely.

I have no problems with things which are installed now, or copying/cutting/pasting files between hard drives (I have 3 others - not using RAID config.).

I installed the OS while the HDD operation was in IDE (I know, stupid!), but I don't think subsequently changing the HDD operation would cause a problem would it?
 
Crowort said:
Have you run dskchk? Or scanned your HDD with the manufacturers diagnostic software? Sounds like a HDD problem to me but only at a guess. Worth disabling your AVs live features to see if it is causing issues, I haven't seen that myself for a few years but it can happen.
Click to expand...

I haven't run dskchk - that will be my next step and I will let you know the results, thanks for the feedback.
 
m0nstr0s1ty said:
My CPU's (2700k @ 4.4) temp. idles at 34-38 and at as much load as it would ever have it doesnt go over 70(ish). It's well cooled. Nothing out of the ordinary for a loaded processor in Task Mgr, but when the 'install bar' stops moving.. so does the processor load. You'd expect that though wouldn't you? It's just that when the install sits idle... it sits idle for a long time. It does eventually install - and I don't install that often - only new games which I try out.

My HDD is new with the rest of the hardware, WD Caviar Black. That said, I'm not saying it isn't faulty, but less likely.

I have no problems with things which are installed now, or copying/cutting/pasting files between hard drives (I have 3 others - not using RAID config.).

I installed the OS while the HDD operation was in IDE (I know, stupid!), but I don't think subsequently changing the HDD operation would cause a problem would it?
Click to expand...

I think changing the hdd op might be the issue, in fact i am surprised you can complete a boot.
 
yeah I reckon a fresh install with the hdd in ACHI mode would help a great deal, but a diskcheck might throw up some problems as well!
 
Thanks for the replies.

I thought that changing the operation would cause a problem too, but, it is supported in Windows 7 apparently.

When you image and install the OS, it only loads the drivers for the HDD operation you've set in the BIOS, in this case, IDE.

Changing a couple of registry entries loads the drivers on pre-boot so you can then change the operation in the BIOS and Windows should, theoretically, run without any problems. If you don't do this, Windows will BSOD.

There's an official KB on it with MS which is how I came about it. But it also doesn't say that there are "known issues" with changing the operation. Certainly nothing about (negative) HDD performance.

That said, I know it's never a good idea to change operation after OS install so maybe..

P.S. checkdisk went through without any problems for OSDisk. Took an age though, sad face. :( I'll test install of Bioshock 2 to see if it's made a difference..
 
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Well, I installed Bioshock 2 and it took about 30 minutes - both game and DirectX components. I'm not sure if that is "normal" for BioShock 2.

What did happen, though, is that the install sat idle, literally doing nothing (but it hadn't stopped responding) for about 10-12 minutes at the start. Once it kicked off, it wasn't too bad. No slower than I'd really expect. I'm not sure if that is normal either but in my experience of installing I wouldn't expect it to sit there idling.

I am installing a patch for the game as we speak and again, the patcher is idle - but hasn't stopped responding. Been like it for about 4 mins.
 
Moley said:
Have you tried removing all copies of .NET. running the .NET cleanup tool (http://blogs.msdn.com/b/astebner/archive/2008/08/28/8904493.aspx) and then re-installing the latest version?

.NET can get it's knickers in a twist sometimes and cause all sorts of issues with installtions of software.
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I have most definitely not tried that. I'vegot Framework 4 installed. I'll remove it and install the latest/appropriate version as soon as this patch is done.

Oh yeah, and the patch still isn't done.
 
Interestingly, .NET uninstalled pretty quickly, within a couple of mins - and the reinstall took just over 3 mins. That's more what I would expect. The install didn't sit idle - it went straight into the install and whizzed through.

So... now I need to test installing something else.

I'd like to say it's promising.. but can't help feeling it's just coincidence.
 
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