Odd problem win xp

P_A_N_I_C

P_A_N_I_C

P_A_N_I_C

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had a call out to check out a win xp machine, it's being used as a simple server so ive not had much time to run proper checks yet. i'm planning on going back to do a repair install of windows but thought i'd run it past you lot to see if anyone has had this problem before.

bottom line is that when windows desktop has loaded, no apps will start for approx 25-30 minutes, and any icons clicked in that period will load all at the same time after 25 or so mins. the pc will work fine until it's rebooted again.

when i first heard this i thought something might be hammering the processor, and when it's finished, the cpu is freed up and then can continue as normal.

however i managed to get task manager up one time before the problem started and noticed that the cpu was 99% idle, and if you ran any app, then that process would be added to the process list, it's just that the app would not run properly until 25 mins or so had passed :confused:

literally nothing will run, explorer windows, start menu, no windows shortcuts will function etc.

only thing at all in the event viewer are warnings relating to the SQL database, and normal events are being logged during the 25 mins.

windows update did not work, so i'm leaning towards a virus maybe but AV is installed and was upto date so i didn't just want to blame it on viruses straight away. i'll be returnign tomorrow so i'll run an av check then.
 
There's a rare(ish) problem where windows update takes ages to scan all the .cat files on a machine, check svchost.exe isn't nailing the cpu

Do virus checks etc..

Also check the pagefile is on.


Thinking again about it.. sounds like dying memory or hard drive.

Try a live linux disc like Slax and see how that performs
 
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oh i did run the Dell diagnostics and they came back clean. they are usually pretty good for finding issues. it's just weird that the pc runs all day long without any further issues.

AV is a corporate version of symantec.
 
just working on it now, cloned the hard drive with acronis which didnt report any errors, stuck the new hdd into an idential pc, boots up with the same error. oddly enough Firefox started up properly but nothing else.

ran a scan with malwarebytes just after the clone which picked up something, it mentioned some security feature was disabled but that was it.

doing a repair install now.
 
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What anti-virus is it running? Have seen a machine with Bit defender on do almost the exact same thing due to it getting very over-zealous on scanning I/O operations.
 
AV is symantec, not my fav but i dont believe that was causing the probs.

repair install seemed to make it better.... as far as i can tell. rebooted a ton of times with no reoccurance. however the problem did not happen every day either. so this might come back to haunt me. but next time would be a complete rebuild anyway.

thanks for the tips guys :)
 
Try disabling the network adapter and booting again.

I had something similar and it was all down to the boot process waiting on something network related (it could have been D.H.C.P.), preventing me from doing anything until it timed out.
 
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