very slow windows loading on my raptor, could the hdd be on its way out?

cokecan · 27 Aug 2007 at 17:16

I've got really really slow windows loading times on my old 74gig raptor and just can't work out why.

When starting up the windows loading scroll bar will scroll around 15 times before i can even hear the raptor doing anything, then finishes loading windows. but everythin in windows once it's loaded seem's ok??

Could this be a problem with the raptor??? i've changed the sata cable incase it was that but no change

AFAIK using a SATA hdd on a SATA II mobo shouldnt have any problems, right???

Not used HD Tach before so dunno what i'd be lookin for to check if the speed of it's ok???

Any idea's??

Thanks

helmutcheese · 27 Aug 2007 at 17:18

Is read and Write Caches Enabled etc, you really need run a bench to see.

cokecan · 27 Aug 2007 at 17:34

I've ran the full test in HD Tach

helmutcheese · 27 Aug 2007 at 17:37

Speeds ok for Average Transfers esp if a 8MB Raptor, you seem to have lot of services doing things in background going by all the dips.

Scan for Spyware/Viri etc.

cokecan · 27 Aug 2007 at 17:42

Yeah it is an 8meg version

I've tidied up a few non-microsoft services in msconfig but kept a few running like ipod stuff, diskeeper etc

But surely the services that are still running wouldnt slow windows load up that much?? on my last PC witht his same raptor i had around the same ammount of services going but loading times were like a quater of what they are now??

helmutcheese · 27 Aug 2007 at 17:56

Run HD-Tune and see health results.

http://www.hdtune.com/

Edit, that looks wrong APP, cant remember what other one is called.

It is that app but looks like this normally: http://img185.imageshack.us/my.php?image=hddsdj4.jpg

cokecan · 27 Aug 2007 at 19:27

Ok, done that

It looks reasonably similer to your WD one in your screenshot above but the transfer speed seemed to drop quite a bit throughout the test

helmutcheese · 27 Aug 2007 at 19:30

I got that screen from this forum, its not mine.

Thats like a big dipper, deff something not right, run the HEALTH test please.

cokecan · 27 Aug 2007 at 20:22

just ran the error test and the whole lot is green??

Cyber-Mav · 27 Aug 2007 at 21:40

cokecan72 said:
.....kept a few running like ipod stuff, diskeeper etc

diskeeper sounds like some kind of program that would hammer the hard drive trying to keep it defragged on the go or something which would slow thigs down a lot.

helmutcheese · 27 Aug 2007 at 22:12

Was going to suggest that but walked dog instead.

Im sure the latest builds defrags PC constantly supposed to be when idle, it may be running all the time for you, in Vista I could prove it but I assume you on XP.

cokecan · 27 Aug 2007 at 23:01

well i'm using version 10, same version i was using with my last PC???

also windows seems to runs fine once its started, it's just the loading time that is really bad and i have no idea why??

enigmo · 28 Aug 2007 at 23:29

Isolate and terminate, if I were you. Kill Diskeeper (disable or uninstall it) and restart and see if that was the problem. After that, move on to other bits of software you have installed and see if it's one of those bringing things to a halt in the background.
Also try the obvious; defrag, error check etc. Usually, when I see a drive on it's way out it doesn't delay boot like that. It usually grinds a whole lot or just dies, but rarely pauses like that. It's usually a system service sat in the background being unreasonable.

krisbutler · 28 Aug 2007 at 23:33

rma it i got a 150 gb 16mb one back after sending my 74 gb 8mb in