windows takes a long time to finish working after booting?

aardvark

aardvark

aardvark

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my xp installation is over a year old but i keep it pretty tidy and optimised - however, i still find that after starting and the desktop comes up the hard drive is pretty busy for about 1 minute before it settles down.
does anybody have any tips to see if i can improve this, like a peice of software or something?
i'm sure it hasn't always been like this, although i have a lot of software on it these days - i can't help feeling that i can speed it up somehow (my pc at work is faster at starting up but is a lower spec.)

i know its a bit of a vague question ;) - i can spot nothing out of ordinary in the startup etc..

cheers
 
i've pretty much got rid of everything i think i can.

i wonder if its my firewall? i use kerio personnal firewall (this is something my pc at work doesn't have or need as its in a university) - does this slow down the intial load up in anyones experience?
 
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aardvark said:
i've pretty much got rid of everything i think i can.

i wonder if its my firewall? i use kerio personnal firewall (this is something my pc at work doesn't have or need as its in a university) - does this slow down the intial load up in anyones experience?
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are you on any kind of network - even down to using a router for your broadband? I have found that DHCP creates a substantial delay whilst your pc tries to get an IP Address. Setting this manually solves the problem.
 
zytok said:
are you on any kind of network - even down to using a router for your broadband? I have found that DHCP creates a substantial delay whilst your pc tries to get an IP Address. Setting this manually solves the problem.
Click to expand...

i have ntl braodband that is coming through a set top box - no idea about the settings.
 
aardvark said:
i have ntl braodband that is coming through a set top box - no idea about the settings.
Click to expand...
does it connect via USB or your NIC card? Do you have a wireless network setup to share broadband around the house?
 
aardvark said:
direct to the ethernet socket on the motherboard - no wireless set up.
Click to expand...
ok so if it's ethernet based then you have a network (of sorts) which will be using TCP/IP.
Try to find out the IP address of your broadband modem/router (should be something like 192.168.1.1 then go to your network card properties and turn DHCP off and set the ip address of your pc to 192.168.1.3 (basically just increas the last number of whatever your router is using by two. This allows for some routers using .2 for itself as well.)
The subnet should normally be 255.255.255.0, the gateway 192.168.1.1 and the DNS server 192.168.1.1. (The last two are the ip address assigned to your router so change as appropriate). Click ok and you should be sorted.
 
zytok said:
ok so if it's ethernet based then you have a network (of sorts) which will be using TCP/IP.
Try to find out the IP address of your broadband modem/router (should be something like 192.168.1.1 then go to your network card properties and turn DHCP off and set the ip address of your pc to 192.168.1.3 (basically just increas the last number of whatever your router is using by two. This allows for some routers using .2 for itself as well.)
The subnet should normally be 255.255.255.0, the gateway 192.168.1.1 and the DNS server 192.168.1.1. (The last two are the ip address assigned to your router so change as appropriate). Click ok and you should be sorted.
Click to expand...

Do Not Do This, you will totally break your network connection. The cable modem/STB provides a gateway through to the NTL network, so the IP address that you are given comes directly from NTL not from the STB.

If your IP is flicking to 192.???.???.???, then the STB is losing sync with NTL and is providing a private IP address until it sorts its connection out

Check the sync lights on the STB for the ethernet connection, see if it loses the ready/sync status (working from theory here as I have a separate cable modem)
 
Andre said:
Do Not Do This, you will totally break your network connection. The cable modem/STB provides a gateway through to the NTL network, so the IP address that you are given comes directly from NTL not from the STB.

If your IP is flicking to 192.???.???.???, then the STB is losing sync with NTL and is providing a private IP address until it sorts its connection out

Check the sync lights on the STB for the ethernet connection, see if it loses the ready/sync status (working from theory here as I have a separate cable modem)
Click to expand...
If this is right then I apologise for giving out duff info. I just know that DHCP slows your boot up time and the settings given work for me.
 
zytok said:
If this is right then I apologise for giving out duff info. I just know that DHCP slows your boot up time and the settings given work for me.
Click to expand...
'twould be fine if the OP was using a router, but they are connected straight to the STB - hence my comments about not doing this. If they were using a router, then this would be perfectly okay - but it is NTL giving out the IP address
 
Andre said:
'twould be fine if the OP was using a router, but they are connected straight to the STB - hence my comments about not doing this. If they were using a router, then this would be perfectly okay - but it is NTL giving out the IP address
Click to expand...
At least I'm not completely mad (or crap) then.... :D
 
ahh, i guess i won't be trying this then ;)

i might just have to put up with the wait on starting windows - it might be normal considering the firewall and antivirus.
 
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