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Booting Windows98SE Takes Forever!

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Dantzig

Golden Member
Well, not forever, but about a full minute 🙁 The machine that I built for my brother boots in 15-20 seconds!

My system:

Athlon 700@864MHz
Abit KA7
256MB PC133 SDRAM @ 144MHz
GeForce2 GTS @ 220/380
SBLive! X-Gamer
Promise Ultra/66 Controller
Linksys 10/100 PCI Ethernet Adapter
Zoom ISA Hardware Modem
Maxtor 40GB HD
Philips 5x DVD
Ricoh 6x4x24 CD-RW
Zip100 Internal
Generic Floppy
entrega 3 port USB hub + Ethernet Adapter (Ethernet adapter disabled)
Lexmark 5700 Printer
UMAX Astra 2100U USB Scanner
Microsoft Natural Keyboard PRO USB
Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer
Gravis Gamepad Pro USB

I've done everything I can think of to speed up the boot process, including setting the bootdelay to zero and disabling the splash screen.

I don't know if I'm reading this right, but it my bootlog file appears to say that it's taking a long time to load TCP/IP. Am I correct about this?

Any tips on how to speed things up will be very much aprreciated! Thanks!
 
The more software and hardware (any I see you have plenty of hw!) you add the slower 98SE will boot. Networking is a big time waster (DNS resolution, etc.) as is the sound card and other devices. I'm sure you can find speed-up guides all over the net but a good place to start is the Win98SE System Configuration Utility. Run Msconfig.exe and remove unnecessary programs.
 
JellyBaby - Thanks for the response! 🙂 I understand that booting takes longer when you add more junk. I've already disabled all unnecessary software from loading at boot time. I've also everything those "guides" say to do--most of them just tell you to not load unnecessary programs, set bootdelay to zero, and disable the splash screen.

It seems like my boot time doubled after adding the Promise Ultra/66 controller and the Zip100 drive. However, if I'm reading the bootlog file correctly, TCP/IP is the component which is taking the longest to load and it has nothing to do with the controller card...and if TCP/IP is the offending party, there's nothing I can do because I need to have my machine on the network.

I guess on the bright side, a boot time around a minute for Win98SE is still faster than booting WinNT 😉 Linux takes around 20 seconds.
 
Varborta - To create the bootlog file, hit <F8> when the Starting Windows 98 . . . text comes up and select menu option 2.

It should be in the root directory on the drive on which you installed Windows. Ex: If Windows is installed at C:\windows, the bootlog file is at c:\bootlog.txt

If you can't see it, make sure you all show all files selected at Windows Explorer -> View -> Folder Options -> View -> Hidden Files: Show All Files
 
<< and if TCP/IP is the offending party, there's nothing I can do because I need to have my machine on the network. >>

Dantzig, yep most of us are in that boat. I hear Win ME speeds bootup but for the maximum benefit you need a specially designed motherboard/bios (which I lack). Plus I never upgrade a M$ OS until the first (or seventh) service pack.

Somewhere on the net there was a bootlog analyzer. I tried it once and was surprised at the number of failed loads Win attempted. Maybe worth checking into just to see if something isn't seriously hosed someplace.

 
Dantzig - i know for a fact that scsi slows the boot-up time significantly, so it could beyour promise card.
 
I'm pretty new to all this. But how do you go about getting service packs for Windows ME? Do you have to buy these or do you just download these off of microsoft's website? I'm guessing there aren't any service packs for ME yet, but how would I go about it in the future?
 
Yep, and hope your internet connection is up because Windows Update is your only choice for getting that patch today. :|
 
While your box boots does windows just seem to pause at boot for about 20-30 seconds? If do you DHCP enabled on your NIC? If so you can try setting a static IP to see if your box is just having prblems getting an IP.

Just a Thought
 
Dantzig: CYM. I've sent you something that will tell you exactly what is taking up the time to boot according to bootlog.txt.
 
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