Desktop slow to load in XP

[ipsquitch]

After logging into XP, the desktop takes forever to load (30+ seconds). I always though this was due to some process that took forever to start. However, I stumbled across the solution that if you hit the spacebar anytime during the load, the desktop pops right up. I've checked my running processes both ways (with and w\o the spacebar trick) and everything is the same. I've seen this problem on multiple computers on different networks, so I'm kinda curious what's going on here. Has anybody else seen this? Anybody have any ideas or explanations about what's going on? I apologize in advance if this has been covered in a different thread and I'm just covering old ground.

 

[AgentZap]

Have you tried using msconfig to disable each startup program to find if it is a particular program or combination of programs that are doing it? Out of the blue Norton was doing that to one of my computers.

 

[Goosemaster]

This happens with my parents pc. I checked the system logs and it turns out DHCP is acting all funky. I think my rotuer is messed up(sonicwall)

 

[CTho9305]

Originally posted by: ipsquitch
After logging into XP, the desktop takes forever to load (30+ seconds). I always though this was due to some process that took forever to start. However, I stumbled across the solution that if you hit the spacebar anytime during the load, the desktop pops right up. I've checked my running processes both ways (with and w\o the spacebar trick) and everything is the same. I've seen this problem on multiple computers on different networks, so I'm kinda curious what's going on here. Has anybody else seen this? Anybody have any ideas or explanations about what's going on? I apologize in advance if this has been covered in a different thread and I'm just covering old ground.

Might be a dialog box. I used to get some "Advanced INF Install" error when logging in as administrator. ctrl+alt+del or alt-tab would let me see the dialog and close it.