RIDICULOUSLY long boot-time after reformat

[cpush]

Well I decided to reformat for the summer.

I use a slip-streamed version of windows xp w/ sp2. I have never had such a slow boot-up time before. The bar fills up like 30 times before windows finally loads. I've reinstalled multiple times, OC'd and non OC'd and nothing seems to work. Also with/without the nvidia ide driver.

Chaintech vnf4 Ultra
venice 3200+ @ 2.7ghz
-running 1:1 with ram-
1 gig GEiL ddr500 @ 540 mhz
160gig hitachi t7k250 (or whatever) sata II hdd
sb audigy 2
x800xl

could anyone give me any ideas on what is going on behind the scenes making the boottime go FOREVER?

 

[crispy2010]

Try it without the slipstream, prob a bad or wrong driver being loaded!

 

[cpush]

i guess... but this is the same disk i've used from the beginning, never had any troubles before!

 

[crispy2010]

Originally posted by: cpush
i guess... but this is the same disk i've used from the beginning, never had any troubles before!

If this is true then I would run memory test, and hdd test to be sure there is no hardware failure.

 

[drum]

Originally posted by: cpush
i guess... but this is the same disk i've used from the beginning, never had any troubles before!

i've had the same thing happen though. streamed 2000 cd i used all the time at work suddenly refused to copy driver.cab during install.

 

[cpush]

interesting, I'll give the old way a shot then.

any suggestions on totally clearing a hdd first? I mean CLEAN, deleting partitions is as deep as you can go?

maybe I dont trust ms winxp option to delete the partition, and its leaving bits behind.

how can I totally clear it off for fresh?

 

[MrChad]

Originally posted by: cpush
interesting, I'll give the old way a shot then.

any suggestions on totally clearing a hdd first? I mean CLEAN, deleting partitions is as deep as you can go?

maybe I dont trust ms winxp option to delete the partition, and its leaving bits behind.

how can I totally clear it off for fresh?

I would highly doubt that slipstreaming SP2 is the cause of this issue. And there's no reason not to trust the Windows setup option to delete a partition.

Did you see this problem upon first booting the system? Or was it after you started adding drivers? Have you tried disconnecting the network adapter to see if that makes a difference? Are there any warning icons in Device Manager? Make sure you are using only WHQL-certified drivers for all of your hardware.

 

[MrChad]

And this just another reason why ideas like "reformatting for the summer" are foolish. You can properly maintain a Windows installation and see no loss in performance or stability for years. Formatting every x months is completely unnecessary.

 

[cpush]

this problem started before drivers were installed.

and this wasnt necessarily just a "reformat for the summer" my ati drivers were totally messed up and I could not play cs source. I reinstalled/cleaned drivers multiple times and reinstalled css.

so I had reason.

it's besides the point anyway.

 

[MrChad]

Originally posted by: cpush
this problem started before drivers were installed.

Did you install all the latest WHQL-certified drivers for your hardware?

 

[cpush]

yes I did. but you see I am just soo confused. I have never had this issue before, drivers or not.

This is driving me crazy!!!!!! I have tried a million things tonight, re-seating all hardware, changing sata cables, running hdd diagnostics (from hitachi), deleting the boot record, re-installing windows A BAZILLION times. No luck, at all

One thing I did do differently this install, and I dont know why I did this, but when I was first installing windows after the first reformat, I spammed F7 during the blue windows start up. This prompts you with a menu to choose which type of computer you are installing. I did this LONG ago and have no idea why I decided to do it again. Anyway I chose "Standard PC" Could this have caused some faulty driver to load? If so wouldnt deleting the partition and starting over normally fix it?? Or are those files loaded somewhere and I need to take care of them?

bah I need to fix this, the damn bar fills up 30+ times, it used to be like 2-3

 

[manly]

You should have selected the ACPI HAL instead of Standard PC.

Note that "ACPI Uniprocessor" didn't work well on my older nForce2 system.

 

[cpush]

really? ACPI HAL?

these make a difference then?

maybe I could give that try

 

[MrChad]

Originally posted by: cpush
really? ACPI HAL?

these make a difference then?

maybe I could give that try

If you don't manually select your HAL during setup (i.e. you let Windows do it for you), you're most likely using ACPI already.

 

[cpush]

thats what I figured, but do you think the fact that I forced it at "Standard PC" the first time had anything to do with my problem?

 

[Smilin]

Originally posted by: cpush
yes I did. but you see I am just soo confused. I have never had this issue before, drivers or not.

This is driving me crazy!!!!!! I have tried a million things tonight, re-seating all hardware, changing sata cables, running hdd diagnostics (from hitachi), deleting the boot record, re-installing windows A BAZILLION times. No luck, at all

One thing I did do differently this install, and I dont know why I did this, but when I was first installing windows after the first reformat, I spammed F7 during the blue windows start up. This prompts you with a menu to choose which type of computer you are installing. I did this LONG ago and have no idea why I decided to do it again. Anyway I chose "Standard PC" Could this have caused some faulty driver to load? If so wouldnt deleting the partition and starting over normally fix it?? Or are those files loaded somewhere and I need to take care of them?

bah I need to fix this, the damn bar fills up 30+ times, it used to be like 2-3

*slaps forehead*

Do not use the F7 key. It is hidden for a reason.

If you are using "Standard PC" then none of your power management will work and you're going to have interrupt conflicts because you've forced it to use the standard 16 interrupts (which are not enough). Although it is likely the correct choice, do not use ACPI either. Just let windows detect it.

That F7 key is there so custom HALs like Unisys can be used. It wasn't intended for people to pick one of the inbox HALs.

 

[MrChad]

Originally posted by: cpush
thats what I figured, but do you think the fact that I forced it at "Standard PC" the first time had anything to do with my problem?

No, the choice doesn't "stick" through subsequent installs (as far as I know), if that's what you're asking.

 

[cpush]

Originally posted by: Smilin

Originally posted by: cpush
yes I did. but you see I am just soo confused. I have never had this issue before, drivers or not.

This is driving me crazy!!!!!! I have tried a million things tonight, re-seating all hardware, changing sata cables, running hdd diagnostics (from hitachi), deleting the boot record, re-installing windows A BAZILLION times. No luck, at all

One thing I did do differently this install, and I dont know why I did this, but when I was first installing windows after the first reformat, I spammed F7 during the blue windows start up. This prompts you with a menu to choose which type of computer you are installing. I did this LONG ago and have no idea why I decided to do it again. Anyway I chose "Standard PC" Could this have caused some faulty driver to load? If so wouldnt deleting the partition and starting over normally fix it?? Or are those files loaded somewhere and I need to take care of them?

bah I need to fix this, the damn bar fills up 30+ times, it used to be like 2-3

*slaps forehead*

Do not use the F7 key. It is hidden for a reason.

If you are using "Standard PC" then none of your power management will work and you're going to have interrupt conflicts because you've forced it to use the standard 16 interrupts (which are not enough). Although it is likely the correct choice, do not use ACPI either. Just let windows detect it.

That F7 key is there so custom HALs like Unisys can be used. It wasn't intended for people to pick one of the inbox HALs.

OK OK I understand this now, but do you think it contributed to my problem?

 

[Smilin]

It could certainly cause a long boot time, yes.

 

[cpush]

But, as I've previously asked, wouldn't reformatting and installing windows (without hitting F7) fix it?

OR, have I caused something to be "set" a certain way, and re-installing windows alone cannot fix it. Because I have reformatted several times since then, and have not chosen a certain computer type. Yet, I am getting incredible record-setting LONG boot-times.

 

[Smilin]

Yes, a reinstall without hitting F7 would allow Windows to detect the correct HAL.

Be sure your BIOS is set to ACPI (aka plug and play aware OS=yes)


Also, you can confirm which HAL you are running by looking at properties on the computer at the top of the device manager tree.

 

[cpush]

damn. yes these settings are being used.

could my hdd be going bad? I would guess in windows I would experience similar issues, but I am not.

*this is sort of off topic, but since my hdd has been acting funky, I think my CPU is dying. I am getting continuous BEEEEPS, and locking up in the bios. Ugh.. this has not been my week

 

[rasczak]

try lowering your overclock back downto stock settings and reinstalling then.

 

[cpush]

Originally posted by: jpbelauskas
try lowering your overclock back downto stock settings and reinstalling then.

I've tried this as well.

 

[Smilin]

Are you throwing errors in the system log during boot?

What happens if you boot to safe mode? Does the logging hang anywhere for a while? (other than at mup.sys of course).

Have you tried an MSConfig clean boot?

Where during the boot process do you see the hang? Before you reach the welcome screen?