Slow Boot Up on Windows XP

[Raeldor]

I have just installed a new system and boot-up is MUCH slower than my old system. It seems to pause with a black screen and the cursor flashing in the top left hand corner for a long time before displaying the regular windows xp loading screen.

The only thing that is different to the last and other systems I have put together is that I used SATA drives instead. Is there a SATA driver or something being loaded here that could be taking longer? Anyone else seen this before? Is there a way to debug and see what is causing the delay?

Thanks all

 

[Raeldor]

Shameless bump.

 

[corkyg]

The SATA BIOS is loaded before Windows ever starts. It does add a brief step in the cycle of booting, but no more than about 10 seconds. After that, Windows starts and it begins to load. The time it takes to do that depends to a large degree on how much automation you want and how many drivers are loaded for peripherals and software.

 

[Bozo]

You might also check your BIOS for something call 'Hard drive Delay' or something similar. It prevents the hard drive from booting up right away. Usually it adjustable.

Bozo

 

[Raeldor]

Thanks guys, I found out what it was. I do not have a floppy drive in this machine and I guess it was looking for a floppy all that time. I removed floppy from the list of boot devices and now it goes straight in. Super fast.

Thanks!!