Tweaking slow Win2k systems

[Ichinisan]

I'm working on a system that belongs to the son of the top executive where I work. I'd really like to return this computer in better-than-ever condition. Reformatting is not an option. I have already removed viruses and spyware using updated AVG, Spybot, Ad-Aware, Spy Sweeper, and Microsoft Windows AntiSpyware. I have obsessively tweaked startup items manually and also using regedit and HijackThis.

I notice that the computer still takes a long time to boot up and shut down. This seems typical of many Win2k installs. Is there anything that can be done to improve startup/shutdown time? I see that much of the time is spent idle while the computer shows no disk activity. I know that the hard drive is not intermittent because everything performs well after Windows has loaded.

During my experience troubleshooting and repairing PC's, I have encountered many Win2k installs that were inexplicably slow to start up. These systems always seem to report memory in kilobytes instead of megabytes through System Properties. What could be causing this? Can anyone else with Win2k check System Properties and tell me how memory capacity is reported?

 

[OdiN]

Not much you can do. How much RAM does it have?

 

[Ichinisan]

"261,664 KB", which does not translate perfectly into MB (261,664KB/1,024=255.53125MB; roughly 256MB). Might there be some kind of "rootkit" technology that would cause the memory to be reported improperly?

 

[OdiN]

Originally posted by: Ichinisan
"261,664 KB", which does not translate perfectly into MB (261,664KB/1,024=255.53125MB; roughly 256MB). Might there be some kind of "rootkit" technology that would cause the memory to be reported improperly?

That looks like 256MB to me. You may try adding some more...that may not help though.

Does it have SP4 installed?

 

[Ichinisan]

What concerns me is that several kb or memory is suspiciously missing. Keep in mind that this system already had several virus-infected files that were removed.

It does have SP4 installed, and the latest updates.

 

[alevasseur14]

Memory never reports 100% right on. It's got 256MB. You should probably put in some more; it will help.

 

[Googer]

I have actully used and "stolen" dll's from Windows XP machines. Certain aspects of my PC do feel smoother as a result of it. 256MB of ram on Windows 2000 is barely enough. 512MB or more and you really begin to notice some improvemants. PC133 is getting a bit expensive these days so 512MB for a total of 768 will cost around $110.

 

[theMan]

what dll's are these?

 

[Googer]

Originally posted by: theman
what dll's are these?

I do not remember, i did this 6 or 8 months ago. Find a machine with a fresh install. Seach the winnt folder using the parameters *.dll . Copy and paste them in to your winnt folder so they replace existing DLL's. Please note that this is not the method I used and it is untested, so if anyone out there wants to try it let me know.

 

[theMan]

do the xp and 2k systems both have to be fresh installs?

 

[Googer]

Originally posted by: theman
do the xp and 2k systems both have to be fresh installs?

My 2K system was not a fresh install. I Just advice the XP system be a fresh install so that you do not copy any unecessary DLL's from Programs installed on the XP machine.

 

[Ichinisan]

I can imagine a lot of things that might get totally screwed up by doing that. Each DLL contains version information that might be rejected by Windows and also the functions within could have different entry points.

 

[Googer]

Originally posted by: Ichinisan
I can imagine a lot of things that might get totally screwed up by doing that. Each DLL contains version information that might be rejected by Windows and also the functions within could have different entry points.

That is why I am saying it is untested to copy all DLL's from XP to 2K. I have not done that, I chose specific ones. But I have forgotten which ones.

 

[bob4432]

i have a 1GHz Athlon w/ 384MB ram (read as 392,668KB), 30GB 7200rpm hdd running win2kpro sp4 and from the time i hit the button until everything is loaded including the yahoo messenger stuff, it is right @ 2mins.

there is quite a bit of stuff on this machine and the install is probably 2yrs old. it is my wifes machine, so there is no tweaking at all done to it, i just run a virus scan, spybot and ad-aware every week. every so often i will run norton utilities and about every 2wks i will defrag the hdd.

it shuts down in about 30secs.

hope this helps...

 

[Googer]

Originally posted by: bob4432
i have a 1GHz Athlon w/ 384MB ram (read as 392,668KB), 30GB 7200rpm hdd running win2kpro sp4 and from the time i hit the button until everything is loaded including the yahoo messenger stuff, it is right @ 2mins.

there is quite a bit of stuff on this machine and the install is probably 2yrs old. it is my wifes machine, so there is no tweaking at all done to it, i just run a virus scan, spybot and ad-aware every week. every so often i will run norton utilities and about every 2wks i will defrag the hdd.

it shuts down in about 30secs.

hope this helps...

How much are you willing to spend on this? For $399 I can show you a nice PC.

 

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: Googer

Originally posted by: bob4432
i have a 1GHz Athlon w/ 384MB ram (read as 392,668KB), 30GB 7200rpm hdd running win2kpro sp4 and from the time i hit the button until everything is loaded including the yahoo messenger stuff, it is right @ 2mins.

there is quite a bit of stuff on this machine and the install is probably 2yrs old. it is my wifes machine, so there is no tweaking at all done to it, i just run a virus scan, spybot and ad-aware every week. every so often i will run norton utilities and about every 2wks i will defrag the hdd.

it shuts down in about 30secs.

hope this helps...

How much are you willing to spend on this? For $399 I can show you a nice PC.

???

 

[Googer]

Ok here are some links
<a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://e4me.com/products/products.html?prod=eMachines_T3302[/S]

[L=$599]http://e4me.com/products/products.html?prod=eMachines_T6524">$399</a>

 

[CorCentral]

Win 2k sys/fully updated SP4 etc. 74gb raptor (see rig for other specs)

Other items loaded when Windows boots= Norton Internet Security 2005, Adwatch, Adaware, Spampal & Microsoft's Antispyware "Beta"

From the time I press the power button to the time there is absolutely no HD activity and Windows and other Programs are fully loaded.
1:48min

Shutdown
10-15 sec

 

[theMan]

wow, thats fast! my computer, in sig, with win2k sp4 loads in like, over 5 minutes, my startups are kaspersky antivirus, gmail notifier, skype, google web accellerator, and motherboard monitor 5. but, it takes about 4 minutes from the first windows loading screen to the desktop screen. it shuts down in 20seconds. i never really understood why it started up so slowly.

 

[Ichinisan]

I have seen many places where memory capacity is listed in kb and translates perfectly into MB. The only reason why memory should not calculate exactly is if you have an integrated video chipset with shared memory. Even in such a case, the memory should calculate to a rounded number that is 2MB-32MB less than actual total capacity. I can't imagine what is causing Windows to misrepresent memory capacity.

I think that this strange capacity is the result of subtracting non-paged kernel memory usage (as reported from the Task Manager) from total memory capacity.

 

[Googer]

Originally posted by: theman
wow, thats fast! my computer, in sig, with win2k sp4 loads in like, over 5 minutes, my startups are kaspersky antivirus, gmail notifier, skype, google web accellerator, and motherboard monitor 5. but, it takes about 4 minutes from the first windows loading screen to the desktop screen. it shuts down in 20seconds. i never really understood why it started up so slowly.

Thats an eternaty, I have my 2k system booting in less than 40 seconds. Shutdown takes on average 10 seconds, but sometimes longer if there is a hungapp.