Windows 7 Hanging - Not sure if its hardware related

[latches]

Hey guys,

So I have a weird problem. I just recently built my new computer and it went great but after about 150 Windows 7 updates (fml) - the system is really slow to boot. Here is my system:

CPU: i5 2500k - not overclocked yet
RAM: 8GB GSkill Ripjaws
HDrive: WDC 640 GB 7200rpm
Mobo: Gigabyte Z68X-UD3H-B3
PSU: XFX Core Edition PRO550W

Still waiting on a videocard but ya. Thats it.

Now, in terms of BIOS and drivers and such - EVERYTHING is up to date. Just finished flashing the BIOS and before that I had updated all the drivers that were relevant.

I dont understand what it is. Bad RAM? I sure hope not. All the temperatures are good too. I have a Corsair A50 on the CPU so its running at 22*C average or less. The rest of the system is also running cool.

Anyway, to describe the problem further:

It takes a long time to boot. I start it up and it starts booting with the mobo screen, then the windows logo screen and then finally the welcome screen and desktop. Problem is - it takes a while just sitting there at the Windows logo screen. It then also takes a good while at the welcome screen and then finally loads the desktop. After the desktop loads and goes through its normal thang it runs fine. Fast and all that. Whats the problem? When I first built and installed the OS it ran quite quickly. Even after all the drivers and without editing the startup programs.

Ive since edited the startup programs to speed up the process but it still takes a while. Whats going on?

Edit: I also ran sfc /scannow and it found NO errors. None. AT ALL.

Also ran a registry fixer and it fixed whatever it found.

Also there arent any external USB devices so that isnt the issue.

UPDATE:

I ran into some big failure just recently. It reset my overclock (4.5GHz) and somehow AHCI setting in the registry because after the failure the bios reset and the OC went away but so did the AHCI setting. I ended up having to change it back to IDE just so I could boot to desktop. I was so frustrated I decided to reformat the hard drive and do a clean install. Problem is - its back. Long hangs at startup either before or after logging in. Not sure what the problem is. I still have to finish updating all the drivers and such but it isnt looking good...any ideas?

Also - I get hangs when transferring files within the hard drive. Maybe I have the SATA cable in the wrong port? I cant figure this out...

 

[mfenn]

Is there any HDD activity when it is hanging on the Windows logo screen? If not, that usually means that a driver is being slow to initialize. Check out Soluto as a way of analyzing your bootup performance.

 

[latches]

Alright trying that. Thanks. Any other ideas???

 

[janas19]

Is there any HDD activity when it is hanging on the Windows logo screen? If not, that usually means that a driver is being slow to initialize.

+1

 

[latches]

Ah forgot too look at the HDD LED. Ill do that next. Soluto tells me that my boot is 2:31 mins with two programs taking up a lot of that time. 80 secs to Avast! and 51 secs to Ad-aware Antispyware.

I just set Ad-Aware to be delayed til after boot so that it shaves the seconds. That wise?

 

[latches]

Boot down to 1:32 secs but It still hangs at the Welcome screen and I still see a blank black screen just after the welcome screen with just the cursor visible. Whats with that?

 

[Rvenger]

That 640gb HDD, is that a Newegg Recertified drive?

 

[latches]

No it isnt. Was brand new. Btw - the boot time is back up to freakin 2:20...fml. I dont understand that blank black screen after the welcome screen...

 

[jobz]

You said Avast! and Ad-aware Antispyware took the most time. Uninstall both of them and see if it makes a difference.

Even better, work from a plain vanilla installation. See if you experience same slowdown before any 3rd party software is installed?

 

[janas19]

This sounds like a software issue 100%. You probably are running a program off your hard drive that either doesn't play nice, isn't properly optimized, or possibly is corrupted.

Try this: click on your Start icon. Type "msconfig" into the Search bar and hit enter. Click on the "Startup" tab. You should see a list of programs there. Can you list them here so we know what's running off your hard drive when you boot up?

 

[latches]

Startup Programs:

Realtek HD Audio
HD audio background process
Intel Common User Interface
Intel Common User Interface
Intel Common User Interface
InstallShield Update Service
Google Update
InstallShield Update Service
Avast!
Java Updater
Adobe Updater thing

And yes those entries do show up multiple times like that. Dont understand why but left it alone when I checked.

Also - Im uninstalling Avast and Adware as we speak.

 

[janas19]

You don't need any of those programs on startup except Realtek Audio. I would disable them all. That's the first step. Do it and reboot, then see how it responds

 

[latches]

Also just deleted:

@BIOS
Easy Tune 6

 

[latches]

Alright, I dont know. Everything is deleted but it still takes 1:24 secs to load. I dont know about you but for a system with nothing to hold it up...thats still a good bit of time. Or maybe my expectations are just a bit high. I dont want it to take 15 secs but I want it to be faster than that...or seem faster. I dont mind it taking a second to finish booting what on the desktop but why hang at the windows logo and welcome screen for so long?

 

[janas19]

Alright, I dont know. Everything is deleted but it still takes 1:24 secs to load. I dont know about you but for a system with nothing to hold it up...thats still a good bit of time. Or maybe my expectations are just a bit high. I dont want it to take 15 secs but I want it to be faster than that...or seem faster. I dont mind it taking a second to finish booting what on the desktop but why hang at the windows logo and welcome screen for so long?

Well, that's good. At least it's an improvement from 2:20. :thumbup:

I'm still thinking it's a cluttered hard drive issue. I say that because you said everything was running quick when you first set up the system. After some months of use this can happen.

You still might be able to fix it by optimizing and cleaning the hard drive. I would try 3 more things:

1. Download and run "Malware Bytes" and "CCleaner." Both are freeware and safe. MB will remove any spyware and CCleaner will clean up the registry.
2. Run the "Disk Cleanup" tool in Windows 7. Click Start Menu, Accessories, System Tools, then Disk Cleanup. Delete all unnecessary files AND click the "Cleanup System Files" button.
3. Finally defrag your hard drive using Windows Disk Defragmenter. It will analyze your hard drive and tell you if the data is fragmented. This typically takes some months to happen but if you use the hard drive more it can occur faster.

If you do those 3 things that should fix the boot problem. If that STILL doesn't make it boot in a desirable time, you may have to do something like a clean install of Windows. Typically what I've said solves 90% of booting problems.

 

[latches]

lol Thats just it man! I already have Malwarebtyes, CCleaner and all that. This IS a clean install. I JUST built the computer a few days ago. Thats why Im worried. Had it been a few months I would have tried to solve it myself but that isnt the case. Its all new and the HDD should have any issues.

One additional thing though. The SATA HDD I have is running in IDE mode. I didnt install the OS in AHCI mode...

 

[latches]

Maybe its cuz I dont have a legit videocard yet and its all the i5 Intel graphics? Maybe a dedicated card would make things smoother?

 

[janas19]

Maybe its cuz I dont have a legit videocard yet and its all the i5 Intel graphics? Maybe a dedicated card would make things smoother?

No I don't think that's it

One additional thing though. The SATA HDD I have is running in IDE mode. I didnt install the OS in AHCI mode...

What? Rly? Intel's website states "Enabling ACHI after installing the OS is not recommended or supported when a SATA hard drive is the boot drive."

You probably did that wrong lol.

 

[latches]

lol what? Ya, Im not trying to enable AHCI mode - Im saying that while installing the OS I forgot to set it as AHCI - though Im not sure if that even matters. The HDD is running in IDE mode now. Or at least...thats what it says...

 

[monkeydelmagico]

I think you are going to have to set bios to ahci and reformat drive.

 

[mfenn]

Alright, I dont know. Everything is deleted but it still takes 1:24 secs to load. I dont know about you but for a system with nothing to hold it up...thats still a good bit of time. Or maybe my expectations are just a bit high. I dont want it to take 15 secs but I want it to be faster than that...or seem faster. I dont mind it taking a second to finish booting what on the desktop but why hang at the windows logo and welcome screen for so long?

Is the HDD activity light lit when its waiting? 1:24 is not actually a bad boot time at all with a normal HDD.

 

[janas19]

I have an MSI Wind Netbook that I mainly use for web browsing and office type work. That thing boots like a champ. I turn on the power and I can open the Start menu in Windows XP, with no lag, in less than 30 seconds. I guess not having a lot of drivers to load, and keeping the disk cleaned, makes a pretty big difference.

 

[monkeydelmagico]

Is the HDD activity light lit when its waiting? 1:24 is not actually a bad boot time at all with a normal HDD.

Seems pretty bad to me for windows 7. I can be logged on here and typing a response by then. My geriatric rig with a 500gb HDD sata II gets to log in around 30 sec, and if I'm quick with the password I can have explorer up in under a minute.

 

[mfenn]

Seems pretty bad to me for windows 7. I can be logged on here and typing a response by then. My geriatric rig with a 500gb HDD sata II gets to log in around 30 sec, and if I'm quick with the password I can have explorer up in under a minute.

What are you counting in that time? I'm talking 1:24 from when you press the power button until the desktop appears.

 

[monkeydelmagico]

What are you counting in that time? I'm talking 1:24 from when you press the power button until the desktop appears.

Yep, cold boot. 1:24 would be O.K. on a Vista rig but not for 7. Just my opinion.