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Windows Forever

L

LavrentiBeria

Member
Comrades,

About two months ago, I upgrade an aging system I have here that would have been considered reasonably quick by 1998 standards. I did what I thought I could with it while still keeping the system board, an Intel AL440LX. I added a slightly more capable power supply unit and brand new case fan, upgraded the processor from a P2 233 Mhz to a P2 333Mhz, doubled the memory to 256 MB SDRAM, and added a Promise Ultra 100 TX2 IDE PCI Controller so as to accomodate a new Seagate ST320011A Ultra 100 ATA Barracuda. From every appearance, the hardware is functioning as it should. But after partitioning, formatting and installing Windows 98SE, the loading time is unconscionably long. Although I haven't put a clock on it, I'll bet it takes Windows well better than a minute to load, much longer than it had prior to my making the improvements. And there are no installed programs as yet to complicate things. Any thoughts?

I can tell you for certain though that Trotsky is no longer considered responsible, comrades.

LavrentiBeria
 
I am guessing you set the new CPU in the BIOS.
From what you said all you added was a PSU, BIOS, HD, IDE Card

I would pull the IDE card and plug the HD directly into the IDE on the motherboard. It will probably clock your transfer down to ATA33 maby ATA66 if your lucky. If it does any better then it is your card. Also is your HD crunching the whole time. And what part of the loading takes the longest? Does it sit on the windows screen forever?

 
Comrade RemyCanad,

Many thanks for your reply.

Yes, I installed the latest and last BIOS for this board and immediately thereafter set the processor speed to 333Mhz. The board supports ATA33 so I'll get at least that much when I disconnect the card.

There appear to be two phases in the loading process, two points where things seem to stick as it were: (1) the Windows 98 splash screen just sits there interminably, and (2) after it eventually disappears, I get a black screen with a blinking cursor in the upper left that just goes on and on and on. Finally, it breaks in to the hourglass and we're home. But the wait!

I'd hate to think I wasted $29 on a bad IDE controller card but, sadly, that may be the case. What is it about the card's functioning that might cause it to slow the loading process?

All of this bad news for me perhaps, but, for you, there's good news, comrade RemyCanad. We've determined that your mother is not a British agent after all and are releasing her from custody. It pays to help Uncle Lavrenti, eh?

Yours in the joy of socialist labor.

LavrentiBeria
 
The IDE card is really just a hunch. It might be getting conflicts with your on board IDE. But since that is the only thing you added that really could make a negitive deffrence in load time it would be were I start.

You might also want to go through the set by step startup and see if there is anything there that hangs.

And did you card come with any drivers?
 
Comrade RemyCanad,

You realize, of course, comrade, that comrade Stalin is not a fool. We are constantly alert to the activity of wreckers and saboteurs and, well, your mother, there was the trip she made to Liverpool in 1944. We have wondered, comrade, exactly why was she there, what were her purposes? We had questions to ask her. But, a little tech help here, a little there, and even comrade Beria's suspicions can be eased.

Yes, drivers came with the card. You're asked to install them from a floppy disk after the Windows 98SE installation is complete. You very well could be right about conflicts. If you are, it would be a very sorry commentary on the Promise people. Why make a controller card for older boards if you haven't done your homework about things like that. The AL440LX was an old workhorse and certainly well enough known not to offer mystery to them. I can't imagine what might be going on while that cursor is blinking.

I'll do a line by line and disconnect the card to see if anything can be learned. I'd hoped to sell this thing to someone that's expressed interest but that's out of the question until this problem's fixed. This computer makes Moses look like Road Runner. I'll let you know what I learn.

Again thanks.

LavrentiBeria

 
Comrade,
You didn't mention whether there was a NIC installed. If so, the delay might be the result of your PC trying to find a network connection or the drivers for the NIC are either not installed or improperly installed. Good Luck.
 
Comrade RemyCanad,

Well, it's not the Promise card. I uninstalled it, attached the drive to one of the on-board controllers and booted up. No improvement. The card has been reinstalled. A line by line goes smoothly to the end; then the interminable black screen with cursor.

It has been suggested to me that the network card I have in this thing, a somewhat dated 3COM 10Base T, may be playing a role in all of this. I intend to explore this avenue next.

I note in today's Pravda that your mother has been declared a Hero of Socialist Labor and an example for all peace-loving peoples. Funny how these things happen, eh comrade?

LavrentiBeria
 
Hmm, if the NIC adventure does not prove to be fruitfull then have you tried running all of the normal cleanup apps? Such as defragment your computer, scandisk....

I really don't think it will help to much but it is worth a try.

If you boot into safe mode does it take forever?

You probably don't want to but have you thought about reinstalling windows?

The only other thing you did was install a new processor correct? If so could you put the old one back in and see if the problem is still there. Also does that old motherboard have any kind of temp gauge?

Another question, does the computer run slow in windows it self?
 
Ah, yes, Comrade Wallysaurus!

Our messages must have posted at the same time. I do, in fact, have a NIC on this thing as you could not have known from the above. Someone else has pointed me in this direction as well. The driver for the card was a generic from the Windows 98SE library that was installed together with the operating system. Since Device Manager reported no problem with the card, it never occurred to me initially that installing a more card-specific driver would help with this problem but your point is well taken. I still have the 3COM CD for this card and, as a next step, will install the driver from it. If that doesn't help I thought I might remove the card next, at least for purposes of diagnosis. I'll let you know where these steps get me.

Thanks for your contribution. You'll be happy to know that you'll be exempt from arrest, interrogation and torture for a period of three months.

LavrentiBeria


 
Comrade RemyCanad,

Thanks for the additional thoughts.

Incidently, there are still copies of my book, A Softy Looks At His Life, available.

LavrentiBeria
 
Comrades,

Mystery solved! It was the NIC, it's gone until this machine is again networked, if ever it will be, and Windows 98SE now loads in a flash!

Many thanks for the help and the thoughtful contributions.

LavrentiBeria
 
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