Laptop Startup takes Ages

[Hysteresis]

I have an IBM Laptop , running windows XP.
It takes over 6 minites to start up. When I first got it about 12 months ago it was much shorter than this but obviously over time more and more 'Stuff' is initiallising on start up.
Has anyone any idea how I can get the start up to be back to what it was when new?

 

[jj4091]

Run disc clean-up & de-frag.

 

[breezer]

and anti spy ware eg, ad aware

 

[techwondo]

and anti spy ware eg, ad aware

... and spybot S&D...

 

[Hysteresis]

Hi Everyone,
Thanks for the interest.
I Run Disc Clean and Defrag regularly. I have anti Virus, Spyware, and anti spam software. I run regularly RegCure(registry clean out) and XoftSpySE which also cleans up unwanted software. But still this Laptop takes an age to start up. Operation of the laptop has improved by changing settings in the advanced performance area of the operating system set up but this start up time is bugging me. I am sure it is caused by all sorts of extra software initialising on Start up. The only way I can improve things is not shutting down the Laptop and Hibernating oinstead.
If I leave the machine running, but not using it, when I return to use it the laptop just gets screwd up and locks up. A rs-start is then necessay with the attendant start up time problem.

 

[Trazor]

Click start, then run, then type in....... msconfig

Click the startup tab, there you will be able to choose which programs open on startup, get rid of those you do not wish to run.

 

[tim west]

You should also do a Chkdsk every so often this nearly always cures the slow down of my laptop, there's usually a few files that get flagged up and the boot up speed greatly increases.

 

[Hysteresis]

Hi Tim West.
Excuse me being a bit of a 'NUMBTY' here, but how do I do a chkdsk?

 

[Hysteresis]

Hi Trazor,
I feel a bit of a 'NUMBTY' here but I have had a look at the start up list as you suggested and to be quite honest, every listing there is 'gobbledegook' to me.
I have messed around with 'stuff' I do not understand before and usually end up making things worse than it was before I started. I don't therefore know what to stop on this start up list as I am sure I will stop something and then find all sorts of apparently unassociated applications stop working.
Can you possibly give me a clue as to what I may be able to stop initialising on start up.

 

[Deluks]

My lappy is slowing up considerably recently, I have also recently been getting "backup your data the hard drive might be failing" type messages when I switch the machine on. I will be ordering another HD soon and hope I can clone my existing before it fails.

My point being..... backup your data asap, just in case it's the HD.

 

[Deluks]

Hi Tim West.
Excuse me being a bit of a 'NUMBTY' here, but how do I do a chkdsk?

Go to START: then click RUN (should be underneath search on the right column in startmenu.. Then in the run box that pops up type: chkdsk

 

[empip]

Get 'Autoruns' from here... free...
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/utilities/autoruns.mspx?wt.svl=whatsnew

This utility, which has the most comprehensive knowledge of auto-starting locations of any startup monitor (A starting list of auto-run locations was obtained from David Solomon's "Windows Internals" seminar), shows you what programs are configured to run during system bootup or login, and shows you the entries in the order Windows processes them. These programs include ones in your startup folder, Run, RunOnce, and other Registry keys. A "Hide Signed Microsoft Entries" option helps you to zoom in on third-party auto-starting images that have been added to your system.
You'll probably be surprised at how many executables are launched automatically!
Autoruns works on all versions of Windows including Windows XP 64-bit Edition (x64) and Windows Server 2003 64-bit Edition (x64).

From authors of some excellent 'free' utilities... Here
Easy to use. No installation required, just download then extract files from 'zip' file into suitable folder and run the prog - RTFH ... Before further action.

 

[Hysteresis]

Hi Deluks
Thanks for helping a NUMPTY.
I Did the chkdsk and hopfully some improvement resuls.
Thanks a Million

 

[Softus]

Get a specialist in.

 

[nowtaboutnowt]

You seem to be having some of the problems I'm having.

Get Process Explorer from sysinternals(free).
If your wireless, check its not Intel® PRO/Wireless Network Connection V10.5.0.0 ? There are a few so also check intel website for known issues
This piece of software will also show what has the processor and slowing the system down.