[Hameyo]

I'm not sure I'm using the right community but I need help. My PC takes a long time to start up and to shut down. I have a HP laptop with 2 80 GB hard drives, 2.2GHz of Memory and 1MB L2 cache Memory.

[mphenterprises]

Hi Harneyo and welcome to the PCWorld Communities. :D




Please note that the General Talk Community is not for technical questions. It is intended to be a place for PCWorld members to share and discuss off-topic items, and just generally have fun. For further guidelines, please refer to this Discussion thread. I have moved this Discussion into the Answer Line Community.

[mphenterprises]

Okay, let's see if we can get this ball rolling.

First, you referenced that your laptop has two (2) hard drives. I have never heard of a laptop with two internal hard drives; however, I believe some of the larger 17" laptops have a second internal hard drive bay. Can you please provide the specific model number of your laptop? Without this information, we can only infer that your computer has an internal hard drive and an external hard drive.

One Gigabyte (1GB) of memory is adequate; however, you did not indicate what Operating System you are using. Depending on the Operating System, the startup and shutdown times can vary.

The number of applications you have installed in this computer can determine how slowly (or quickly) the computer boots up. If there are many applications set to run upon startup, this will significantly increase the startup shutdown times as well. Security applications are known to increase the startup time by almost double so the security applications you have installed may play a large role in this situation.

Finally, the statement, "My PC takes a long time to start up and to shut down." is relative and really does not provide a valid indication as to whether or not there may be an issue. For example, someone may feel a startup time of less than 30 seconds is too long where someone else would kill to have his or her computer boot up in 30 seconds. Please run some tests and provide an average startup and shutdown time for your computer.

We need a whole lot more information before we can start troubleshooting your issue. Please remember that the more information you provide from the onset, the better we can help you.

[Hameyo]

I sorry I left off so much important information. I have a 17" HP Pavilion dv8000 laptop computer. It has 2 internal hard drives, (c: has 74.3 GHz of total space and 7.97 GHz of free space), the (d: = 74.5 GHz of total space with 70.2 GHz of free space). The Operating System is XP Professional. And the start up time is approximately 6 minutes and 39.6 seconds (the logo is 3 min. and 27 sec.) (the blank screen is 1 min. and 10sec.) and (2 min and 2 sec. before the hourglass disappears). I timed the shutdown and got about 39sec. This has been going on for about a week. And I have not added any new software. I hope this information is helpful. And thanks so much.

[mphenterprises]

Okay, that definitely tells us a lot. Thank you. :D


Before we begin, is this laptop under warranty?

The startup time is definitely an issue. I know you mentioned that you have not installed any new applications but I believe there are numerous applications starting when your computer boots up. This is causing the significant startup time. Please download an application called CCleaner (which is accessible by clicking this link ). Once you have downloaded and installed it, please follow these steps to get a text file of all the applications currently installed on your computer:



* Open CCleaner

Click on Tools*

Click on the Uninstall* button

Once all the application load, click on Save to text file* in the lower right hand corner (save the file to your Desktop)

* Once the file has been saved, go to your Desktop and click on the saved file (should be named "install")

* Once the text file opens, click Ctrl+A to select the entire list

* Click Ctrl+C top copy the list to the clipboard

* Come back to this forum and paste the list into a response window


This will give us an indication of exactly what applications you have installed. Next, we need to know what applications are set to run during startup. To do this, please follow these steps:



* Open CCleaner

Click on Tools*

Click on the Startup* button

A list of all the processes set to start when the computer boots will be listed. Take a screen shot of that list. If you are not sure how to include a screen shot within this Community, please follow the steps listed within this Document [d-1144]*.

These two pieces of information will give us a very good idea as to what is going on with your computer.

[Hameyo]

No, I bought the computer in 2005 and I believe the warranty expired in 2007. I am unable to upload the prt sc of my start menu. It saids there's an error, file too big to upload. I don't know why "prt sc" makes the copy so big. I even tried to down scale the original. And the option to choose from browse don't come up. Here's a list of the files that are checked off in the Startup Menu:

Startup Item Command

SynTPEnh C: Program FilesSynapticsSynTPSynTPEnh.exe

atiptaxx C:Program FilesATI TechnologiesATI Control Panel.....

cpqset C:Program FilesHPQDefault Settingscpqset.exe

EabServr C:Program FilesQuick Launch ButtonsEabServr......

lsburnwatcher C:hpdrivershplsbwatcherlsburnwatcher.exe

ISUSPM C:PROGRAM 1COMMON INSTAL 1UPDATE 1ISU

ccApp C:Program FilesCommon Files Symantec SharedccA......

osCheck C:Program FilesNorton Internet Security osCheck.exe

ctfmon C:WINDOWSsystem32ctfmon.exe

Status Monitor C:PROGRA 1BrotherBrmfcmonBrMfcWnd.exe Broth.......

[smax013]

The two that jump out at me are the two related to Norton products. Which Norton Antivirus or Internet Security Suite are you running? Some of the more recent ones can wreck havoc with start times over time. It was a BIG reason why I dumped Norton Antivirus for Avast. When I did that, a lot of my startup issues got better.

Sometimes it can also just be "crud" that builds up in Windoze. If that is the case, then usually the best solution, even if it is a pain in the rear, is to reinstall Windoze.

Oh, FWIW, that shutdown time is not too terrible in my opinion. Not saying it might not be improved, but not nearly as bad as the startup time.
Message was edited by: smax013

[mphenterprises]

I agree with SMax on both points. 39 seconds is not that bad. It can be improved but it is still not that bad. Also, Norton does add to the startup time. Although pretty much any security application will add to the startup time.

That being said, if this is the entire list, there are only ten applications listed. Ten items in your startup is pretty good. To contrast this, here is a screen shot of the processes set to start when my computer boots up: (Click on the image to enlarge it.)



As you can see, I have significantly more processes set to start when my computer boots. However, when I boot into Windows XP (I have a Dual Boot system), it only takes my computer less than two minutes to completely boot up. That is measured from the time the BIOS runs its POST to the time that I can actually start working. There is something else that is causing this delay.

We still need to know the full list of applications installed on your computer. That was the first part of the previous suggestion.

Finally, since you have a HP Pavilion dv8000 laptop, there is really not much upgrading you could have done. Have you added more memory than what originally came with your computer?

Message was edited by: mphenterprises - added manufacturer and model number

[SpiritWind]

:D Hi :



To get that "List" of "Applications" on your computer, I recommend you use the FREE

"HijackThis" program that can be downloaded from www.filehippo.com/download_hijackthis .

After installation, click the "Open the Misc Tools section" button, then click the

"Open Uninstall Manager" button . A "List" should appear !? "Copy", then "Paste" that

"List" into your next Reply .

[Hameyo]

Here's the list of Applications:
Acrobat.com
Adobe AIR
Adobe Flash Player ActiveX
Adobe Flash Player Plugin
Adobe Reader 9
Adobe Shockwave Player
Amazing Adventures The Lost Tomb 1.0.0.4
Amazon Unbox Video
Apple Mobile Device Support
Apple Software Update
Athlon 64 Processor Driver
ATI - Software Uninstall Utility
ATI Control Panel
ATI Display Driver
Audible Download Manager
AudibleManager
AV Books
Big Fish Games Client
Bonjour
Broadcom 802.11 Wireless LAN Adapter
Brother MFL-Pro Suite
Brother MFL-Pro Suite MFC-490CW
CCleaner (remove only)
Conexant AC-Link Audio
High Definition Audio Driver Package - KB835221
HP Help and Support
HP Image Zone 4.8.5
HP Image Zone Plus 4.8.5
HP User Guides 0008
HP Wireless Assistant 1.01 C1
Insurance Kit 1.0
InterActual Player
InterVideo WinDVD
iTunes
J2SE Runtime Environment 5.0 Update 4
J2SE Runtime Environment 5.0 Update 6
KODAK Gallery Upload Software
LiveUpdate (Symantec Corporation)
LiveUpdate Notice (Symantec Corporation)
Mah Jong Tiles Deluxe
Mahjongg XP Championship 2006 Platinum Edition
Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1
Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 Hotfix (KB928366)
Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 Service Pack 1
Microsoft Compression Client Pack 1.0 for Windows XP
Microsoft Office Enterprise 2007
Microsoft Silverlight
Microsoft User-Mode Driver Framework Feature Pack 1.0
Microsoft Works
MobileMe Control Panel
MS. PAC-MAN_Quest for the Golden Maze
MSXML 4.0 SP2 (KB927978)
MSXML 4.0 SP2 (KB936181)
MSXML 4.0 SP2 (KB954430)
muvee autoProducer 4.0 - SE
Norton Internet Security (Symantec Corporation)
Oakes' Ventilator Management 1.0
oggcodecs 0.71.0946
PaperPort Image Printer
Quick Launch Buttons 5.20 B3
QuickTime
REALTEK Gigabit and Fast Ethernet NIC Driver
Safari
ScanSoft PaperPort 11
Soft Data Fax Modem with SmartCP
Sonic Audio Module
Sonic Copy Module
Sonic Data Module
Sonic Express Labeler
Sonic MyDVD Plus
Sonic Update Manager
Symantec Technical Support Web Controls
Synaptics Pointing Device Driver
Texas Instruments PCIxx21/x515 drivers.
Windows Genuine Advantage Validation Tool (KB892130)
Windows Internet Explorer 7
Windows Media Format 11 runtime
Windows Media Player 11
Windows Search 4.0
Windows XP Service Pack 3
Yahoo! Music Jukebox
Yahoo! Toolbar
Yard Sale Junkie
Zone Deluxe Games

Here's the URL to the startup menu:

s188.photobucket.com/albums/z261/Hameyo/

I haven't done any software or hardware upgrading within the last week. Last month I renewed Norton Internet Security Suite. I don't think I can erase Windoze XP because when I bought my computer it didn't come with any backup disc. I know I said the shut down time was long but that was before I timed it. Now it's back to normal. During that long start up I notice it also effect the audio sound. When I try to play music on my computer it sounds awful. Now that I think about it, last month I started looking at movies and TV shows from Netflix on my computer. Would that have something to do wth it. I also notice that my CPU usage runs at 75%, 85%, or greater, even when I don't have any applications running.

[mphenterprises]

Hameyo said:

>

Quote

Now that I think about it, last month I started looking at movies and TV shows from Netflix on my computer. Would that have something to do wth it.

>
>



No, that should have nothing to do with this issue. I use Netflix's movies on demand service and that has never affected my computer in any way.

Hameyo said:

>

Quote

I also notice that my CPU usage runs at 75%, 85%, or greater, even when I don't have any applications running.

>
>


Have you added more memory than what originally came with your computer? If not, this could be, at least in part, caused by a lack of resources. I believe your computer came with 512MBs of memory installed and has a maximum capacity of 2GBs.






Now, let's get to these applications. First, in startup, the only issue that I see is Norton. However, I have never seen Norton eat up so much resources that it would take a computer over six minutes to boot up. That being said, Norton is a significant resource hog and, in this Community's opinion, should be removed.

To successfully remove Norton, one has to use the Norton Removal Tool which is accessible by clicking the blue hyperlink in this sentence. Please note that if you have any other Norton or Symantec applications, you will have to reinstall those applications after the use of this tool.

If Norton is your only security application, it may be in your best interest to check out some recent Discussions providing suggestions on various security applications:

{thread:id=47380}

{thread:id=49923}

In addition to these Discussions, here are two Documents detailing some of the more popular security methods:

{document:id=1830}

{document:id=1141}

You can also take a look at the main Privacy & Security Community page by clicking here




Onto the applications installed in your computer. Please note: The suggestions I am about to make are not necessarily tied to decreasing the startup time. They will mainly help the overall performance of your computer.

- Adobe Reader is a very resource intentsive application. Many within this Community recommend using the lighter FoxIt Reader which is accessible here

- It appears that there are two versions of J2SE Runtime Environment 5.0 installed (versions 4 & 6). However, per this website it appears that the current version is 17. I would recommend uninstalling the two versions you have installed and installing the current version.

- Any toolbar can cause significant issues with your browsing and degrade the overall performance of your computer. The Yahoo Toolbar should be uninstalled.




As far as I can decipher, the startup issue may be associated with two main things:

- the use of Norton

- a potential lack of system resources


Once you elaborate on your computer's total physical memory, we can begin to investigate that avenue as well. If you are not sure how to find out exactly how much memory is in your computer, please follow these steps:

- Click Start -> Control Panel -> System

- The new window will look something like this: (Click on the image to enlarge it.)

!http://www.techdoctor.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/xp-system-control-panel.jpg|thumbnail=true!

The information we need is listed at the bottom of that window.




I know this is a lot of information to take all at once but just take it one step at a time.

[Hameyo]

I have 1.0 GB of RAM. If I remove Norton and that don't resolve the issue, can I reinstall it? I've only renewed it a month ago. I've had Norton for almost 4 years and never had an issue with it. Would the battery cause any of these problems. 30 minutes is the longest my computer last without a charge and now it don't last thru the boot process. It goes into hibernation while booting up.

[mphenterprises]

Hameyo said:

>

Quote

I have 1.0 GB of RAM.

>
>



For a laptop, 1GB of memory should be fine.

Hameyo said:

>

Quote

If I remove Norton and that don't resolve the issue, can I reinstall it? I've only renewed it a month ago. I've had Norton for almost 4 years and never had an issue with it.

>
>


Regardless of how long you have had Norton, it has, and always will be, a resource hog. I cannot advise you on your question since I do not know Symantec's policy on licensing. However, I would presume that as long as you have a valid copy of Norton with a valid product key, reinstalling Norton on the same computer should not be a problem.

Hameyo said:

>
Would the battery cause any of these problems. 30 minutes is the longest my computer last without a charge and now it don't last thru the boot process. It goes into hibernation while booting up.
>
>

This appears to be a completely separate issue; however, the fact that your computer goes into Hibernation Mode during the boot process signifies a larger issue That in itself may be the reason why it takes your computer so long to boot up.

To clarify, I have some more questions:

- How exactly do you know it goes into Hibernation Mode?

- Do you get an indication or a message?

- Does it follow this same process while the laptop is connected to AC power?

- Have you ever disabled Hibernation Mode?



Please note that the suggestion laid out earlier still apply. But before we continue with that path, please answer the above questions.

[SpiritWind]

Hi :


I would like to "enlarge" on what MPH has shared on some "Items" and add my

Recommendations on Others, in your "Uninstall List" :

1) Norton - it would be wise to check the "effectiveness" of this "Suite" by running Scans

of the FREE Version of Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware and the FREE Version of

"SUPERAntiSpyware" ; these 2 are considered the Best by a vast majority of experienced,

certified, Volunteer "Malware Removal Specialists" . The "FREE" version of these 2 will NOT

"conflict" with your current Norton "Suite" .

2) Java - this program is seriously out-of-date & is therefore a serious security risk . Since

your Operating System is XP SP3, more than likely you have the inappropiate 5.0 Series

when you should be using their latest 6.0 Series. Therefore, I recommend you use the

FREE "JavaRa" program from raproducts.org/ . For security purposes, should ONLY

have the LATEST "Version/Update" on a computer .

3) Adobe Reader - this program has been discovered to be extremely malware-prone ;

even a security "alert" from reliable Sources have been Issued .

4) Adobe Flash Player & Shockwave Player - Since Adobe bought the Flash Player, their

"Shockwave Player" is outdated; best to uninstall the Shockwave Player .

5) Bonjour - this program "opens" a Port on your computer through which malware could

comes through plus it appears to be unnecessary . It is recommended to use the FREE

wizard tool available at [http://www.serophos.net/au-revoir-bonjour] .

6) Brother MFL - Pro Suite, etc - could find no Info as to WHAT this program does !? The

Info I did find says is needed on a "Brother" computer; since you have a Hewlett Packard,

this program appears unnecessary and potential "dangerous" and therefore uninstalled !?

[mphenterprises]

SpiritWind said:

6) Brother MFL - Pro Suite, etc - could find no Info as to WHAT this program does !? The Info I did find says is needed on a "Brother" computer; since you have a Hewlett Packard, this program appears unnecessary and potential "dangerous" and therefore uninstalled !?

This is not associated with the computer. It is the software that comes with all Brother Multi-Function printers. It is not necessary for standard functionality but it is essential to fully utilize the multi-function capability of the printer itself.

[mphenterprises]

Hameyo, one thing I forgot to mention is that it appears you are not current on your Windows Update. In the screen shot you provided, there is a yellow icon in the System Tray that indicates an update is available for download or installation. It could also indicate that the computer has not been restarted since the last update.

How long has that icon been in the System Tray?

[smax013]

mphenterprises said:

Now, let's get to these applications. First, in startup, the only issue that I see is Norton. However, I have never seen Norton eat up so much resources that it would take a computer over six minutes to boot up. That being said, Norton is a significant resource hog and, in this Community's opinion, should be removed.

First, a slight correction...I would change "in this Community's opinion" to "in many (or some) people's opinion in this Community". You are speaking for an AWFUL lot of people if you say the WHOLE community...and I would suspect that there are some that like Norton Antivirus.

Second, I have seen Norton cause a computer to boot up so slowly...kind of. Between my dad and I, we have had a couple of computers with Norton Antivirus on them...and at least two of them would take FOREVER to boot up. Now, I cannot say definitely that it is 100% Norton's fault, but it is definitely a common thread.

[Hameyo]

It states that it going into hibernation, then shuts itself down. I don't have a problem when its connected to AC power. No I have never disabled hibernation before. I just started having problems with my computer last week.

[mphenterprises]

Okay, let's try this:

- Right Click on the Desktop and select Properties

- Click the Screen Saver tab

- Under the Monitor Power section, click Power...

- Click on the Hibernate tab

- Remove the check mark next to "Enable Hibernation"

- Click Apply -> OK

- Click OK again to close the remaining window

- Restart your computer

[Hameyo]

I tried disabling hibernation and that didn't work. i'm going to investigate those antivirus software that were mention on this thread. I'll get back to you all tomorrow. And thank you all very much. I'm sure the right answer to my problem is out there somewhere. Would dog hairs and dust cause this problem? Just another thought.