Laptop takes 15 mins after boot up before I can do anything!!

[mommacache]

I am at my wits end! Toshiba Satellite A500 laptop with 4 GB RAM running Win 7 64 bit. I haven't installed anything new, but suddenly, when I boot it up, it takes 15 -20 mins before a can do anything. The desktop comes up and the network connects and everything looks fine except the hard drive light is solid! If I click on anything at all nothing happens or it locks up. I try Task Manager and sometimes it opens (takes 5 mins) and sometimes I get an error saying it can't open and to restart. When it does open there are no processes running that shouldn't be and no applications running.

I setup Selective startup to load system services and disabled every startup program I could. I've run a memory checker, two diff virus scans (AVG and MS Security Essentials) and no viruses found.

Once the machine starts to run the way it should its fine, but I can't go through this every time I start up or reboot my system. I've been at this for 3 days and I'm starting to get crazy. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[logicearth]

Just to check, Solid color background?

 

[whs]

Did you have a look in the reliability history ( Control Panel\System and Security\Action Center\Reliability Monitor ) whether there is a clue. It sounds like something is keeping your disk busy.

Also look into the scheduled tasks (run the command schtasks in an elevated Command Prompt). Maybe there is a disk defrag or something alike scheduled at boot time.

Questions? - just post back !!

 

[mommacache]

To Logicearth ... background is my normal background (Windows themes) completely normal

WHS, I will try your suggestions

Thanks to both of you. I'll let you know.

 

[Inixi Noisse]

Did you have a look in the reliability history ( Control Panel\System and Security\Action Center\Reliability Monitor ) whether there is a clue. It sounds like something is keeping your disk busy.

Also look into the scheduled tasks (run the command schtasks in an elevated Command Prompt). Maybe there is a disk defrag or something alike scheduled at boot time.

Questions? - just post back !!

like said above, but for me it is always good to look back and check system in log, maybe there is something interesting besides known startup applications.

in start menu type eventvwr.msc and there check if there are some errors, mostly in system and application logs.

 

[cluberti]

Have you considered using Process Monitor (boot logging) to figure out what kinds of disk accesses are happening, by which process, and to which files?

1. Download Process Monitor to a temporary directory
2. Run procmon.exe (accept EULA if prompted)
3. Click File > Capture Events to uncheck and stop the current capture of data
4. Click Options > Enable Boot Logging, and then click the "OK" button
5. Reboot

Once you finally get access to your desktop and can use it again, run procmon.exe and click File > Save, select "All events", and click the "OK" button to save the file as Logfile.pml (you can see the location the file will be saved to in the "Path" box). ZIP or RAR that file and upload it somewhere and we can analyze it for you if you'd like, or you can then open that file in the procmon window yourself (file > open) and uncheck the Registry, Network, and Process activity buttons on the toolbar so that only the File System events are displayed, and analyze it yourself. If you do upload it for analysis, you should note the time that you are actually able to use your desktop, so we will know approximately the time frame in the procmon log that you cannot - it will make it easier to analyze.

 

[Inixi Noisse]

well, for system works I always DO NOT use external applications and so I recommend it also to others.

 

[whs]

well, for system works I always DO NOT use external applications and so I recommend it also to others.

That is very shortsighted. Especially Process Monitor which is a MS application from Mark Russinovich who is probably one of the most knowlegeable Windows Gurus on this planet. With your approach, I would not get a lot of system work done.

 

[Inixi Noisse]

well, for system works I always DO NOT use external applications and so I recommend it also to others.

That is very shortsighted. Especially Process Monitor which is a MS application from Mark Russinovich who is probably one of the most knowlegeable Windows Gurus on this planet. With your approach, I would not get a lot of system work done.

Well, I got my other system (Windows Server 2008 R2) working all the time with standard tools i get. You can also get the same results in event viewer if you just check enough audit options.

 

[cluberti]

Your choice of tools is up to you, but you are making it difficult on yourself. The other way would be to configure the system and your paging file for a complete dump, reboot, have the problem, manually crash the system with the keyboard during the hang, reboot, and then open the resulting .dmp file in the \Windows directory with windbg and hope you can find something. That would require you to install the debugging tools for windows though, which would run afoul of your "no external tools" mantra, but those are your options (well, other than guessing, of course).

Please understand that responding to what would be considered a very sound suggestion and approach to handling your issue with some sort of retort that you don't use tools (which is part of the reason you're at your wits' end right now - thiink about it...) isn't exactly the way to win friends and influence people here at sevenforums. It appears that my suggestion was not, indeed, "greatly appreciated". Good luck to you in resolving this issue without additional tools, but be prepared for more frustration in the interim.

 

[Inixi Noisse]

Your choice of tools is up to you, but you are making it difficult on yourself. The other way would be to configure the system and your paging file for a complete dump, reboot, have the problem, manually crash the system with the keyboard during the hang, reboot, and then open the resulting .dmp file in the \Windows directory with windbg and hope you can find something. That would require you to install the debugging tools for windows though, which would run afoul of your "no external tools" mantra, but those are your options (well, other than guessing, of course).

Please understand that responding to what would be considered a very sound suggestion and approach to handling your issue with some sort of retort that you don't use tools (which is part of the reason you're at your wits' end right now - thiink about it...) isn't exactly the way to win friends and influence people here at sevenforums. It appears that my suggestion was not, indeed, "greatly appreciated". Good luck to you in resolving this issue without additional tools, but be prepared for more frustration in the interim.

OK OK
I'm not saying that procmon is a bad tool, it is nice tool even
I'm saying that standard tools just are enough... nevermind. /offtopic

 

[cluberti]

The only inbox tool you have is perfmon - you will likely want to add the process object's counters for all with their relevant disk objects, and hope you can catch it. It will not give you insight as to *what* is happening, but it might give you a clue. That's the only other option you have. It does ship with Windows though, so at least you'd be using inbox tools as you'd prefer.

 

[mommacache]

cluberti:

Please do not confuse me (the person with the problem) with Inixi Noisse for his/her comment about not using external applications! I am trying everything every one is suggesting. With that being said, I ran reliability monitor and schtasks and there didn't seem to show anything that may be running in the background that could be causing the problem. The problem has reoccurred while I have been working and not just when booting up.

I did run eventvwr and I'm afraid it is above my pay grade. I did notice several application and system errors but not sure what they all mean. I am about to try Process Monitor and see if I can understand that. I'll be back.

 

[Inixi Noisse]

You can export those errors you found, just right-click on administrative branch (Custom Views -> Administrative Events) and Save all events in Custom view as...

Upload that file somewhere, give me or give us a link to that file so we can look at this.

 

[cluberti]

Yup, my apologies. Having one of those days and didn't pay close attention.... sorry 'bout that.

 

[profdlp]

By all means do what cluberti suggested.

In addition, answering the following might help:

1) Which anti-virus program are you using and is it up to date? (If you're not sure, just tell us. We're not going to yell at you.)

2) Type msconfig in the "Search Programs and Files" you see at the bottom when you click the Start button. Go to the Startup tab and list everything you see here.

3) Right-Click the Taskbar, then Left-Click Task Manager. Go to the Processes tab and post them here.

Use the Snipping tool to post a screenshot of #2 and #3 if that's easiest - you'll want to do that for #3 especially.

 

[mommacache]

event viewer file in Google docs

https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B5...I0MjMtN2M4ZDA2N2ZkYjhl&hl=en&authkey=CIH6oocM


Hope this works.

 

[mommacache]

I've been using AVG but changed to MS Security Essentials today. Both were updated and since the problems has been happening for several days both programs were used. No problems found.

I have nothing checked in the startup in msconfig. I disabled everything to rule it all out.

Can't seem to paste here so I'll put it in google docs again. If you can't access it I'll just have to type it out.

https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B5...JmYTQtNWIzNzY4YzlhOGUy&hl=en&authkey=CJyy2M8P

Never saw the Snipping Tool before. Very cool, too bad I couldn't copy and paste.

 

[profdlp]

Is this laptop your only computer with Internet access? If it is, be very sure you have the right drivers and your Win 7 disc before you try this!

The multitude of errors in your log all seem to be network related. The first thing I'd try is to disable your network adapter(s) and see if the computer boots normally when it's not trying to connect to a network or the Internet.

If that's a no-go, go to How to disable certain Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) components in Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 and try the "Use IPv4 instead of IPv6 in prefix policies" down in the "Fix it for me" section. Reboot, then hope you are back in business before 15 minutes has passed.

If that doesn't work I would remove all network connections and uninstall all network adapters. This will give you a fresh start with your networking and Internet setup. BE VERY SURE that you have the proper drivers to reinstall the devices if need be. If you have another Internet-capable computer at home and a USB thumbdrive you can use that if need be. If not, you will not be able to go on the Internet to get the drivers you need.

 

[Inixi Noisse]

First of all I assume that when you start system a kind of these messages appear:

Warning	06/01/2011 02:00:34	RTL8167	1	None

General:
The description for Event ID 1 from source RTL8167 cannot be found. Either the component that raises this event is not installed on your local computer or the installation is corrupted. You can install or repair the component on the local computer.

If the event originated on another computer, the display information had to be saved with the event.

The following information was included with the event: 

\Device\NDMP8
Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller

the message resource is present but the message is not found in the string/message table

That means you can have some problems either with your Ethernet Card or its' drivers.
So that can cause other events such as:

Error	06/01/2011 02:01:32	Service Control Manager	7026	None

General:
The following boot-start or system-start driver(s) failed to load: 
Lbd

or

Error	06/01/2011 02:02:09	Kernel-EventTracing	2	Session

General:
Session "Homegroup Log" failed to start with the following error: 0xC0000035

or

Error	06/01/2011 02:02:54	Dhcp-Client	1001	Address Configuration State Event

General:
Your computer was not assigned an address from the network (by the DHCP Server) for the Network Card with network address 0x701A04F4A3B7.  The following error occurred: 0x79. Your computer will continue to try and obtain an address on its own from the network address (DHCP) server.

and some others.

But the thing that just occured recently in your system:

Error	06/01/2011 01:25:08	iaStor	9	None

General:
The device, \Device\Ide\iaStor0, did not respond within the timeout period.

...so it can mean that there are some problems with your hard disk.

I suggest you check SMART on your hard disk with some application like in THIS thread.

And you can also reinstall chipset drivers or update them, or just download new Intel INF (I suppose you have intel's chipset in your laptop because you have I3 installed) drivers for Windows 7 x64 and install them. I had that kind of errors with HDD recently on my laptop and they were very active when the AHCI mode was on.

Besides that reinstall your ethernet card drivers.