This is an issue i'm having with a customers computer. The system takes 5 - 10 minutes to completely boot to the desktop. The system POST's ok with no hardware errors. I already checked the disk for errors, disabled any uneccesary startup programs and services, scanned for spyware and viruses. Something obviously seems to be loading at start up that I cant identify, and doesnt show up anywhere. The page file usage shows between 1 to 1.4gb. Normally I would suggest reformating and doing a clean install, unfortunatley this is not an option with the customer due to the fact that many of the programs would be difficult to replace. Here are the system specs: Dell Dimension 4100 P3 980mhz 512mb ram 60gb HDD about 70% full Any suggestions or solutions are greatly appreciated, or maybee im missing somthing. also is there any software available that will identify all programs running. thanks Mark

As soon as you get to the desktop, press Ctrl+Alt+Delete, or right click on the taskbar and click task manager. Click the tab that says "Processes" and click on "mem usage" till it shows the largest numbers, (for me I click twice). Look at the name of the processe that has the largest number and that should be your culprit.

Check Device Manager to see if the harddrive controllers are running in compatibility mode. Should be running in DMA mode. edit This sounds like a hardware configuration issue to me. Check in the BIOS for the following: Verify that reset configuration data is disabled and that ESCD is enabled.

defragment the drive after running disk cleanup. You did not mention doing that. What is the workstations dns entry [in tcp/ip properties] pointing to? Is the pc in a domain? Otherwise what you report has every indication you need to add ram. 512meg is bare minumum for XP and considering, if this wkst is app loaded, you need more. Imagine the power if you knew how to internet search

as response 1 stated, post the process that is using up all the resources....if it is svchost.exe, there is a cure for that. The only processes that really need to be running IMO at start-up are the AV and the firewall. What is the AV that is being used? I have unloaded many security suites from different companies, Norton, McAfee, Trend Micro and and CA Trust. They all caused the PC to take extremely long to boot up. There are good free alternatives that don't use up 1/3 of the resources that the mentioned do. Unloading CA Trust made the start-up 45 seconds instead of 10 minutes or more after adding a new AV and Firewall The HD is also pretty full as was stated. Some HELP in posting on Cnet plus free progs and instructions Glad to Help!

Here is a program I came across that may help you. http://www.snapfiles.com/get/proces...

Move the pagefile to a non-OS drive and defrag. Life's more painless for the brainless.