Hey,

I've been having terribly long bootup time ever since I uninstalled Spybot S&D, which I hardly ever used anyway. I get the hourglass with the mouse pointer on the "Welcome" screen for about half a minute, but it doesn't sound as if the HDD works too hard. Then my desktop wallpaper loads, but it takes yet another 30 sec or so before the tray and the desktop icons show up onscreen. I had never had this before, although I do remember getting a message that said something about the system recovering from a serious error right AFTER removing Spybot S&D, but I've had no adverse effects other than the slow bootup. Could I - or Spybot - have messed up something?

Looking forward to some smart advice.
Cheers

Hi,

It's possible that after installing and removing Spybot that some junk got left behind. And also, you may have to many programs loading at startup. I've heard a lot of people recommend a program for cleaning and limiting startup programs called cCleaner. It's freeware and it will keep things running smoothly.

http://www.afterdawn.com/software/deskto...ty/ccleaner.cfm

I personally use Tune Up Utilities which I find very helpful but I believe that they basically do the same thing. So you may just need to clean up some left over files and limit the # of start up programs. Hope that will help you clear up these issues. Good luck!

do this:
1)click start then on run
2)Type: msconfig
3)hit enter
4)On the new window tick the selective startup bubble
5)click the startup tab..
In this tab you will see all the programs that boot when window boots.The more programs start, the slower your boot is..so...
6)Uncheck all unecesary startup prgrams (i.e. messengers ect...i usually uncheck all except virus protection programs)
7)hit apply then ok then reboot...

This could make your boot a lil faster . Also to increase performance defrag your hardrive and clean your registry...

Hey again,

Thanks for the tips, both of you. Let me answer separately.

@Lilith: Thanks for the util, it really is useful; however, my problem persists even after extensive registry cleanup. I've even manually deleted all leftover S&D files, folders and reg keys, but seemingly to no avail.

@bandit: I only have AVG, my audio chip and VGA control panels and Daemon Tools starting up each time, which I wouldn't call many. I try my best to keep my system neat and clean. Alas, I can't defrag drive C:\, 'cause there isn't enough free space. :| However, I doubt that fragmentation is the culprit, seeing as I've only had this problem for like 2 days.

What I'm gonna do now is reinstall S&D, reboot and see if it takes a long time. Then I'm gonna uninstall it, and check and compare the bootup time again.

Oh, and I also had a handy tool installed that monitors the bootup time of all startup items, and the system files (svchost.exe in particular) took the longest to boot -- a dazzling 2 minutes! :(

Will be back with some more info soon.

Okay, I'm back. No changes whatsoever after reinstalling and uninstalling Spybot S&D. Bootup still takes ages to complete.

One more thing that may be of importance: today I replaced NOD32 antivirus with AVG. I really doubt this could be causing the slow startup, but who knows? Mentioning it can't hurt, anyway.

Hi there,

Sorry to hear that didn't help. Hmm..I have to wonder that if you got an error message, something about system recovered from a serious error, was there a error code or something that went along with this? And were there any other changes that you made other than install and remove Spybot?

No, there was no error code, just a message stating the system recovered from a serious error, and all I could do was press "OK" at the bottom of that popup window. When I reinstalled/uninstalled Spybot a few minutes ago, I got no error message.

As I mentioned above, I also replaced NOD32 with AVG this morning, but it seems to me that bootup became slow after removing S&D, which took place yesterday or the day before. Sorry, I'm kind of confused about days. :)

Ok, did you get your copy of Spybot from a reliable source? And also, have you tried a system restore back to the day when you first installed it?

Sure, I got Spybot from the official site. Also, it was on my computer for months, if not a year, but I hardly ever used it, that's why I removed it. I have no viruses, if that's what you mean. Apart from NOD (now AVG), I reguarly do online scanning.

And I don't have system restore enabled, so I can't perform a rollback. :)

Could it be that AVG is slowing the system down? I have no idea if it's a resource hog or not.

Also, I've tried this util called Microsoft Bootvis, which analyses and optimises bootup, and got some improvement. Now I only need to wait long during the "Welcome" screen (and I can hear the HDD ticking only, instead of working fast), then I get my desktop and tray and whatnot loaded up all at once.

reboot time m8

Probably not anymore of a hog than any other AV software. And since the problem began before you made the switch to AVG than I'd have to think that isn't the culprit. There are conflicting things going on here. There was an error message but no code, leftover junk was cleaned and startup programs are limited, svchost.exe took 2 minutes to load? No other systems have been changed (other than AVG today), you say no virus but I'm wondering about spyware? And all of this began possibly 2 days ago? Are there any other symptoms other that slow boot?

Actually there are a lot of posts around the place about avg8 being very slow.. we recommend avast home and avg antispyware 7.5.xxx from filehippo.

This may be one of those situations where starting in safe mode with a prompt and running scandisk with the fix option will work wonders.

Okay, so how do I start Scandisk with the fix option? Sorry for being a noob, I have never been into DOS prompts.

I've tried uninstalling AVG 8.0, but bootup is still slow, so it's not the AV that's slowing the system down.

Hi again,

Ok so it's not the AVG. Here I'll attach a link for the scandisk option

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315265/en-us

Try that and see if it will take care of the problem. Let us know if that fixes it for you.

Hey,

Thanks for the additional info. I did as you asked, although I couldn't run scandisk in safe mode, and had to schedule it for the next (normal) bootup instead. Anyway, the scan has revealed no errors. Bootup seemed a wee bit faster with scandisk scheduled (certainly not including the scanning operation). According to the util BootLog XP, it is now almost 20 seconds faster, but I feel it still takes longer than before; winlogon.exe, services.exe and svchost.exe all take around 80 seconds to load up, so the problem must be there, as everything else loads quite fast. The biggest component of AVG, for example, takes a mere 25 seconds to load.

Hey,

Ok, so the scandisk didn't fix it? Well...I'm going to have to go back to my original conclusion and suspect spyware. Other than slow boot you see no symptoms? I'm going to include a link I saw recommended by 2Oldgeek on another thread. I used it and it wasn't something you needed to install to run it. Just download and save. Then run and it tells whether you have anything or if your clean.

http://www.webroot.com/services/entaudit/auditbegin.php

Let us know what you find.

Hi,

Cheers for the tip. I've done as you asked and come up with the following: My Webroot results

Seemingly, there's a trojan on my machine. I'm wondering if it's a false positive, though, as I never open any e-mail attachments other than the work I receive, and I always scan those docs for viruses before opening. Regardless, I'll peep around the 'net to see what can be done, but if you can come up with a solution, it'd be much appreciated.

Oh, and to answer your previous question: no significant errors occur apart from slow startup. Internet Explorer crashes every once in a while; especially hotmail, when I wanna click on the link embedded in the forum notification letter.

Since there's a possibility of infection, here's my HJT log, in case there's something suspicious:

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
Scan saved at 11:20:16, on 2008.08.09.
Platform: Windows XP Szervizcsomag 2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP2 (6.00.2900.2180)
Boot mode: Normal

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\RTHDCPL.EXE
C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG8\avgtray.exe
C:\Program Files\DAEMON Tools Pro\DTProAgent.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG8\avgwdsvc.exe
C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\nTune\nTuneService.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\nvsvc32.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\PnkBstrA.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Installer\MSIE9.tmp
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG8\avgrsx.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG8\avgemc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\wbem\wmiapsrv.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.EXE
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.EXE
D:\Setup\wincmd\WINCMD32.EXE
D:\Setup\HiJackThis\HiJackThis.exe

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.hotmail.com/
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program

Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Reader\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: WormRadar.com IESiteBlocker.NavFilter - {3CA2F312-6F6E-4B53-A66E-4E65E497C8C0} -

C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG8\avgssie.dll
O2 - BHO: SSVHelper Class - {761497BB-D6F0-462C-B6EB-D4DAF1D92D43} - C:\Program

Files\Java\jre1.6.0_02\bin\ssv.dll
O2 - BHO: IeCatch2 Class - {A5366673-E8CA-11D3-9CD9-0090271D075B} -

C:\PROGRA~1\FLASHGET\jccatch.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [RTHDCPL] RTHDCPL.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG8_TRAY] C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG8\avgtray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvCplDaemon] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\system32\NvCpl.dll,NvStartup
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [DAEMON Tools Pro Agent] "C:\Program Files\DAEMON Tools

Pro\DTProAgent.exe"
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\Run: [CTFMON.EXE] C:\WINDOWS\System32\CTFMON.EXE (User 'HELYI

SZOLGÁLTATÁS')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-20\..\Run: [CTFMON.EXE] C:\WINDOWS\System32\CTFMON.EXE (User 'HÁLÓZATI

SZOLGÁLTATÁS')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-18\..\Run: [CTFMON.EXE] C:\WINDOWS\System32\CTFMON.EXE (User 'SYSTEM')
O4 - HKUS\.DEFAULT\..\Run: [CTFMON.EXE] C:\WINDOWS\System32\CTFMON.EXE (User 'Default user')
O8 - Extra context menu item: Letöltés a FlashGet-tel - C:\Program

Files\FlashGet\jc_link.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: Minden letöltése a FlashGet-tel - C:\Program

Files\FlashGet\jc_all.htm
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program

Files\Java\jre1.6.0_02\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} -

C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_02\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {85d1f590-48f4-11d9-9669-0800200c9a66} -

C:\WINDOWS\bdoscandel.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Uninstall BitDefender Online Scanner v8 -

{85d1f590-48f4-11d9-9669-0800200c9a66} - C:\WINDOWS\bdoscandel.exe
O9 - Extra button: FlashGet - {D6E814A0-E0C5-11d4-8D29-0050BA6940E3} -

C:\PROGRA~1\FLASHGET\flashget.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: &FlashGet - {D6E814A0-E0C5-11d4-8D29-0050BA6940E3} -

C:\PROGRA~1\FLASHGET\flashget.exe
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program

Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} -

C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O16 - DPF: {00B71CFB-6864-4346-A978-C0A14556272C} (Checkers Class) -

http://messenger.zone.msn.com/binary/msgrchkr.cab31267.cab
O16 - DPF: {193C772A-87BE-4B19-A7BB-445B226FE9A1} (ewidoOnlineScan Control) -

http://download.ewido.net/ewidoOnlineScan.cab
O16 - DPF: {20A60F0D-9AFA-4515-A0FD-83BD84642501} (Checkers Class) -

http://messenger.zone.msn.com/binary/msgrchkr.cab56986.cab
O16 - DPF: {215B8138-A3CF-44C5-803F-8226143CFC0A} (Trend Micro ActiveX Scan Agent 6.6) -

http://housecall65.trendmicro.com/housec...ivex/hcImpl.cab
O16 - DPF: {2BC66F54-93A8-11D3-BEB6-00105AA9B6AE} (Symantec AntiVirus scanner) -

http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/Share...bin/AvSniff.cab
O16 - DPF: {56762DEC-6B0D-4AB4-A8AD-989993B5D08B} -

http://www.eset.eu/buxus/docs/OnlineScanner.cab
O16 - DPF: {5D6F45B3-9043-443D-A792-115447494D24} (UnoCtrl Class) -

http://messenger.zone.msn.com/EN-US/a-UNO1/GAME_UNO1.cab
O16 - DPF: {5D86DDB5-BDF9-441B-9E9E-D4730F4EE499} (BDSCANONLINE Control) -

http://download.bitdefender.com/resources/scan8/oscan8.cab
O16 - DPF: {6414512B-B978-451D-A0D8-FCFDF33E833C} (WUWebControl Class) -

http://update.microsoft.com/windowsupdat...ite.cab?1146495

092125
O16 - DPF: {644E432F-49D3-41A1-8DD5-E099162EEEC5} (Symantec RuFSI Utility Class) -

http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/Share...n/bin/cabsa.cab
O16 - DPF: {6E5A37BF-FD42-463A-877C-4EB7002E68AE} (Trend Micro ActiveX Scan Agent 6.5) -

http://housecall65.trendmicro.com/housec...ivex/hcImpl.cab
O16 - DPF: {8E0D4DE5-3180-4024-A327-4DFAD1796A8D} (MessengerStatsClient Class) -

http://messenger.zone.msn.com/binary/Mes...nt.cab31267.cab
O16 - DPF: {97E71027-0BA2-44F2-97DB-F84D808ED0B6} (MessengerStatsClient Class) -

http://messenger.zone.msn.com/binary/Mes...nt.cab55762.cab
O16 - DPF: {B38870E4-7ECB-40DA-8C6A-595F0A5519FF} -

http://messenger.msn.com/download/MsnMessengerSetupDownloader.cab
O16 - DPF: {B8BE5E93-A60C-4D26-A2DC-220313175592} (MSN Games - Installer) -

http://messenger.zone.msn.com/binary/ZIntro.cab56649.cab
O16 - DPF: {C3F79A2B-B9B4-4A66-B012-3EE46475B072} (MessengerStatsClient Class) -

http://messenger.zone.msn.com/binary/Mes...nt.cab56907.cab
O16 - DPF: {EF791A6B-FC12-4C68-99EF-FB9E207A39E6} (McFreeScan Class) -

http://download.mcafee.com/molbin/iss-lo...851/mcfscan.cab
O18 - Protocol: linkscanner - {F274614C-63F8-47D5-A4D1-FBDDE494F8D1} - C:\Program

Files\AVG\AVG8\avgpp.dll
O20 - AppInit_DLLs: avgrsstx.dll
O23 - Service: AVG Free8 E-mail Scanner (avg8emc) - AVG Technologies CZ, s.r.o. -

C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG8\avgemc.exe
O23 - Service: AVG Free8 WatchDog (avg8wd) - AVG Technologies CZ, s.r.o. -

C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG8\avgwdsvc.exe
O23 - Service: InstallDriver Table Manager (IDriverT) - Macrovision Corporation - C:\Program

Files\Common Files\InstallShield\Driver\1050\Intel 32\IDriverT.exe
O23 - Service: nTune Service (nTuneService) - NVIDIA - C:\Program Files\NVIDIA

Corporation\nTune\nTuneService.exe
O23 - Service: NVIDIA Display Driver Service (NVSvc) - NVIDIA Corporation -

C:\WINDOWS\system32\nvsvc32.exe
O23 - Service: PnkBstrA - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\system32\PnkBstrA.exe
O23 - Service: SolidConverterPDFv4ReadSpool (SCPDFV4ReadSpool) - Solid Documents, LLC -

C:\WINDOWS\Installer\MSIE9.tmp
O23 - Service: ServiceLayer - Nokia. - C:\Program Files\PC Connectivity

Solution\ServiceLayer.exe

--
End of file - 7051 bytes

Hi there,

UPDATE: I still have a terribly slow bootup and on top of that, all programs start very slowly, even though over the weekend, I defragged my primary dirve. The funny thing is that neither AVG 8.0, nor online scanners indicate viruses. Using CounterSpy and Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware, I've gotten rid of a few Trojans, and Webroot Spy Audit indicates no threats/malware now. My results My HjT scan also fails to indicate any threats or malware.

What am I supposed to do now? The system is seemingly clear, yet something is definitely holding it back. Also, should this thread be moved to the Virus problems section of the forum?

Hey,

Could someone help me out, please? I'm still having the aforementioned slow bootup snag, coupled with IE 6 crashing randomly and applications loading up slowly. I have been running regular scans on my computer using AVG 8, CounterSpy and Anti-Malware, and something new seems to crop up almost daily.

Please advise. Thank you.

Hello!!! ( Alas, I can't defrag drive C:\, 'cause there isn't enough free space. )
This could be your problem, no hard drive for system to work with. Get rid of all the stuff you can or get a bigger hard drive
Also how much ram do you have, and your system is out of date ,SP3 ,ie 7, . and it looks like you have every anti virus program in the world with left over junk. Me thinks you will be better off reformatting and starting from scratch with a fresh install.

Hey,

Thanks for the advice. Actually, I have defraged drive C:\ in the meantime. Drive space has nothing to do with slow startup. I have 600 megs free, I know it's not much, but the OS has been "as is" for at least 2 years now with no issues. I agree there might be too much junk left behind. Also, no problems with RAM, as I have 2 gigs. Can't update the OS or IE, as my copy of Windows is not entirely... *legit*.

Might end up reformatting, although I'd really hate to.

Originally posted by laputomi:

---

Can't update the OS or IE, as my copy of Windows is not entirely... *legit*.quote]It doesn't pay to advertise here,
As suggested in earlier post you can go to msconfig and stop everything from loading on start up, then putting then back on one at a time and see if you can find the one or ones that are slowing the start up down. Anyway good luck

I wasn't advertising. I was merely stating a sad fact.

Anyway, I've been tinkering with the system tools and shut down/disabled some components I thought to be unnecessary. Bootup still takes quite a while, but ever since I disabled CounterSpy (which seems liek a fine tool regardless) running in the background, applications have been launching a lot faster. There might yet be another solution for me apart from formatting.

You do know that you are not supposed to have more than one anti virus program and one firewall installed at once,they will cause problems.Just wondering??
Go here and read the user review about counter spy, very heavy on resources http://www.afterdawn.com/software/deskto.../counterspy.cfm