R31 - slow start after reformating

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syrenab · #1 Post by **syrenab** » Sat Sep 01, 2007 3:44 pm

On R31 - model 2656 - with Windows XP Home Edition,
after virus infection scrambed many files - reformatted and reinstalled using Windows XP Home original CD-ROM
Everything works perfectly, but startup is VERY slow, takes up to 10 minutes.
Any suggestions?

#2 Post by **jdhurst** » Sat Sep 01, 2007 4:08 pm

If it otherwise performs normally, did you defrag the new install? And also, check the DMA mode to see if it slipped into PIO (disk controllers in Device Manager). ... JDH

pianowizard · #3 Post by **pianowizard** » Sat Sep 01, 2007 4:11 pm

1) Do you have DMA enabled in Device Manager? You want it enabled for the "Primary IDE channel" listed under "IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers".

2) Did you reformat it using the slow NTFS format option instead of the quick format? You should use the slow format so that the installation process will look for bad sectors and avoid using them.

3) Have you installed all drivers yet?

4) Perhaps Windows is updating automatically in the background? That's can dramatically slow down your machine.

syrenab · #4 Post by **syrenab** » Sun Sep 02, 2007 11:36 am

Thank you both for prompt response. You have helped me resolve problem.
DMA was incorrectly set, I corrected as recommended.
In addition I was amazed to find that a NEW install of Win XP resulted in a huge fragmentation of files spread all over the C drive! Can.t Microsoft ever do anything right!!

#5 Post by **jdhurst** » Sun Sep 02, 2007 11:51 am

syrenab wrote:<snip>
In addition I was amazed to find that a NEW install of Win XP resulted in a huge fragmentation of files spread all over the C drive! Can.t Microsoft ever do anything right!!

Which is why I assert that the much-touted "clean install" is anything but. Any install will fragment a disk which means we must pay attention to that. In Windows, Perfect Disk is at the top of the class, if you are interested. ... JDH