SLOW booting 600E

[TomStearns]

My 600E (366MHz proc, 130M RAM) takes about 5 minutes to boot to the point where the HD stops working and I can run programs. Fresh install of Win2K SP3 and Corel WP 8, McAfee AV but nothing else. Once it gets itself in shape it seems OK but I worry that it takes so long.

TEST ran with OK for everything but took forever (maybe 5 minutes) to test Memory

Apparently the BIOS is "current version" (inet 36WW) but in any event when I downloaded the upgrade spsdin36 and attempted to run it the systme rejected it as "Non-system disc.".

Is there an easy fix for getting this animal to run better? What am I doing wrong?

[tfflivemb2]

I think that McAfee might be the culprit. You should try to disable McAfee from the startup, if you can. This might help you determine whether or not that might be the problem.

Since Win2000 doesn't have msconfig, you can add it following this link:

http://www.techadvice.com/win2000/m/msconfig_w2k.htm

Msconfig will also allow you to try stop the automatic start of several different programs, until you find the culprit.

[TomStearns]

I think that McAfee might be the culprit. You should try to disable McAfee from the startup, if you can. This might help you determine whether or not that might be the problem.

Since Win2000 doesn't have msconfig, you can add it following this link:

http://www.techadvice.com/win2000/m/msconfig_w2k.htm

Msconfig will also allow you to try stop the automatic start of several different programs, until you find the culprit.

TNX for advice which I will explore. If my memory is correct the machine was slow without McAfee but perhaps it will speed up enough with McAfee disabled. This machine is seldom on-line anyway but pop-up density was incredible with mo firewall while I downloaded the McAfee and SP3 for Win 2K!!

[TomStearns]

I think that McAfee might be the culprit. You should try to disable McAfee from the startup, if you can. This might help you determine whether or not that might be the problem.

Since Win2000 doesn't have msconfig, you can add it following this link:

http://www.techadvice.com/win2000/m/msconfig_w2k.htm

Msconfig will also allow you to try stop the automatic start of several different programs, until you find the culprit.

TNX for advice which I will explore. If my memory is correct the machine was slow without McAfee but perhaps it will speed up enough with McAfee disabled. This machine is seldom on-line anyway but pop-up density was incredible with mo firewall while I downloaded the McAfee and SP3 for Win 2K!!

MORE: With McAfee disabled the speed might be 30 seconds faster but maybe not. I time startup from "power on" to when the HD stops blinking continuously.

I think more DRAM is needed. Anybody got a stick or two of 128M DRAM?

[GomJabbar]

I used to have a 600E, and the memory test took a long time to complete on it as well. I believe this is normal.

A slow RPM hard drive can certainly slow up boot times.

Another thing that can slow up boot times is a failing hard drive. You might want to run drive testing software to see if any errors show up. I am not sure if drive testing software is very useful on older drives however. Hitachi Drive Fitness Test

Here is an excellent guide for disabling unneeded Windows services. www.BlackViper.com: Windows 2000 Professional and Server Services Configuration 411

I've read about nLite on this forum for stripping down Windows to the basics to speed things up. I personally have not tried it. nLite

[pianowizard]

I think more DRAM is needed. Anybody got a stick or two of 128M DRAM?

I am selling a 256MB PC100 module that was pulled from a 600E:

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=18713

Please PM me if you are interested.

[Laptop_wizard]

Dude you have a VERY slow machine, don't count on getting a whole lot of performance with 366MHz and 130MB or ram.
To help you can disable a bucnh of stuff. if ur running XP goto run, and type msconfig, from there you can chose what happens at startup.
I have a program called "code starter" and you can use that to chose a list of problems on start up.

[AlphaKilo470]

Dude you have a VERY slow machine, don't count on getting a whole lot of performance with 366MHz and 130MB or ram.

You'd be surprised. I have an old PII 300 desktop w/ 256mb of RAM sitting around that runs Windows every bit as well as my good Athlon desktop that's set up at my desk in the basement. If you are running Windows XP, disable visual themes and try running Bootvis on your computer. It's results can vary depending on the computer and how it's set up as it yeilded little result on one of the desktops that a friend of mine now has yet it cut boot time by almost a minute on a desktop that I own.

You can also try disabling various startup services but I'd be very careful because disabling the wrong things can really mess you up. The less software you have installed, the less services to disable as most of the Windows defualt startup services usually serve one purpose or another.

The most significant performance factors on XP if you are planning to do nothing more than run Office and browse the internet are the amount of RAM and the speed of your hard drive. Both factors are directly proportional to page file usage and performance. If you have the original hard drive that came with your 600E, it might be time to junk it. 5400RPM would be a reccomended spin speed though the more common 4200RPM spin speed will also work fine if you have a decent cache size that's around 2mb. I have a 4200RPM Fujitsu 20gb drive with a 2mb cache installed in my 600E which has 160mb RAM and a 366mhz PII and Windows, despite having a slow boot time, runs pretty fast for it's age. Although intense gaming and graphics will never be possible or practical on my laptop, Office XP, Mozilla, Acrobat and even Photoshop run just fine.

While the Pentium MMX and standard Pentium CPU's will lag and gag with anything after Windows ME, Pentium II's can be very good performers still if you simply set them up right. I use my spare desktop which has a 300mhz PII to play DVD's on and the 600E I have is able to play DivX movies without a hitch.

[TomStearns]

AlfaKilo---TNX for your input. I also have an emotional attachment to my 600E which I brought back from near death (another eBay misrepresentation) to utility.

Don't know how to disable startup items and am wary of tinkering with the laptop O/S because of the special stuff in the background.

I did install 256M of extra RAM and it may have shortened the boot a tiny bit but not much.

It is the original HD--has an imprint of the machine's serial number so can't be used on any other machine without an unknown password. I tested it with a Hitachi Drive Fitness utility and it's OK but probably, as you suggest, slow access.

Still a solid & useful machine. I'm having more fun with the X24, though----

[tfflivemb2]

@TomStearns:

If you were to go back to the link that I posted earlier, you will be able to add msconfig to your Win2000 system. You can then go to "Run" and type in msconfig. Once the new box called "System Configuration Utility" opens, choose the the last tab called "Startup". This will allow you to see what is running at startup. You can try to disable different things at startup to see if anything makes a big improvement. In theory, you could disable all of those items and windows will still start, but there are certain things that you might want to still start. I think that it will just help you find out exactly what the problem is.

I have worked on many 600/Es, and have never had a start up that slow, so I tend to think that it is a software related problem. Though, it could be a failing hard drive.

[dsvochak]

Don't know how to disable startup items and am wary of tinkering with the laptop O/S because of the special stuff in the background.

You may want to go here http://web.archive.org/web/200503060933 ... ice411.htm for a lot of information on W2K services including which can be safely disabled and how to go about it. There's a downloadable pdf called 2000services.zip. It's possible you may have a lot of W2K services starting that you really don't need.

In my experience (in order of importance) more memory, a faster drive and eliminating unnecessary startup programs/services are the things that speed boot times.

[TomStearns]

tfflivemb2; dsvochak:

TNX for thoughts. I have visited Black Viper and tinkered around with disablings but no particular gain.

I would love to find an OS as fast, simple & bulletproof as DOS which I love to this day. Can't figure out Linux or I would run it just to kick some sand at Gates.

Please keep in mind that I am talking about the time required from initial power-on to HD idle. You can run programs before HD idle----I find that my 600E HD shuts down briefly several times during the boot up but always starts up again until it really gets everything up & running.

I am positive that the anitvirus program is the biggest goo in the works but am terrified of on-line contamination so have decided to just live with the boot problem and, just like the hot water in my bathroom, kick off the long-lead items first in sequence!!

[AlphaKilo470]

I just noticed I forgot to put a link to Bootvis, the program I reccomended running, in my post.

You can get it here. Official Microsoft support has gone away but the program is still very useful and depending on the system setup can make a decrease of varying significance to your boot time. This program only works on Windows XP.
http://www.softpedia.com/get/Tweak/Syst ... tVis.shtml

I also just noticed you have Windows 2000 on your computer. I would actually reccomend Win XP if you can install it as in all of my experiences, Windows XP has been significantly faster at bootup and with the visual themes off, equivalent in performance to Windows 2000. The main difference between Win 2K and XP, despite what many say, is really just the fact that Microsoft support is dropping for 2000 by the day.

As for finding an alternative OS, I've installed Windows 98SE on the 600E I have and despite being a little slow to boot, once all the drivers are installed this OS runs like a dream. Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat, Mozilla and even all of my DivX movies run just about as good as on my Athlon desktop.

If you don't want Windows, then simply type ThinkPad 600E in a Google search and you'll find more Linux sites corresponding to the 600E than you could even begin to shake a stick at.

[tfflivemb2]

If you decide to try Linux, I would recommend Red Hat 9.0. It ran quite smoothly for me on several 600Es. It is laid out quite similarly to Windows. For example, you have a "Red Hat" button instead of a Start button to click on to get into programs, accessories, etc.

Furthermore, you are able to modify drivers themselves when something doesn't quite suit your needs. You aren't "locked out" like you are with Windows.

They even make a book for Red Hat 9.0 called something like "Learn Red Hat 9.0 in 24 hours" It has 24 1 hour sessions that include the installation process.

[AlphaKilo470]

Actually, with Windows NT, 2K and XP, you really aren't locked into one computer, you're locked into one chipset and northbridge. If you install Windows NT, 2K or XP onto any computer with the 440BX or LX chipset, that installation should be portable to any other system with the 440BX or LX chipset.

The 440BX and LX are pretty much interchangable and the only real difference between the two is supported bus speeds.

[tfflivemb2]

Actually, with Windows NT, 2K and XP, you really aren't locked into one computer, you're locked into one chipset and northbridge. If you install Windows NT, 2K or XP onto any computer with the 440BX or LX chipset, that installation should be portable to any other system with the 440BX or LX chipset.

The 440BX and LX are pretty much interchangable and the only real difference between the two is supported bus speeds.

When I said "locked" I was referring to either being able to use xyz driver or nothing at all, to get something to work (ie. old video/audio cards, etc.). Linux allows you to make changes right then and there to make something work.

An example would be that the audio on a 600E doesn't work out of the box with Red Hat 9.0, but you are able to go in a tweak the settings to get it to work. (Note: I have the solution for the audio if anyone needs it)

[sktn77a]

W2K on the 600E should run just fine and not take so long to boot. The only thing I can suggest is to do a clean install of JUST W2K. Time the boot times and get a representative average. Then add applications one at a time and rerun the boot sequence. That should let you find which program is causing the problem.

[farna]

I fixed up a 600E recently, and bought a second one! I first installed Windows 98SE thinking it would be the best system for it. I had HD problems and had to reformat, so installed XP just to see if it would install. XP takes a little longer to boot, but once booted runs noticeably faster than 98SE. When you load XP just go into Control Panel, System, Advanced, and set for best performance. Don't use a screen saver -- set your screen to power down using the power features instead. Go to the site mentioned on here already and shut the services down you don't need. You'll then have a nice useable work system. I did put a 40GB 5400 rpm HD in, but kept the original 6GB for the second computer. Both are otherwise set up the same way, and have 256mb total RAM. For utility use and simple games (nothing motion intensive) it's still a very useable laptop. I stuck the 5GB drive from the first lap top in an external USB enclosure. That's come in handy! I also bought a USB 2.0 PCM card. I use that with an external CD/DVD burner for backups.

If you plan on playing DVDs (assuming you have the DVD drive), an older version of Power DVD (4.0) works fine, but the newer version doesn't. You might try older versions of other DVD software designed to work with a PII as well.