SP2: T30 very slow with startup/login after installing SP2

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mattfromomaha · #1 Post by **mattfromomaha** » Sun Nov 14, 2004 10:42 pm

ugghh...here's the deal:

My T-30 has been great - until I installed WinXP's SP2. Before I did this I updated all the drivers from IBM to be SP2-ready.

Now, the system starts up to the login screen in the same amount of time, and after I enter the password my desktop appears quickly and about half of the startup processes load, then IT TAKES A REST BREAK! For about a minute! Then, when it's good and ready, it finishes loading. During this time the CPU usage is nil, as is the memory utilization, so it's not like it's chugging away on something.

I've tried msconfig and unchecking some/all of the processes, and it still pauses for a while during the startup. The two programs I was worried may be causing a problem were ZoneAlarm or Symantec Corp. AntiVirus 8. I uninstalled both of them, and still have the problem.

Then, I read somewhere on the forum to try Bootvis. I did. And it helped a bit, but only for a couple of bootups. Now it's slow again.

What's really weird is that I know of other people with tehe same problem. A friend of mine has a new G-series (w/ McAfee AV). I've also read of a few people here with similar problems.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

ibmuser · #2 Post by **ibmuser** » Mon Nov 15, 2004 12:56 am

So I assume you've checked IBM:

http://www-1.ibm.com/support/docview.ws ... &loc=en_US

I gather you've optimized the boot sequence. Try 'trace/next boot and driver delay' with BootVis. What info do you have?

mattfromomaha · #3 Post by **mattfromomaha** » Mon Nov 15, 2004 1:09 pm

ibmuser:

I did check the IBM website, including that page. I'm also running the newest drivers of everything, as far as I can tell (I check the site weekly for updates).

I tried the "trace next boot and driver delay." I'm not sure of how to upload a text version of the data, but this is the bin file of the results:
http://www.dermatologysurgery.com/T30111504.bin

Thanks for your help!

Matt

ibmuser · #4 Post by **ibmuser** » Mon Nov 15, 2004 11:29 pm

okay, can't do much with that file.

Does the boot lag time happen when you boot into safe mode (hit F8 when you restart)?

mattfromomaha · #5 Post by **mattfromomaha** » Tue Nov 16, 2004 2:35 pm

Well, here's what I found:

-Booting into Safe Mode is very fast.
-Booting into Safe Mode with Networking gives me the same long delay after entering my password.

Networking problem?

Elhabash · #6 Post by **Elhabash** » Tue Nov 16, 2004 5:46 pm

Did you try it several times? Mine sometimes teases me by booting up normally occasionally, but then, at the next boot, returning to its usual lag...

mattfromomaha · #7 Post by **mattfromomaha** » Wed Nov 17, 2004 6:04 pm

I'll have to try it a few times. I'll let you know.

ibmuser · #8 Post by **ibmuser** » Wed Nov 17, 2004 10:06 pm

Could be network card. Somthing is clearly hanging. I trust your hard disk is in healthy shape.

Could be some USB device too. I've heard of issues that involve over charging of a capacitor related to usb when the bios is set to look for the usb device (like a card reader) first. Switch off the computer at the main socket but leaving it still plugged in in order to maintain the earth connection, then hold the startup button for 1 minute to discarge power.

Try rebooting - does this speed up the boot time?

Merlyn_3D · #9 Post by **Merlyn_3D** » Mon Nov 29, 2004 12:57 pm

try this, it worked for me. Go into your network card's properties and uncheck File and Print Sharing for Microsoft Networks and hit ok. Then go back in and recheck it and hit ok. Restart, and presto, should be fixed.

PS - do this for both wired and wireless connections.

Leon · #10 Post by **Leon** » Mon Nov 29, 2004 2:21 pm

also, make sure your wireless zero configuration service is not disabled.....

mattfromomaha · #11 Post by **mattfromomaha** » Mon Nov 29, 2004 4:45 pm

Leon - Wireless Zero Config is Disabled. If I enable it, Windows and Access Connections seem to fight over wireless IP addresses, and I can never establish a connection. Is this something that should be different???

I'll try the trick on File & Print Sharing tonight.

Leon · #12 Post by **Leon** » Mon Nov 29, 2004 7:10 pm

enable it anyway and see if your machine boots faster... mine is enabled, but "allow windows to manage my wirelwss connections" is NOT checked in wireless connection properties... mine works fine..

mattfromomaha · #13 Post by **mattfromomaha** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 3:29 pm

Merlyn: Tried your advice and no luck.

Leon: You are on to something!

When Wireless Zero Config is disabled, it hangs for a minute on startup.

When it's enabled, startup is fast, but I can't use wireless - I'm having the same problem as Merlyn (here: http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=5743) where it will almost connect to a wireless access point, but ends up unable to get an IP address. So, it seems like Access Connections and Wireless Zero Config are fighting over the IP address for the wireless connection. And it seems like Wireless Zero Config is what's holding up my startup.

I'm running Access Connections 3.53, and the newest drivers for my T30's Intel B card with modem (same as Merlyn). I've also replicated the problem on my sister's X40 - exact same problem with slow startup/wireless connectivity.

So, it seems like I'm having to choose between fast startup or having wireless (or dump Access Connections, but I refuse because it rocks).

Merlyn_3D · #14 Post by **Merlyn_3D** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 5:14 pm

The quick startup trick seems to work for me, however, I cannot, and I mean CANNOT get Wireless Zero Config to work with AC. I need to disable one or the other.

skanky · #15 Post by **skanky** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 6:02 pm

heres what ive come up with.

on bootup, both windows wireless and access connections both try and assign an ip, which doesnt work.

if i disable WZC service, windows takes a lifetime to boot, if its enabled, access conn never gets an ip because WZC is also trying. and for some reason if WZC is still running after access conn has an ip, then it makes my connection highly unstable.

so what ive done is made 2 batch files:

Code: Select all

WZCSTART.bat
@net start wzcsvc

Code: Select all

WZCSTOP.bat
@net stop wzcsvc

now i leave WZC on automatic in services, and put WZCSTOP in the startup folder, what that seems to do is leave WZC enabled so it boots up quick, then disables it when it processes the startup items which means that WZC/access conn wont be fighting over ip assignment.

then, and its more applicable for me because WZC plays havoc with my connection even though windows isnt managing my wireless it still tries, in access connections i have it run WZCSTOP so windows doesnt try to take control of my wireless..

hope that made sense and/or helped.

mattfromomaha · #16 Post by **mattfromomaha** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 6:40 pm

skanky - I'll have to give that a shot.

But, I'm not sure it will work for me, because if I leave WVC set to Automatic and then go into services to stop it, it still screws with AC until I reboot with WZC disabled.

Death to Microsoft!!!

mattfromomaha · #17 Post by **mattfromomaha** » Tue Nov 30, 2004 7:00 pm

AHH! Skanky, no luck with the bat file. Unless the computer was booted with WZC disabled, I can't pull a wireless IP address.

So, as far as wireless, everything works flawlessly when WZC is disabled, but I have the incredibly slow boot time.

skanky · #18 Post by **skanky** » Wed Dec 01, 2004 2:25 am

well mine seems to exhibit the same slowness that you had but is solved because:

- the WZC service is set to automatic = fast boot up
- then its disabled via the batch file in programs\startup = AC is able to assign a ip without WZC getting in the way.

mattfromomaha · #19 Post by **mattfromomaha** » Wed Dec 01, 2004 10:12 am

Hmm.

I don't know what my deal is with my machine then. If I use the batch file (or manully via the services window) to kill WZC, AC still is unable to pull an IP Address. I have to reboot with WZC disabled for AC to be happy.

Elhabash · #20 Post by **Elhabash** » Wed Dec 01, 2004 12:34 pm

When I have WZC disabled, it doesn't make any difference at all. Startup delay is still here, and I can connect normally.

mattfromomaha · #21 Post by **mattfromomaha** » Thu Dec 02, 2004 11:30 am

Elhabash wrote:When I have WZC disabled, it doesn't make any difference at all. Startup delay is still here, and I can connect normally.

If you enable WZC, then, does the delay disappear?

mattfromomaha · #22 Post by **mattfromomaha** » Thu Dec 02, 2004 1:49 pm

I guess my next question for this issue is as follows:

We've come to the conclusion that something in the boot process is getting hung up when WZC is disabled. Now, there are no services listed that depend on WZC for startup, so, what could possibly be causing this boot hang?

Better yet, what steps could I take to try minimizing the lag? Is there a way to just remove the service altogether?

Thanks!

Elhabash · #23 Post by **Elhabash** » Thu Dec 02, 2004 10:18 pm

It doesn't change anything with the delay. But I might have found THE SOLUTION!

I am currently finally reinstalling the whole system, including repartitionning and getting to use the hidden partition. I hoped that I would get rid of the delay as well, but I wasn't. After installing SP2, it was there again. It didn't occur when booting with all network connections disabled, but there was no really consistent pattern otherwise.

Then I found this:

http://www.unc.edu/atn/dci/install/win/doc/#trouble

when looking around for what this AFS client was. I disabled and uninstalled the thing, and the boot works now. Well, I'll tell you if the delay comes back again, but it doesn't seem so.

Newer versions of the AFS client should work better, too, if I need it one day...

SP2: T30 very slow with startup/login after installing SP2

SP2: T30 very slow with startup/login after installing SP2

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