my computer is taking forever to startup

[ramona]

ok so here is the deal--my computer is going real slow. when i turn on it stays on the Welcome screen for 15 minutes and then it takes forever to load the screensaver and icons--so 5 hours late i click on start (so i can attempt a system restore) now i am waiting for the panel to come up with the options (such as all programs, control panel etc) Does anyone know how to toggle the all programs button without using the mouse? If not-does anyone else have any tips or secrets on how to reboot the whole system from the outside or something? (there has to be some secret button or something!?) I think once i can get to the system restore thing i will be ok-but i started the comp at 10 am and i am still waiting! Please help! I plan on deleting cookies and everything after a do a system reload. hope someone can help me

[just_a_nobody]

Please give us more info on your system so we can better understand your problem...thanks. However, not knowing your system specs, try this:

Reboot your computer, and when you get to the manufacturer's display, start tapping the F8 key every 1/2 second. You should come to a black screen with a menu, you want to select #3 Safe Mode. Once you get into the desktop, your graphics will only be 16 colors, so don't worry about that.

The first thing, I would do, is run my virus program, to see if you have a virus, then your spyware programs.

Once you do your scans, go into IE and select tools/internet options/and click on Delete Files, located near the center of the Internet Options window.

Then, I would turn off my screensaver, if you have one set, and then go to Start/Programs/Accesories/System Tools/Defrag, and defrag your hard drive.

Well, I hope this helps.

[carl_douglas]

If you find safe mode loads without error than you could also try to locate the culprit by disabling certains things in the System Configuration Utility aka MSCONFIG.

Click on Start > Run and type 'msconfig'. With the program that loads go into the 'Startup' tab and see if anything looks out of place. If you need any help you could copy the entries into this thread. If you expand the 'Command' column you can generally see the exact location of the program being loaded.

For example I have:

'PDVDSERV' running from 'C:\Program Files\CyberLink\PowerDVD\PDVDSERV.exe'

Which I can clearly tell is my DVD playing software; PowerDVD.

If you fancy some step-by-step troubleshooting then un-check one at a time and perhaps catch the culprit that way. Although today's increasingly sophisticated viruses may re-check themselves so this may not work if that's the case.

HTH,

Carl