[prdriscoll]

I am running Vista Home Premium SP2 (32 bit) on a Dell XPS M1530 laptop.

When I restart or turn on the computer, the boot process is sometimes extremely slow. The hangup happens after the initial boot screen (the moving horizontal bar) disappears but before the Vista logo appears and the startup sound plays. Between these two stages the screen is black and the mouse cursor is not present; also, for most of the time during this hangup, there is no hard drive activity (at least from looking at the activity light). The hangup lasts about a minute and a half to two minutes. Other times, though, the startup process is normal and no hangup occurs. I have noticed that the hangups are more likely to happen after installing updates or new drivers/software, but this isn't always true and there is no one particular update/installation that triggers a hangup.

I have looked at the Diagnostics-Performance/Operational logs in the Event Viewer, and there is a clear difference between the boots with no hangups and those with the hangups. The boot events created after a normal startup are listed as warnings and show the Boot Duration in the 41000-58000ms range, whereas the slow startups are usually listed as critical events and show the Boot Duration in the 160000-270000ms range. Most of the critical events show false in the IsDegradation category, but a few show true.

Any ideas as to what is causing this behavior or how to fix it?

[Phantom010]

Perhaps you have way too many Startup applications loading with Windows?

Please click here to download and install the HijackThis installer.

Run it and select Do a system scan and save a logfile.

The log will be saved in Notepad. Copy and paste the log in your next post.

Do not fix anything

[prdriscoll]

I have a pretty good idea of what the startup programs are and I don't think there are too many of them, but here's the log:

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
Scan saved at 1:16:24 PM, on 9/28/2009
Platform: Windows Vista SP2 (WinNT 6.00.1906)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v8.00 (8.00.6001.18813)
Boot mode: Normal
Running processes:
C:\Windows\system32\taskeng.exe
C:\Windows\system32\Dwm.exe
C:\Windows\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\DellTPad\Apoint.exe
C:\Windows\OEM02Mon.exe
C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe
C:\Program Files\Sigmatel\C-Major Audio\WDM\sttray.exe
C:\Windows\ehome\ehtray.exe
C:\Program Files\WIDCOMM\Bluetooth Software\BTStackServer.exe
C:\Windows\system32\wbem\unsecapp.exe
C:\Program Files\Fingerprint Reader Suite\psqltray.exe
C:\Windows\ehome\ehmsas.exe
C:\Program Files\DellTPad\ApMsgFwd.exe
C:\Program Files\DellTPad\HidFind.exe
C:\Program Files\DellTPad\Apntex.exe
C:\Program Files\Skype\Phone\Skype.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\OUTLOOK.EXE
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\Windows\system32\SearchFilterHost.exe
C:\Users\Patrick\Downloads\HijackThis.exe
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = file:///C:/Users/Patrick/Documents/H...iles/Home.html
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant =
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch =
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar,LinksFolderName =
O1 - Hosts: ::1 localhost
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHelperStub - {18DF081C-E8AD-4283-A596-FA578C2EBDC3} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelperShim.dll
O2 - BHO: SSVHelper Class - {761497BB-D6F0-462C-B6EB-D4DAF1D92D43} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\ssv.dll
O2 - BHO: Java(tm) Plug-In 2 SSV Helper - {DBC80044-A445-435b-BC74-9C25C1C588A9} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jp2ssv.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Windows Defender] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Defender\MSASCui.exe -hide
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Apoint] C:\Program Files\DellTPad\Apoint.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PSQLLauncher] "C:\Program Files\Fingerprint Reader Suite\launcher.exe" /startup
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [OEM02Mon.exe] C:\Windows\OEM02Mon.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [iTunesHelper] "C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Adobe Reader Speed Launcher] "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Reader 9.0\Reader\Reader_sl.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SigmatelSysTrayApp] %ProgramFiles%\SigmaTel\C-Major Audio\WDM\sttray.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ehTray.exe] C:\Windows\ehome\ehTray.exe
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\Run: [Sidebar] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\Sidebar.exe /detectMem (User 'LOCAL SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\Run: [WindowsWelcomeCenter] rundll32.exe oobefldr.dll,ShowWelcomeCenter (User 'LOCAL SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-20\..\Run: [Sidebar] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\Sidebar.exe /detectMem (User 'NETWORK SERVICE')
O4 - Global Startup: Bluetooth.lnk = C:\Program Files\WIDCOMM\Bluetooth Software\BTStackServer.exe
O9 - Extra button: @btrez.dll,-4015 - {CCA281CA-C863-46ef-9331-5C8D4460577F} - c:\Program Files\WIDCOMM\Bluetooth Software\btsendto_ie.htm
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: @btrez.dll,-12650 - {CCA281CA-C863-46ef-9331-5C8D4460577F} - c:\Program Files\WIDCOMM\Bluetooth Software\btsendto_ie.htm
O13 - Gopher Prefix:
O16 - DPF: {D27CDB6E-AE6D-11CF-96B8-444553540000} (Shockwave Flash Object) - http://fpdownload2.macromedia.com/ge...nt/swflash.cab
O23 - Service: Andrea ST Filters Service (AESTFilters) - Andrea Electronics Corporation - C:\Windows\system32\aestsrv.exe
O23 - Service: Google Updater Service (gusvc) - Google - C:\Program Files\Google\Common\Google Updater\GoogleUpdaterService.exe
O23 - Service: Intel(R) Matrix Storage Event Monitor (IAANTMON) - Intel Corporation - C:\Program Files\Intel\Intel Matrix Storage Manager\Iaantmon.exe
O23 - Service: InstallDriver Table Manager (IDriverT) - Macrovision Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\Driver\11\Intel 32\IDriverT.exe
O23 - Service: iPod Service - Apple Inc. - C:\Program Files\iPod\bin\iPodService.exe
O23 - Service: lxdnCATSCustConnectService - Lexmark International, Inc. - C:\Windows\system32\spool\DRIVERS\W32X86\3\\lxdnserv.exe
O23 - Service: lxdn_device - - C:\Windows\system32\lxdncoms.exe
O23 - Service: SigmaTel Audio Service (STacSV) - IDT, Inc. - C:\Windows\System32\DriverStore\FileRepository\stwrt.inf_c09c50a2\STacSV.ex e
O23 - Service: stllssvr - MicroVision Development, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\SureThing Shared\stllssvr.exe
--
End of file - 5185 bytes

[Phantom010]

You're right, you don't have a big Startup load.

Is your computer as slow when you boot it in Safe Mode or Safe Mode with Networking?

[prdriscoll]

No, it's not as slow.

[Phantom010]

I'd try a Clean Boot to isolate a possible culprit non-Windows application.

If no luck, I'd start to suspect malware...

[Phantom010]

Also, please take note that you don't have an antivirus installed and running!

Windows Defender is useless and it's not an antivirus. I would even disable it.

These following items do not need to load with Windows:

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [OEM02Mon.exe] C:\Windows\OEM02Mon.exe

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Adobe Reader Speed Launcher] "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Reader 9.0\Reader\Reader_sl.exe"

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SigmatelSysTrayApp] %ProgramFiles%\SigmaTel\C-Major Audio\WDM\sttray.exe

O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ehTray.exe] C:\Windows\ehome\ehTray.exe

Click on Start > Run > type msconfig

Under the Startup tab, uncheck all unnecessary items.

[Phantom010]

You may also have drivers needing to be updated, like audio, video or others.

You could also try a chkdsk /r.

Click on Start > Run > type CMD

In the command prompt, type chkdsk /r.

If still no luck, try a Memtest to test your RAM. Burn the ISO Image to a CD/DVD and boot from it. Follow the on screen instructions.

[webitss]

Try scanning computer with malwarebytes.org free soft, if this does not work, try doing a system restore .... Webitss

[peck1234]

Originally Posted by webitss

Try scanning computer with malwarebytes.org free soft, if this does not work, try doing a system restore .... Webitss

+1 on Malwarebytes

Want more speed? Upgrade to windows 7 ASAP...

[Phantom010]

Originally Posted by peck1234

+1 on Malwarebytes

Want more speed? Upgrade to windows 7 ASAP...

Or upgrade to Windows XP Pro! You'll need a lot less RAM!

MBAM isn't a miracle cure...