Pc takes ages to start up.......really weird problem

Redisle · 09-08-2006 09:18PM #1

I was fixing my friends pc recently whose problem was that it was taking ages to start up ( this isnt his primary machine). So I went over assuming that he had a major spyware/virus problem and I said i would reinstall xp. So i switched it on, fans spin up, no beep, no bios screen, nothing.....for about 10 mins. Then it boots fine and comes into windows and everything.

I reinstalled windows for him anyway because someone who had fixed it for him before installed a pirate xp pro so I installed home with his own oem key.
Now it gets even stranger... If I restart now it boots fine... It only takes ages from a 'cold' start.:rolleyes: . Now I sound like im talking bout a car....

So does anyone know why this is? Its not too important to him to get this fixed....its a p4 1.5, 256mb ram and he has a new pc but its bugging me all the same... I think there is a good chance that its the psu but im not sure.... Any ideas anyone??

Ruu_Old · 09-08-2006 09:24PM

When you reinstalled, did you format it or just replace the installation that was already there?

irlrobins · 09-08-2006 09:26PM

Have checked that all cables are secure, reseated RAM, video card etc.

Redisle · 09-08-2006 09:39PM

Ruu wrote:

When you reinstalled, did you format it or just replace the installation that was already there?

Ya I wiped the existing partition and formatted the whole drive ntfs. tbh I dont think its a windows problem because it doesent even get as far as the bios screen

Redisle · 09-08-2006 09:42PM

irlrobins wrote:

Have checked that all cables are secure, reseated RAM, video card etc.

No i didnt think of that actually. Id say the memory is okay though because i ran memtest for about 45 mins with no errors. Id say it could be the psu because i though i heard some wierd noises from it but im not sure. Next day im there ill try reseating everything and check the cables anyway..

irlrobins · 09-08-2006 09:42PM

ab_cork wrote:

Ya I wiped the existing partition and formatted the whole drive ntfs. tbh I dont think its a windows problem because it doesent even get as far as the bios screen

yea no it doesn't appear to be. Sounds like a physical problem.

Redisle · 10-08-2006 06:40PM

so can anyone tell me what the problem is?

arseagon · 10-08-2006 07:36PM

Have you checked the BIOS. there's usually an option to enable Quick boot. Some PC's can take an age if this isn't enabled. it might still take ages on a cold boot but maybe only half the time.

Ruu_Old · 10-08-2006 07:38PM

Try setting the BIOS to the default values and see if theres any change.

PogMoThoin · 10-08-2006 07:47PM

Clear cmos?

DonkeyRhubarb · 10-08-2006 08:34PM

This happened to me.

The HD eventually gave up and I lost everything.

Try with a different HD and if this fixes it, voila.

Exact same problem I had.

Back up your stuff while you can!!!

Voila:p

DublinWriter · 10-08-2006 09:03PM

Reset the BIOS as suggested, and it may be looking for a boot image from the network.

More likely as one poster said it's a dodgy HD trying to spin-up and about to go RIP.

Redisle · 10-08-2006 09:34PM

Okay, thanks for all of your help, will try resetting the bios, if not i guess it must be the hard drive...

Pc takes ages to start up.......really weird problem

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