Slow and Unstable XP Startup

[Robert Christie]

Hi
I'm having similar slow trouble as Dean's 'Very Slow
Windows Startup".
My Windows XP operating system came as part of a HP
Pavilion 8984 package.
Therefore I don't own a Windows XP CD but can still
access Window Upgrade site as a registered owner.

My system when it does boot up appears to be unstable and
may drop out and try to reboot it's self.
or
it may get to the login screen and drop out as I enter my
password.
or
get to the desktop and then drop out
or
boot up allow me to work 8 hours then drop out.

Like Dean I've searched the posts for an answer and found
one referring to the boot.ini file.
On using the search feature on my system to locate and
view the boot.ini file, I could not find one as such.
The search of my drive C:\ showed the following:

reboot.ini C:\Vet Configuration
Settings (my anti virus protection program)
firstboot.ini C:\hp\bin Configuration
Settings
boot.ini.backup C:|WINDOWS\pss BACKUP File

I cannot view the backup file, but the firstboot.ini is
one line.
"c:\hp\bin\cloaker.exe c:\hp\bin\inimerge
c:\windows\system32\oobe\oobeinfo.ini c:\hp\bin\merge.ini"

Should my system have a boot.ini file in a specific
directory or due to it's package nature not require one?

Can I use the msconfig file to fix my problem and
reinstall a boot.ini file or use a different method?

My system has a 40 GB hard drive of which I can only
access 33 GB, am I right in assuming the other 7 GB hold
a copy of Windows?
Can I access this partition to install a copy of the
original boot.ini file?

PS. Not the correct newsgroup but my Excel macros are
running slower since this startup problem.

Hope you can help.

TIA

Regards Bob C.

 

[Kelly]

Hi Bob,

Not current with Dean's post......but here are some suggestions:

How to Perform a Clean Boot in Windows XP
How to Use Clean Boot Troubleshooting for Windows XP
How to Troubleshoot By Using the Msconfig Utility in Windows XP
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_conflicts.htm

By default when WinXP encounters a system failure, it reboots without
warning. The setting that controls this can be changed:

Control Panel/System/Advanced/Settings (Startup & Recovery)/System
Failure/Uncheck-Automatically Restart.

You can use Event Viewer to view and manage the event logs, gather
information about hardware and software problems, and monitor Windows
security events.

To view the event log: Administrative Tools/Event Viewer or
Start/Run/eventvwr.

To review Shutdown Event Tracker data, Open Event Viewer. Click System Log,
scroll to the Event column, and find entries with the number 1075.

HOW TO: View and Manage Event Logs in Event Viewer in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q308427

And also:

Go to Start/Run/Msinfo32/Hardware Resources, Components/Problem Devices and
Software Environment/Windows Error Reporting.

Go to Help and Support/Pick a Task (left side)/Use Tools to view.../(left
pane)My Computer Information/(right pane)View the status of my system
hardware and software/Hardware/Update and Troubleshooters.

How to Troubleshoot Hardware and Software Driver Problems
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q322205

Try running the DirectX Tool: Start/Run/Dxdiag, Lower Hardware Acceleration
(Display/Settings/Advanced/Troubleshoot/Hardware Acceleration). Check
System Info for problematic issues: Start/Run/Msinfo32/Hardware Resources
and Components/Problem Devices and Software Environment/Windows Error
Reporting.

Report Error's to Microsoft automatically

Start/Run/gpedit.msc/Computer Configuration/Administrative
Templates/System/Error Reporting. Right click Report Errors/Properties.
Check off Enable and then check off, Do not display links to any MS provided
more information web sites. Apply, ok.

Boot.ini: Start/Run/Msconfig/Boot.ini

A Discussion About the Bootcfg Command and Its Uses
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q291/9/80.asp