SLOW new XP install

[Flash]

I am working on Dell optiplex gx240 w/ 512M ram and 20G Seagate
Barracuda. I have 1) formatted the hard drive twice and installed XP,
2) test memory using windiag -- ran over night, 3) swap memory sticks,
4) swap hard drive, and 5) test hard drive using seagate disk tool.

There are no errors in the event logs nor on screen. Yet, the system
moves painfully slowwwwwwwww. I am unable to complete window updates
because downloads to this machines take hours in comparison to other
machines on the network. After mouse moves, menu selections, or
waiting for browser to paint, all I heard is churning from the disk
drive (old and new). After lots of disk head movement for a lonnnng
time then the menu or selection appears.

However, when I was cloning the XP install to a new disk the speed of
the disk copy seems normal. So, I thought that the new drive was the
solution. Now, I don't know what else to check.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I am working on Dell optiplex gx240 w/ 512M ram and 20G Seagate
Barracuda. I have 1) formatted the hard drive twice and installed
XP, 2) test memory using windiag -- ran over night, 3) swap memory
sticks, 4) swap hard drive, and 5) test hard drive using seagate
disk tool.

There are no errors in the event logs nor on screen. Yet, the system
moves painfully slowwwwwwwww. I am unable to complete window updates
because downloads to this machines take hours in comparison to other
machines on the network. After mouse moves, menu selections, or
waiting for browser to paint, all I heard is churning from the disk
drive (old and new). After lots of disk head movement for a lonnnng
time then the menu or selection appears.

However, when I was cloning the XP install to a new disk the speed
of the disk copy seems normal. So, I thought that the new drive was
the solution. Now, I don't know what else to check.

Optiplex GX24... What is that - a 1.5-2.0GHz processor?

First thing I would do - download all the latest drivers for the service tag
to an external media to install right after the fresh install of Windows XP.
Straight from Dell on all of them.

Second thing I would do is integrate SP2 and all Post-SP2 updates that I
could straight into the installation media - this will ensure the cleanest
install with the least number of necessary updates.

Next I would install from my new media (with the machine OFF any sort of
network and disconnected from any means to get to the Internet), install all
the hardware drivers from Dell's website I downloaded first and see how the
machine was reacting...

If it was still slow - I would open up the machine and reseat the memory
(swapping slots if plausible) and reseat the CPU. I would also ensure it
was dust-free and all cables were securely connected. I would also check
for any 'bubbling capacitors' - as Dell had serious issues with a vendor and
capacitors around the time the GX240 was made.

Last - I would swap out the hard drive with some plain-jane IDE I had lying
around and see if that helped.

 

[philo]

I am working on Dell optiplex gx240 w/ 512M ram and 20G Seagate
Barracuda. I have 1) formatted the hard drive twice and installed XP,
2) test memory using windiag -- ran over night, 3) swap memory sticks,
4) swap hard drive, and 5) test hard drive using seagate disk tool.

There are no errors in the event logs nor on screen. Yet, the system
moves painfully slowwwwwwwww. I am unable to complete window updates
because downloads to this machines take hours in comparison to other
machines on the network. After mouse moves, menu selections, or
waiting for browser to paint, all I heard is churning from the disk
drive (old and new). After lots of disk head movement for a lonnnng
time then the menu or selection appears.

However, when I was cloning the XP install to a new disk the speed of
the disk copy seems normal. So, I thought that the new drive was the
solution. Now, I don't know what else to check.

If you have not done so already...install the chipset drivers for the
motherboard

 

[Flash]

If you have not done so already...install the chipset drivers for the
motherboard- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Using system tag, I have installed chipset drivers from Dell , still,
no joy.

 

[Flash]

Optiplex GX24... What is that - a 1.5-2.0GHz processor?

First thing I would do - download all the latest drivers for the service tag
to an external media to install right after the fresh install of Windows XP.
Straight from Dell on all of them.

Second thing I would do is integrate SP2 and all Post-SP2 updates that I
could straight into the installation media - this will ensure the cleanest
install with the least number of necessary updates.

Next I would install from my new media (with the machine OFF any sort of
network and disconnected from any means to get to the Internet), install all
the hardware drivers from Dell's website I downloaded first and see how the
machine was reacting...

If it was still slow - I would open up the machine and reseat the memory
(swapping slots if plausible) and reseat the CPU. I would also ensure it
was dust-free and all cables were securely connected. I would also check
for any 'bubbling capacitors' - as Dell had serious issues with a vendor and
capacitors around the time the GX240 was made.

Last - I would swap out the hard drive with some plain-jane IDE I had lying
around and see if that helped.

1) done
2) have a question. I do not have Dell's restore CD. I am using OEM XP
Pro. Is that the source of problems? And, if the Dell CD is not needed
then I can certainly slipstream using OEM XP Pro.
3) After installation of chipset drivers, no difference in
performance.

The system is dust-free, cables checked, memory reseated, etc.

 

[philo]

Using system tag, I have installed chipset drivers from Dell , still,
no joy.

In device manager look at your IDE controllers...they shoud be set to DMA...

if they are in the PIO mode your system will certainly be very slow...


long shot...but also look in the bios and see if there is the possibilty of
CPU cache being turned off...
I've seen some older mobo's where it could be disabled and the system would
of course be slow if diabled...
but with newer machines there prob is not even an option to disable it...but
it's worth a look

 

[Flash]

I am working on Dell optiplex gx240 w/ 512M ram and 20G Seagate
Barracuda. I have 1) formatted the hard drive twice and installed XP,
2) test memory using windiag -- ran over night, 3) swap memory sticks,
4) swap hard drive, and 5) test hard drive using seagate disk tool.

There are no errors in the event logs nor on screen. Yet, the system
moves painfully slowwwwwwwww. I am unable to complete window updates
because downloads to this machines take hours in comparison to other
machines on the network. After mouse moves, menu selections, or
waiting for browser to paint, all I heard is churning from the disk
drive (old andnew). After lots of disk head movement for a lonnnng
time then the menu or selection appears.

However, when I was cloning the XPinstallto anewdisk the speed of
the disk copy seems normal. So, I thought that thenewdrive was the
solution. Now, I don't know what else to check.

UPDATE: Answer - Check bios CPU setting and change from compatible to
NORMAL.