Clean install of XP very slow after MS updates

[Smoker~]

I am not very familiar with XP. Thanks to an MVP (Colin) I was able to do an
NTFS format and get a smooth installation that worked fine until installing
all of MS updates. I removed all of them and still am going quite slow
whether opening a folder or using DSL on the Web.

Would a system restore get me back to normal? Would I lose everything in My
Documents and Desktop if I did that? Should I copy that stuff to a different
partition?

Also, why is it that this little dual computer icon near the clock takes
forevcer to appear and I'm helpless to do anything until it does? It has a
yellow (!) ontop of it and surely there must be some workaround to get rid
of it or make it appear faster by putting in some IP numbers somewhere or
something?

This is a single user machine not connected to any other computer. No
garbage has been installed except for the MS Hotfixes (all are now removed).
I am using AntiVir AV and otherwise nothing else is apparently running
except what is normal with XP, AFAIK. The 7 apps that start with Windows are
necessary or caused no problems prior to the MS Hotfixes.

Win XP home OEM
A64 1.8GB
2x 256MB DDR 2100
K8 Combo-Z mobo - ASrock
Enermax 431W PSU

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

System restore does not disturb data files. It only affects the registry,
drivers, and system files, etc. Defrag the hard drive. Installations are
the worst offenders in fragmenting a drive. Then reinstall updates and
defrag again. Performance should not be adversly affected by updating the
OS.

 

[Smoker~]

Thank's for responding Colin. I've been using Diskeeper & it seemed the
drive wasn't badly fragged at 1.03, ran it again anyhow and no joy. I ran
System Restore from the point before installing Diskeeper and all is well
again.

Instead of going to Microsoft's Update site, I've been using BigFix for
years. I install as many updates as possible until being forced to reboot.
This time I'll install one update at a time and reboot after each install
whether prompted to or not. Whether that works or not I'll post back the
results.

System restore does not disturb data files. It only affects the registry,
drivers, and system files, etc. Defrag the hard drive. Installations are
the worst offenders in fragmenting a drive. Then reinstall updates and
defrag again. Performance should not be adversly affected by updating the
OS.

--
Colin Barnhorst [MVP Windows - Virtual Machine]
(Reply to the group only unless otherwise requested)

I am not very familiar with XP. Thanks to an MVP (Colin) I was able to do
an NTFS format and get a smooth installation that worked fine until
installing all of MS updates. I removed all of them and still am going
quite slow whether opening a folder or using DSL on the Web.

Would a system restore get me back to normal? Would I lose everything in
My Documents and Desktop if I did that? Should I copy that stuff to a
different partition?

Also, why is it that this little dual computer icon near the clock takes
forevcer to appear and I'm helpless to do anything until it does? It has
a yellow (!) ontop of it and surely there must be some workaround to get
rid of it or make it appear faster by putting in some IP numbers
somewhere or something?

This is a single user machine not connected to any other computer. No
garbage has been installed except for the MS Hotfixes (all are now
removed). I am using AntiVir AV and otherwise nothing else is apparently
running except what is normal with XP, AFAIK. The 7 apps that start with
Windows are necessary or caused no problems prior to the MS Hotfixes.

Win XP home OEM
A64 1.8GB
2x 256MB DDR 2100
K8 Combo-Z mobo - ASrock
Enermax 431W PSU

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

As long as you give the system a run through before moving on the next
install, that's a good plan.

--
Colin Barnhorst [MVP Windows - Virtual Machine]
(Reply to the group only unless otherwise requested)

Thank's for responding Colin. I've been using Diskeeper & it seemed the
drive wasn't badly fragged at 1.03, ran it again anyhow and no joy. I ran
System Restore from the point before installing Diskeeper and all is well
again.

Instead of going to Microsoft's Update site, I've been using BigFix for
years. I install as many updates as possible until being forced to reboot.
This time I'll install one update at a time and reboot after each install
whether prompted to or not. Whether that works or not I'll post back the
results.

System restore does not disturb data files. It only affects the
registry, drivers, and system files, etc. Defrag the hard drive.
Installations are the worst offenders in fragmenting a drive. Then
reinstall updates and defrag again. Performance should not be adversly
affected by updating the OS.

--
Colin Barnhorst [MVP Windows - Virtual Machine]
(Reply to the group only unless otherwise requested)

I am not very familiar with XP. Thanks to an MVP (Colin) I was able to
do an NTFS format and get a smooth installation that worked fine until
installing all of MS updates. I removed all of them and still am going
quite slow whether opening a folder or using DSL on the Web.

Would a system restore get me back to normal? Would I lose everything in
My Documents and Desktop if I did that? Should I copy that stuff to a
different partition?

Also, why is it that this little dual computer icon near the clock takes
forevcer to appear and I'm helpless to do anything until it does? It has
a yellow (!) ontop of it and surely there must be some workaround to get
rid of it or make it appear faster by putting in some IP numbers
somewhere or something?

This is a single user machine not connected to any other computer. No
garbage has been installed except for the MS Hotfixes (all are now
removed). I am using AntiVir AV and otherwise nothing else is apparently
running except what is normal with XP, AFAIK. The 7 apps that start with
Windows are necessary or caused no problems prior to the MS Hotfixes.

Win XP home OEM
A64 1.8GB
2x 256MB DDR 2100
K8 Combo-Z mobo - ASrock
Enermax 431W PSU

 

[Keith]

you might want to look at hotfix 811493... it's a hotfix that displays
exactly the symptoms you are mentioning.. do a search on goole for
slow performance xp hotfix.. and this one will raise it's ugly head..

as for Colin's defrag... hehe.. whatever dude

Caio