Need Help troubleshooting WinXP or PC problem

[Cleveland Turner]

I have built several computers over the years and this is the first
time I am unable to diagnose the problem.
I am running Windows XP (first-time user) and PC is running EXTREMELY
SLOW...

1. I have many application hangs and have difficulty multitasking
between any two open programs. the performance monitor shows the
processor at locked at 100% for 15-25 sec for minor commands.

2. Printing takes about 45 seconds to begin and when you look at the
job it reports a file that is much greater than the actual file. For
example, I printed a 32kb document and the que shows the job as 5 mb.

3. I have turned off all the fancy XP graphics with no noticeable
change.

I cannot determine if it is a PC problem or an XP problem although I
believe it is the Latter.

I built a computer 6 months ago with no problems but I continued to
use Win98se.

Here are my components

AMDXP 1900
ELIXIR DDR PC2700 333MHZ 256MB (No problems on other PC)
MSI KT4V-L/KT400/ATX/AUD/8X AGP
WD 60g 7200
Geforce4 64mb
1 Taisol CGK760092 Copper Insert w/30CFM Delta
Generic case
cdrom
modem

This system runs hotter than the prior system at about 55 C. My other
system using practically the same setup runs at 48C.

Any suggestions what could be causing the slow response? This system
seemed to run fine when I had win98se installed for a short time. I
did do a fresh install of WinXP and did not upgrade over Win98.

 

[Strontium]

Very good listing of components/symptoms. Overall, it sounds to me that you
have some incompatibility on the DMA front. Have you checked CMOS settings,
regarding your drives? I've only seen this behavior (with the exception of
an 'upgrade' over an existing Win98 installation), where some settings were
not correct regarding HDD/CDROM, in the GUI. Also, what drivers are you
using for the GF4? Just one thing left to ask, below...

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Cleveland Turner stood up, at show-n-tell, and said:

I have built several computers over the years and this is the first
time I am unable to diagnose the problem.
I am running Windows XP (first-time user) and PC is running EXTREMELY
SLOW...

1. I have many application hangs and have difficulty multitasking
between any two open programs. the performance monitor shows the
processor at locked at 100% for 15-25 sec for minor commands.

Which processes?

 

[Jim]

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=811493

Just a guess, but didn't the above create lots of performance problems for
many XP users?! If you have this Hotfix listed under Add/Remove Programs,
you might try removing it.

Jim

 

[JAD]

Via! 4in1's reloaded? in particular the busmaster divers and the AGP

 

[Pen]

As an add to Jim's excellent suggestion, 811493 definitely
caused these kind of problems. Uninstall it and then go to M$
update and re-download. They have fixed it recently.

 

[Cleveland Turner]

Thanks for the suggestions. I am willing to try anything right now. I
am not at home yet so I cannot check to see if it works. I have the
PNY Geforce4 4200 64mb video card and I used the drivers that came
with the card. I updated automatically to the latest version before
testing out the system. I may try going back to the older drivers. I
never considered that the video driver may be the problem but I had
eliminated most everthing else. I'd already looked at the CMOS and
everything looked correct.

An application will hang just by me clicking from one program to
another on the taskbar. It is not isolated to any individual
programs. It happens with all of them. I'll have time to try all the
suggestion by Saturday. I'll let you know the outcome
Thanks.

 

[Strontium]

No need to get 'touchy'.

I was saying that, based on this OP's description, that my first guess would
not be the video drivers and/or VIA 4 in 1's. Overall, it seems to me to be
either a DMA or ATAPI issue. The default drivers, that come with XP for
video and chipset should not cause this drastic of a problem. OP will not
give specifics on 'which' processes are eating up CPU time, either. Saying
that it's random. I was not attacking. Merely throwing my worthless 2cents,
into the pile. Take it, for what it's worth...

Read into what I said, what you wish. It's a free world (supposedly).

-
JAD stood up, at show-n-tell, and said:

 

[Bernie]

This does sound exactly like the 811493 update problem. I had the same
problem until I uninstalled that update.

 

[JAD]

well. its seems you are agreeing then turning it around....the 4in's1 ARE
the video and IDE drivers for the MB/chipset. Never met a WDM i liked, less
it was made by the manufacturer of the hardware.

 

[Cleveland Turner]

Problem Solved!!!!

Unfortunately, I am not certain which change corrected the problem. I
was following a systematic approach where I made one change and then
checked the system. I grew tired and made several changes and one of
them fixed the problem.

I am certain it was not a cmos change that fixed it.
Among other things, I uninstalled the 811493 update, updated Nvidia
video driver to the non xp certified compatibility driver. Now the
system is running as expected.

Thanks for the help everyone. I would not have tried a few things
without your ideas.