power-on-self-test (POST) delayed?

[Tom Carlson]

I have Windows XP Professional which I have used for some
time. For the last 2 weeks, due to either an aditional
poripheral or software addition, when I push on the start
button on my computer, it "starts" but it quickly gets to
the POST (power-on-self-test) and it just sits there with
minimal information about my BIOS and possibly a couple of
keys to "hit" like the "delete" key and "F8" and that's all
that appears for approximately 5minutes 30 seconds each
time I try to start my computer. After the 5 minutes and
30 seconds have passed, it then goes through the POST
operation which ends, and then I get the Windows XP
Professional screen and then my desktop appears as it
normally did in the past. I can then use my computer with
everything working.

How can I "set" my computer so the POST operation starts
immediately like it used to? I have taken out the extra
peripheral (actually a TV PC slot card which was supposed
to enable me to watch TV on my screen as I work and also
capture images, stop, pause, etc.) and I have also removed
the software the was installed for the PC card using the
add/remove link in the control panel. I looked in my BIOS
and really didn't find anything there that I know of that
would "fix" my problem. PLEASE HELP - this is very
annoying having to wait 5 minutes 30 seconds after pushing
the start button to just get the POST operation to commence.

Secondly, this has been happening for probably at least 2-3
months. When my computer does eventually start after I
click on the user icon after the Windows XP Professional
screen appears, them my desktop does appear, but I get a
small pop-up window in the middle of my screen saying that
"Error Loading C:\Windows\System 32\bridge.dll The
specified module could not be found." I can then hit "OK"
and it disappears and I can use my computer as usual and
everything seems to work OK.

For both of these problems, I have actually "restored" my
computer to a previous date and I have also put in my
Windows XP Professional CD and performed an
"upgrade/Restore" process on my computer but not a clean
install where I would lose all my data, settings, programs,
etc., and totally wipe my hard drive clean!

Nothing has seemed to work for my "POST problem" or my
"specified module could not be found problem" so any help
would be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much.

Sincerely,
Tom Carlson

 

[MGGP]

Sounds like two completely unrelated problems. On the
first one, at POST time, I would bet that at the bottom of
the screen, when the POST pauses, there is an error
message that contains a clue - memory-timing related or
something,. . .

On the second issue, that message indicates a remnant of a
spyware entity. Use MSCONFIG to remove the entry and thus
the message:

http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/adw
are.winfavorites.html

http://www.2-spyware.com/file-bridge-dll.html

http://www.pestpatrol.com/PestInfo/w/winfavorites_bridge.as
p

http://netsquirrel.com/msconfig/ <-tutorial

Also:
1) Make sure you use a Firewall - Internet Connection
Firewall is built-in to Windows, or use a 3rd party
product,
2) Be sure to keep your anti-virus software updated
3) Be sure to use and keep your anti-spyware software
updated:
Good Luck !SpyBot
http://www.safer-networking.org/

AdAware
www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/
4) Be sure to run all Windows Critical Updates
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com

Good Luck !

 

[Doug Knox MS-MVP]

Tom,

Without knowing your specific motherboard/BIOS, the only thing I can suggest is that you look through the BIOS settings in your manual for a method of resetting the DMI Pool data. This information is recorded in CMOS by the BIOS when you add/remove hardware and it may not always get updated correctly. Resetting this information causes a rescan, by the BIOS, of all installed hardware.