slow boot after adding 2nd hard disk

[Guest]

When I disconnect my second hard disk, my computer takes a minute or two to
boot. When I reconnect it, it takes about 10 minutes to start up. There is
no OS on this drive. Here is its configuration:

Maxtor 53073U6 [Hard drive] (30.73 GB) -- drive 1
d: (on drive 1) 5.24 GB 3.28 GB free
e: (on drive 1) 5.24 GB 1.11 GB free
h: (on drive 1) 5.24 GB 5.16 GB free
i: (on drive 1) 5.24 GB 2.42 GB free
j: (on drive 1) 5.24 GB 3.95 GB free
k: (on drive 1) 4.53 GB 4.39 GB free

Could this be happening because I have too many partitions? If so, what is
the optimal size for partitions for a second disk on a Win2k box? If not,
then I suspect the switch settings on the drive itself.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

When I disconnect my second hard disk, my computer takes a minute or two to
boot. When I reconnect it, it takes about 10 minutes to start up. There is
no OS on this drive. Here is its configuration:

Maxtor 53073U6 [Hard drive] (30.73 GB) -- drive 1
d: (on drive 1) 5.24 GB 3.28 GB free
e: (on drive 1) 5.24 GB 1.11 GB free
h: (on drive 1) 5.24 GB 5.16 GB free
i: (on drive 1) 5.24 GB 2.42 GB free
j: (on drive 1) 5.24 GB 3.95 GB free
k: (on drive 1) 4.53 GB 4.39 GB free

Could this be happening because I have too many partitions? If so, what is
the optimal size for partitions for a second disk on a Win2k box? If not,
then I suspect the switch settings on the drive itself.

You need to state if the excessive delay occurs

a) During the early boot phase, before Windows starts, or
b) While Windows is starting up, or
c) During the last phases of Windows starting.

What's visible on your screen during those 10 minutes?

 

[Guest]

Here is what I see and the minutes passed from boot time that I see it:

0:00 Boot begins
0:53 B/W Starting Windows
1:00 Windows 2000 splash screen (with blue progress bar)
5:11 Status box titled Please wait...
5:30 Log On To Windows dialog box
Back to Status box (Loading personal settings)
6:36 Windows Logon Sound/Desktop appears/Cursor with hourglass appears
7:09 Hourglass disappears
8:40 Disks are finally silent

I also looked at the Event Viewer, which logged the following:

Event Type: Error
Event Source: atapi
Event Category: None
Event ID: 9
Date: 8/30/2004
Time: 9:35:42 PM
User: N/A
Computer: OZMA
Description:
The device, \Device\Ide\IdePort0, did not respond within the timeout period.
Data:
0000: 0f 00 10 00 01 00 64 00 ......d.
0008: 00 00 00 00 09 00 04 c0 .......À
0010: 00 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 ........
0018: 16 07 07 00 00 00 00 00 ........
0020: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ........
0028: 00 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 ........
0030: 00 00 00 00 07 00 00 00 ........

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Here is what I see and the minutes passed from boot time that I see it:

0:00 Boot begins
0:53 B/W Starting Windows
1:00 Windows 2000 splash screen (with blue progress bar)
5:11 Status box titled Please wait...
5:30 Log On To Windows dialog box
Back to Status box (Loading personal settings)
6:36 Windows Logon Sound/Desktop appears/Cursor with hourglass appears
7:09 Hourglass disappears
8:40 Disks are finally silent

I also looked at the Event Viewer, which logged the following:

Event Type: Error
Event Source: atapi
Event Category: None
Event ID: 9
Date: 8/30/2004
Time: 9:35:42 PM
User: N/A
Computer: OZMA
Description:
The device, \Device\Ide\IdePort0, did not respond within the timeout period.
Data:
0000: 0f 00 10 00 01 00 64 00 ......d.
0008: 00 00 00 00 09 00 04 c0 .......À
0010: 00 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 ........
0018: 16 07 07 00 00 00 00 00 ........
0020: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ........
0028: 00 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 ........
0030: 00 00 00 00 07 00 00 00 ........

Your second disk might be on the way out. Download and
run the diagnostic program that your disk manufacturer makes
available free of charge on his home site.

 

[Guest]

Thanks Pegasus! I backed up all my data and formatted the disk using
utilities from Maxtor.

I believe the problem was too many partitions/logical drives. On a basic
disk, you can create up to four (4) primary partitions on a disk, or three
(3) primary partitions and one (1) extended partition. I had one (1) primary
partition and six (6) extended partitions. Now I have one (count them... 1)
partition, and the machine boots fast.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Thanks for the feedback. I read what you write but it sounds
a little unlikely - I have never seen any speed penalty when
creating extra partitions.