SP2 very slow loading

[Dick Ballard]

After doing SP2 install, boot time has increased from around a minute
with SP1 to several minutes with SP2. There is also an incredible
amount of disk activity both while loading (normal except for the
duration) and also after all functions are available.

Machine is Sony 3.2 GHz P4 with 2 GB memory running WinXP Pro.

How do I get the loading time back to something reasonable? I have not
changed background or startup options. SP2 has apparently added some
of its own or is doing some kind of disk intensive activity for an
extended period.

Dick Ballard
(e-mail address removed)

 

[Shenan Stanley]

After doing SP2 install, boot time has increased from around a minute
with SP1 to several minutes with SP2. There is also an incredible
amount of disk activity both while loading (normal except for the
duration) and also after all functions are available.

Machine is Sony 3.2 GHz P4 with 2 GB memory running WinXP Pro.

How do I get the loading time back to something reasonable? I have not
changed background or startup options. SP2 has apparently added some
of its own or is doing some kind of disk intensive activity for an
extended period.

Please answer in the newsgroups...

- How many times have you rebooted since installing SP2?

- Did you verify you had the latest hardware drivers (from the actual
hardware manufacturer(s)) already?

- What antivirus and antispyware applications have you ran?

- Might I ask why you waited 4, almost 5 years before installing SP2 for
Windows XP?
- Was there/is there some applications or hardware preventing you from
doing so? I ask because these still could be a problem.

- When was the last time you did a "Disk Cleanup", "CHKDSK" and a "DEFRAG"
of the drive(s)?

- Have you gone through and gotten the post-SP2 updates?

- Is there any reason for you not to go to SP3 now?

If you decide to go to SP3 (I think you should, just because of the
timing...)

With proper preparation - you are unlikely to have problems - and if you
have been performing proper maintenance all along - even if you do - you are
only out a short period of time (restoring from the backup/drive image you
made wisely before diving in...)

A place to get FREE support for SP3 installation issues *from Microsoft*...
http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?ln=en-us&prid=11273&gprid=522131

WinXP SP3 - Read all prerequisites for a successful installation
http://msmvps.com/blogs/harrywaldro...requisites-for-a-successful-installation.aspx

Steps to take before you install Windows XP Service Pack 3
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950717

Suggestions:

1) Download the full SP3 installation file and/or burn the ISO download to
CD.
2) Ensure (as well as plausible) you have no spyware/malware by doing a full
scan with SuperAntiSpyware and MalwareBytes.
3) CHKDSK
4) Defragment
5) Ensure your hardware drivers are up to date (from the hardware
manufacturer's respective web pages.)
6) Reboot right before you try to install SP3.
7) Disconnect from the internet before installing (physically.)
8) Disable your antivirus and antispyware applications when you are about to
install SP3.

Some (if not all) of that is covered in the above links.

 

[Bill in Co.]

At the very least, he should run Defrag after having installed SP2, and then
reboot a couple of times and rerun Defrag.

Also, check if System Restore is monitoring other drives now too, as a
result of installing SP2 - if so, he could probably turn off monitoring some
of those other drives (but not C, unless it's really needed. And
perhaps check his Firewall and Windows Update settings too, while he's at
it.