Topic: slow boot

[jaxx]

My PC is about 4/5 yrs old and i have very few problems. I recently decided to replace the hard drive to give it a fresh new start. However i re-installed Windows XP Home, which is the version i bought when windows xp first came out i.e. does not have the lates updates etc.

Anyway i connected it to the net and BANG major problems... i had virus problems coming from every direction and it was so bad i decided to re-format the hard drive. I then have turned off auto-update and have not tried to install the new updates as it caused soooo many problems last time.

I dont use the pc very often as it takes a while to boot up - it only has windows xp home and ms office... when i mean the boot up is slow its fairly fast up unti the background appears of the desktop then it takes about 3-5 mins for the icons and start bar to arrive.

So basically i am asking:
- what is the best way of updating my windows xp without major problems
- how do i speed up the boot up?
- would it be best to buy a new windows xp which includes xp sp2?
- any other advice and tips?

cheers

jaxx

[Sandra]

I would just order the free SP2 update CD from Microsoft and do a clean install and then run the SP2 cd before connecting to the net.
It sounds as if you have been getting the MSBLASTER worm or similar which SP2 would protect you from.

Order it from here :

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/updates/sp2/cdorder/en_us/default.mspx

I cant understand why you get a slow boot up after a clean install that takes so long unless you are only running with 64mb ram as XP is terribly slow without at least 128mbs and preferably 256mbs and higher.

[jaxx]

thanks for that sandra!

did not realise you could order a free cd!

i am sure i have at least 512mb.. hopefully it will be better when i do the fresh install!

thanks again!

[joudi]

There's also the possibility of having some damaged tracks of your hard drive. You may repair that by going to:

     Start > Run >  chkdsk /f/r

And restart the PC after that.

[jaxx]

joudi, sadly that did not work.

Hopefully when i reformat and install xp and sp2 it will speed up.. if not i will be asking lots of questions!!

[Simon]

If you don't want to wait for the CD to arrive, and you have access to another PC, you can download SP2 from HERE, then burn it onto a CD to install with your XP installation.  

[jaxx]

Thanks for that simon! I must admit i did not fancy waiting 3-4weeks! Downloading it now!

cheers!