HP 510 very slow startup (10 min +)

My notebook (HP 510) startup time has deteriorated over the past year to very slow (more than 10 minutes)

Operating system is Windows XP plus service pack 2. I run Zonealarm and Avast antivirus plus Windows defender and also do scans with Malware anti bytes from time to time. I have defragmented the hard drive and use tuneup utilities and CC cleaner to keep the registry up to date. There is still plus minus 17 gig space on the hard drive. (I have attached a file with my systems specs). None of this has improved the startup times or performance of the computer.

Other symptoms is that the sound is very jerky (startup tune as well as music played on Media player. Other players give the same symptoms.) Program startup times like MS office and similar programs have also become painfully slow.

The advice I have received from an IT guy is a disk format.

My Questions are:
1) Any advice that may help before attempting a disk format.
2) If disk format is the way to go, some guidelines on how to do it (I can't seem to find specific guidelines for the HP 510 and Windows XP reinstall.) a pointer to a link if this info is available somewhere on the forum or some advice on what to do.

The operating system (Windows XP) was preinstalled. The drive is partitioned with the D drive containing the programs for a restore) The first time I booted up, the system asked for 2 DVD's to do a backup of the operating system, which I did. I have these disks available which should contain the necessary drivers and Windows XP operating system.

3) I read about HP bloatware on vista machines. Does this also apply for Windows XP on my system?

Any advice or help will be appreciated.
Regards GeorgeSA

 

It sounds like the harddrive is running in PIO,

Click on start, then right click on my computer, then click on manage..

Click on the Device manager, go down to ATA/atapi (or IDE bit)

and then go on the IDE channel which the harddrive is on, this is different for differe nt laptops, click on advanced settings and enable DMA mode (or SATA mode)

I'm sorry im not very good at describing... but i hope this helped.

 

p.s.

Send me a PM if this still doesnt help... and i'll try and help you

 

mr_bean

Thanks for the reply. Your description helped.

It seems that your diagnoses of the problem is correct. Device 0 is running in PIO mode (this is Greek to me )
I cant seem to change it though. The dropdown box gives 2 options DMA if available or PIO only. The DMA if available is selected, but it stays in PIO mode. I have attached a picture file of the cropped screenshot.

Device 1 gives as the current transfer mode "Multi-Word DMA mode 2"

I am not sure whether dvice0 and device1 refers to the partitioned drives C and D (Drive D contains the files used for a system restore as I understand the setup and this is the reason that I am hesitant to go the format route as I am not sure that I will be able to setup a partitioned drive again)

I appreciate Your help in resolving this problem.

 

Since Mr. Bean has not responded yet, here is info and a solution to your PIO issue.
http://winhlp.com/node/10

 

deeastman

Thanks a lot for the link. The quickfix did a quick fix and reboot is down to 4 min.

 

Sorry i didnt reply, haha i was expecting a mail or somthing if you needed more help i loose threads easily &_&

 

mr bean
Hi thanks for coming back. The link deeastman supplied has a vb script program which reset the PIO setting. Worked like a charm and my PC is back up to speed. I can even surf the internet while chatting with my daughter on SKYPE.

Regards GeorgeSA