Explorer.exe v.slow load on XP SP3, even with 0 startup processes! (New driver?)

I have a Toshiba Portege R100 laptop that I use as a netbook killer (12.1in screen, 900g and 6-7hrs battery life on balanced!).

It usually boots from cold in about 25-30 seconds. I recently changed out the network card in it (the old one was bust) for an intel 2100 (couldn't get the 2200 to work, and anyway 11 is okay for work).

To install this, I used a driver package from a toshiba portege m200 (which contained drivers for the 2100, 2200, and a belkin wifi card). It installed fine.

Since this install, upon booting there is a delay between the point at which the desktop is loaded and explorer.exe finishes startup.

That is to say, the taskbar waits for between 20 and 30 seconds before loading.

I can three-finger-salute, and explorer.exe is running during these seconds, but its memory is changing very little until it loads, and it is using almost no processing power.

I have tried using msconfig to disable ALL startup processes, but the same behaviour occurs, exactly as with the few processes that I do load normally (rmclock, hotkey drivers e.t.c).

The same EVEN happens in SAFE MODE! (Desktop, long pause, no memory usage change in explorer.exe until 30seconds later BAM loads).

Any ideas!?

(help most appreciated)

 

Remove the card and see if the issue goes away.

cheers ...

 

The card predates the problem - it was in before i switched to a 2200bg, and now in again.

 

Try this:

. Uninstall the current driver from m200

. install either -
http://www.softwaredriverdownload.com/intel_wm3a2100_driver.html

. or -
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?lndocid=MIGR-59438

Hope this work for you.

cheers ...