Slow Boot

Does anyone know what I can do, short of reformatting.

My computer is very slow to boot up and shut down, and a lot of the time, it will boot most of the way up, but then just shut down, and restart. I think the record that I've gotten to with that is 7 times..so if anyone knows what I can do other then reformat (I've asked my dad, but hes to lazy to find the CD that I need and stuff), then please tell

 

Have you done a virus scan? MEssed with regs at all lately?

 

I do virus and spyware scans regularly, and I haven't done anything with the registry, and its nothing new, it used to be my sisters computer, and it got handed down to me when she got a laptop for college. It used to be a lot worse, but I have been able to get it slowly better, but its still doing this..and I don't know why..

 

Your gonna wanna do a virus/spyware/adware scan.

Anti-Virus
avast.com

Anti spyware/adware
http://www.download.com/Spybot-Search-Dest...tml?tag=lst-0-1
http://www.download.com/Ad-Aware-SE-Person...tml?tag=lst-0-1

Edit: Whoops, didnt see your new posts ther

 

A few things that can make it load/close slow:

To many programs loading/shutting down
Need more ram or a ram cleaner (get Chacheman)
More harddrive space always helps

 

also go to to start -> Run -> msconfig go to the startup tab, stop anything that you know what it is and dont need.

also, try hijackthis...

 

If none of thes work you'll *HAVE* to even if you dont' want to, reformat... 'cause then if you don't your PC might fry

 

Many factors that affect shutdowns or restarts

1. low memory
2. low HD space
3. too many processes running and it gota run and close em down when powering and shutting down

Well you can do the xtreme of reformatting but unecessary to decrease boot time because it wiill be the same later on

I suggest get maybe more RAM if its low or do msconfig as master suggested - Untick processes u dont need

 

try a defrag.

 

I don't have a big harddrive, but I'm not using much of it, and I tried to keep the number of things loading down..whats this Chacheman, and where can I download it?

I did a defrag a while back, but I'll try some of the other things you guys suggested, thanks

 

just type cacheman into google and download it.

 

well if you have changed your login screen background, i found that can slow down the booting (took me 3 scrolls with a 2500 RPM hard drive, now it takes me usually 7.) I dont really mind the wait, not as if the 10ish extra seconds really matters.

 

harddrive space doesn't matter for shi unless all the data is on the edge of the disk which it rarely is. HHD speed matters a lot more.

 

I've actually seen increase in performance when space is freed up, but that was when free space was under a gig.

 

http://www.itworld.com/Comp/2378/swol-0496-perf/

http://www.hardwarecentral.com/hardwarecen...tutorials/81/1/

Low ram & low HD space will affect performance

Low SWAP space will affect performance and thats part of the HD

I mean low HD as in probably <1GB