Hello,

I can't quit figure out this problem.  I have an eMachines m5309 laptop, with 512MB RAM, which was running Windows XP Home SP2.  Last week it suddenly got really slow, I mean it took like 20 MINUTES to start up Windows.  The problem even occurred in Safe Mode.  I thought it was a VIRUS and tried running Spybot, but that literally took nearly 48 hours to get 3/4 of the way through.

I downloaded the Ultimate Boot CD and ran some antivirus programs from it instead, but they couldn't find any viruses.  So I backed up the hard drive with Acronis TrueImage -- that seemed to work fine -- and then I reinstalled Windows using the eMachine restore CDs.  But when I went to start Windows, it was still running slow!

So I guess that means it's a hardware problem, rigiht?  But I ran a Hitachi drive fitness TEST on the hard drive (it is a Hitachi DK23FA-60) and the test showed no problems with the drive.

So, I've reached the limit of my technical expertise.  If it's not the software, and it's not the hard drive, what could it be?  Or is it still possible that it's the software or drive?

One last note: Everything seems to work fine until the Windows logo appears; at that point, suddenly the progress bar that runs underneath the logo shows fits and starts and long pauses.

I would appreciate any help anyone could give.  Thanks.


DavidI'm stumped...it could be many things. what programs do you have installed in windows XP? also, have you tested the RAM and hard drive in another laptop or computer? my only guess would be it is the RAM, hard drive, or a BIOS setting. reset the BIOS to factory defaults, see if that helps.Reinstalling Windows is not the same as formatting. Did you format or not? If you're not sure say so.Have you done any regular maintenence on that machine lately ? ?

Right click your C: drive in My Computer and select Disk clean in the first window...

Then select Tools in the same window and run defrag.

Re-boot and see if things are any better.

If Spybot took that long that HDD might be havin troubles...check how much free space you have and REPORT back...in the meantime DLoad and run the diagnostics on that drive from the manuf. site.I guess I assumed that the restore CDs format the drive because they erase all of the data.  Is that not the same thing?

Anyway, I'm pleased because Dead_Reckon's suggestion to reset BIOS settings to defaults worked!  My computer isn't slow anymore ...  I just don't know why it worked.  I haven't played with the settings at all.  Could a virus have changed the BIOS settings?  How can I prevent that from spontaneously happening again?

Many thanks for all the help.I'm having the same kind of problem. How do you re-set the BIOS? Quote

reset the BIOS to factory defaults, see if that helps.

I'm having the same kind of problem. How do you re-set the BIOS?