Slow startup.

[kbaasit]

Hi each time I startup my PC, the icons on my desktop always take a cpl of mins to show up. Any idea what it might be? I have just unloaded (thru msconfig) programs that aren't needed, unfortunately didn’t do the job.

o/s W2K sp4

[Cricket]

Is this the PC in your sig?

How many background programs are you running and what are they?

Do you defrag regularly?

Do you have a lot of fonts loading with Windows?

Cricket

[glc]

If you are using active desktop (show web content) this will always delay it. Also, the more icons you have on the desktop, the longer it takes - especially if you are parking folders and files on the desktop instead of just shortcuts.

[kbaasit]

thks guys for your input. yes the sinature is my PC. the rating of the CPU is from my AMD Athlon 3000+

The icons are no more than I have at my office, my PC loads fast there. What I am thinking that this might be connected to my Mcafee s/ware. At the same time the red icon in systray goes black.... then when it turns back to red, then the desktop icons appear.

regards

[Alaron]

Easy enough to check. Uninstall McAfee and see if the problem goes away. I'd recommending skipping McAfee even if that isn't the source of the problem. Check out AVG Free for anti-virus.

[kbaasit]

hey GLC, thks about the active desktop. I disabled it, and the icons all load as they should - rite away!

now, as far as my startup is concerned, the mcafee internet security suite which I have running on my PC, delays access to the net as that red ICON becomes black, I think it is scanning files before letting the system start to respond. So you are saying I should kiss the 80$cdn, I paid for it and go get another firewall and virus software?

[rspassey]

Originally Posted by kbaasit hey GLC, thks about the active desktop. I disabled it, and the icons all load as they should - rite away! now, as far as my startup is concerned, the mcafee internet security suite which I have running on my PC, delays access to the net as that red ICON becomes black, I think it is scanning files before letting the system start to respond. So you are saying I should kiss the 80$cdn, I paid for it and go get another firewall and virus software?

You don't have to ditch what you currently have if you don't want to. We just simply suggest using (free) alternative firewall and antivirus software. In numerous experiments (many of which members on these boards can testify for) the quality (in terms of virus prevention and detection) is just as good or better with AVG or Avast Home Free, or other freeware AVs. Furthermore, they utilize fewer system resources, helping to speed you computer up a bit when you are running other tasks.

If you have already paid for it, you can wait up the term or uninstall it, try something else, and see if you like it or not. You can always load MacAfee back on after.

[law99]

Norton can cause the same problem-a really slow PC. Both companies have a special removal tool that should be used.

[Khalil]

I have experimented with many virus protection softwares and in my opinion clamwin is the least to use up system resources and is rock solid at catching viruses. Unlike AVG it is always free with all the features, never have to pay for it. I have donated a few times to help their cause but it is not required.
I think the worst Anti-virus programs out there are Norton and Mcafee.

http://www.clamwin.com

[glc]

Not contesting your choice, Khalil, but simply correcting a misstatement - AVG Free Antivirus is always free with full features. You may be confusing this with AVG Antispyware, which requires you to pay for active protection and automatic updates after the 30 day trial. As a manual scanner with manual updates, it's free. If you want free active spyware protection, there's always Windows Defender. I personally do not see the need for the background footprint of either of those antispywares.

What never ceases to amaze me - people willingly go out and pay 80 bucks for something they can get legally for free elsewhere (a quality antivirus and security package) - but they will do everything they can to get "free" music, movies, software (cough - Photoshop) and try to beat the system using an operating system on more than one computer..........(kbaasit, I am not accusing you personally of any of this - just a general observation)

[kbaasit]

GL, thks for your input (once again).

I actually have never bought s/ware like this b4, always esy enuff to find elsewhere. But i thought I would do s/thing rite 4 a change... prob with the pirce was a 50$ rebate which I never got around to doing. I had a previuos vers. of mcafee and it worked fine! It was free too... go figure!

So, I will go for a tour of the Grisoft page and see if I can d/l the virus scan s/w and firewall as well.

Thks again,

[glc]

Unfortunately, the AVG firewall is not free. For Win2K, I recommend Zone Alarm Free 4.5, here's a link to get it:

http://www.oldversion.com/download.p...9744ee5f2a2221

The antivirus and antispyware is at http://free.grisoft.com

[kbaasit]

Originally Posted by glc Unfortunately, the AVG firewall is not free. For Win2K, I recommend Zone Alarm Free 4.5, here's a link to get it: http://www.oldversion.com/download.p...9744ee5f2a2221 The antivirus and antispyware is at http://free.grisoft.com

I have AVG already up n' running on my PC. Is there a reason that you have sent the link for a version of Zone that is quite old? Is this the better out of the bunch? Is Zone v.scan and firewall worth buying? i.e their net suite.

regards,

[Alaron]

Newer versions of Zone Alarm can cause instability. 4.5 was the best version, after that the versions went downhill a bit.

There is no need to buy anything. Using free software for AV, Anti-spyware and firewall will protect you very well.

[kbaasit]

zalarm455940.exe is not a valid win32 application..

Have I d/loaded the rite s/ware?

[glc]

It's a good download - try again, yours got corrupted.

When you install it, install it as Free, don't register it, and turn off upgrade checking.

Later versions of ZA are okay for XP but 2K really prefers 4.5.

[kbaasit]

me again... after downloading the file I tried to run it now I get the following:

Could not load the DLL library
C:\Docume~1\Admin~1\Locals~1\Temp\vsutil.dll[WSEDbgPrint]. The specified procedure could not be found.

What would this mean?

[glc]

Something running in the background during install that it doesn't like, or incomplete removal of a previous security package.

[Panama Red]

vsutil.dll is a Zone Labs .dll according to a Google search. Use run>msconfig and look in the Startup tab for any attempt to run the Zone Alarm/Zone labs product. Unckeck it and see if the problem goes away. Probably happened because the C:\Docume~1\Admin~1\Locals~1\Temp..... files were removed (which is a good thing!)

[rckershaw]

Where do you find Active Desktop { show web content} I know dumb question but I've looked all though the Internet options thanks. I'm having the same problem with Icons loading slow.

[Panama Red]

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/190228

[glc]

That article is for Win98. 2K and XP are similar, just right click on the desktop, active desktop, uncheck show web content.