W2K Startup Issues...please help.

I am having a strange problem with my Windows 2000 laptop. It has been happening for a couple of weeks now and I can't figure it out.

When I first boot and I am connected to a network, either mine at home, at work, or at a client the "Loading your personal settings" screen stays up about 5 minutes. This happens with a regular PCMCIA ethernet and a wireless ethernet card. Again, this happens on several different networks.

If I boot and my network cable is not plugged in, the machine goes right throught the "Loading your personal settings" thing in a few seconds. So this rules out profile size.

Also, I am only running TCP/IP and this happens on several networks so it can't be a PDC or DNS issue.

I had tried adding NETBUI which didn't help so I removed it.

Finally, this is a somewhat new problem and there has been NO new hardware added. Also, I have removed any new software added in the last few weeks. Also, I have completely removed TCP/IP and re-installed it.

I am running a Win2k SP3.

Any ideas? Cause I am stumped.


Thanks.

--Jeff

 

Enable verbose logging to get more detail.

You may have a similar issue to JSI tip 3594

What DNS settings do you use (may be timing out looking for a server)?

 

At a guess, something is trying to connect or load from the network at startup if it sees a network connection. It is taking that long to quit trying. Quite a few apps try to "CALL HOME" when your profile is loading to check for updates or to send out information.

First suggestion is to load Startup Cop and take a look at what you have loading. Easy enough to temp. disable them with the app as well.

Second suggestion is to run Ad-Aware (the new version 6) and Spybot to remove any malware you have picked up and to dump your temporary internet files.

Third suggestion is to do a complete virus scan using an online scanner like housecall to see if you've picked up a trojan somewhere that your onboard AV software is missing.

 

Thanks for your advice. I have run Ad Aware 6, I have used Housecall and I run PC-cillin 2003. I am pretty sure that there are no trojans/virii/or other nasty things. I have used Startup Control and I notice nothing new or suspicious at startup.

If you have any other ideas I would be welcome to hear them.

--Jeff

 

Do you have a roaming profile by chance?

 

Not a roaming profile as far as I know. I set the box up from scratch and later connected to my work domain. It has been fine for 1 1/2 years....just lately I am having this weird problem.

--Jeff

 

Another thing to try. Get Startup Cop or another similar boot manager and deselect all the startup apps you think the PC will run without.

If that cures the problem, begin adding apps back in one at a time until you find the one that is causing your problem.