Computer pauses for 40 mins before starting to load windows

Just a thought here and I might be crossing the line with this suggestion on this board but I would download and burn a "Live CD" of " Puppy ".... http://puppylinux.org/wikka/HowToUsePuppy ......(It's a Linux OS that will load and run in your system memory). It's a graphical point & click format like Microsoft OS as far as using it to surf the web..but it gets more complicated to use the deeper you get into it. It's free and it would test your hardware and it doesn't use the hard drive.. you could if you wanted to take it out of the computer or unplug it.. If your problem still exists you can narrow it down to the remaining hardware as opposed to the something software related.

 

Now the NIC doesn't work. It is a on-board NIC.
I have never used the Live CD - Puppy. Maybe something to try.

 

Well - I tried to reinstall windows; I had 2 partitions on the drive; deleted the partition and tried to reformat the drive. It's been on all night and only got to 11% - so I am assuming it is my hard drive??

This puppy thing sounds interesting... maybe I'll give that a try before I go out and buy a new hard drive.

 

I did list my system information, listed on the first page.
I did enable boot logging, everything looked fine.
AV is AVG. No boot scan
I did check the bios for boot virus or boot scan, none
I changed the keyboard.
I can hear the hard drive spin up and the light comes on. I hear a slow tick....tick...tick
Have not checked the voltage in BIOS.

 

My suggestion, disconnect the cables to the hard disk drive and then boot to a boot CD. You said it takes 40 minutes to boot to a CD, try it with the HDD disconnected.

 

Does the same thing with no hard drive connected.

 

It appears that you've ruled out everything except the processor and the motherboard.. you could try swapping out the processor if you had a second computer with a socket LGA 775 cpu... or swap out the motherboard... but maybe it decision time.. rebuild with a new motherboard, cpu & memory.. reuse the case and the Power supply if it is of ample wattage. Other option is a complete system, that way you'll get a free upgrade to Windows 7 when its released. Last thought is check the motherboard and all components for any foreign objects that might be shorting something out.. remove and look at the underside of the motherboard for dead spiders ..whatever... inspect everything for burn marks, leakage, ..whatever.. good luck...

 

That was my same thoughts. I have told my client that it was either the processor or motherboard. He is going to be getting a new computer. He may give me his old one which then I can spend a little more time disecting the problem just for my one satisfaction. I will post if I find anything.