Computer takes 20 minutes to boot up

Hi,
I was trying to help a friend with her problem and I just don't know much about ME so I finally gave up and hope I can get some help here.
Her computer sometimes takes 20 minutes to 1 hour to boot up before the Windows Me loads. This has started about a month ago she said.
I tried to run scan disk and disk defrag and I was successful doing in in Safe Mode.
I noticed sometimes when we turned on the computer there was no loading screen (the normal one that looks like DOS screens) but just the Windows ME Start Up Screen.
I just don't know what to look for. I was going to try to do the System File Checker (SFC) but couldn't find it when I typed it in the RUN box.
Can anyone help please?
Jean

 

Hi Jean
Go to start...then run...type in msconfig.......and look under the start up tab. What all is checked in there?

Daizy

 

Hi,
Thanks for being so prompt. I'm not at my friend's house now but I did go to msconfig and took off the ones I knew didn't make that much difference although I did leave a lot to start. It didn't make any difference it took to start the computer when I took off . Do you still want a complete list of what is running on startup?
Thanks.
Jean

 

Hi Jean
Yes...it would be very helpful to have the complete list.

Daizy

 

Hi Daizy,
I went over to my friend's house today to check what is running on Startup. I did get the list and will list it after this note. I'm almost sure something else is wrong with her computer. I opened yer " My Computer" icon today and when I did, nothing came up and the window was half gray and half white. Then the computer was hung up. I powered it down and tried to open Windows Explorer and the same thing happened. I had to leave so I couldn't investigate further. When I restarted again it went through another scan disk and finally opened.

MSCONFIG Start Up Programs that are checked:
LoadPowerProfile
StillImageMonitor
ccEVTMgr
ScanRegistry
SystemTray
LoadPowerProfile
ZTgServerSwitch
Tgcmd
CMDL31
TaskMonitor
hpppta
ccApp
ccRegVfy
ScriptBlocking
VAIO Action Setup (Server)
CompuServe 7.0 Tray Icon

Everything else is not checked.

Thanks again for the help.

Jean

 

Hi again Jean
Let's clean out that list a little...and then take it from there.
You can uncheck:

Stillimagemonitor - Stimon.exe enables a USB still-image device (such as a scanner) to initiate data transfer to a program. For example, if your scanning device has a scan button, it may start a program and begin scanning when you press it. Create a shortcut and start it manually when needed if your scanner otherwise fails to scan. Required for all HP scanners to work

ZTGServerswitch- is part of Sony's Vaio support agent - designed by Support.com. Not required if the user does not wish to use the Vaio support agent and regarded as spyware

Tgcmd - Do a search for it here. Then decide.


I've no idea what cmdl31 is...do you?

And while we're at it... just for elimination purposes:
Do an online virus scan at
housecall

Then download and run ad-aware to rid it of spyware.

Daizy

 

OK,

I will check her computer in a few days and get back to you. She has out of town company right now and I don't want to bother her until they are gone. This nice Florida weather brings many snow birds to our area to get away from the cold.

I'll be in touch after I do what you suggested.

Jean

 

Daizy,

I am so terrible sorry that I haven't gotten back to you before now.

My friends had some unexpected sickness in the family and I just couldn't get with them to check out their computer.

I was over today for a minuted and it still took about 1/2 hour to load the Windows. I'll print out your suggestions and try to do the things you suggested doing in your last post.

No, I do not know what cmdl31 is? I'll try to do a search on their computer for it and see where it is stored.

Will write soon.

 

Hi,
I brought my friend's computer over to my house as she went out of town again. The situation is far worse that I imagined.
The first thing I did was go int msconfig and tried to shut down some programs. Then I downloaded the AVG Virus Scan on her computer even though she still has Norton on it. AVG scanned her comuputer and found 2 viruses. Win32/MagistrA. It fixed one but said the other was not repairable so I just exited the program.

Now whenever I start her computer it hangs up almost as soon as I do two different things. I have to power down and then when I turn it on it goes through a long scan disk. I've done this several times and I just don't know how to keep the computer running.

Any help would be appreciated.

Jean

 

You're going to have to do a couple of things.

First is to purge your restore folder. See this page if you don't know how.

Secondly..... Here's the removal tool for magistr.

Thirdly, you really don't want two antivirus programs running at the same time. It's just asking for problems. I, myself use AVG, as I prefer it, but do choose one or the other.

You can however, do an online scan at Housecall , and should.

Last but not least..... when you use msconfig.....you're not deleting anything, but instead, are stopping the apps from loading at start up.

Daizy

 

You can also go to http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.magistr.removal.tool.html

I believe that is a removal tool for the virus you mentioned.

the computer doesn't have a million fonts that your friend loaded on in it does it? Believe it or not too many fonts greatly slow down your boot up.

If you have any other questions you can e-mail me at
ms1730@ship.edu

ps. what's up daizy, good to know you're still alive!

 

Hi,

I'm not sure what I did but now when I boot up the computer I get a white screen with the icons. I think I lost something in the display settings when I deleted the AVG virus scan.

I also received the following message when I managed to get the fixtool for the virus and ran it in safe mode and am not sure if it really fixed the virus:
______________________
C:\WINDOWS\Desktop>fixmagi.com
Fixmagi: Detect and repair W32.Magistr - pjf (c) Symanteec
Usage: fixmagi path
Use /a instead of a path, to scan all drives except floppies.
Use /log=(logpath) to specify the location and name of logfile.
Use /backup=(backdir) to specify where to move unrepairable files.
The default log file is C:\MAGI.LOG
The default bckup didrectory is C:\BACKUP.
C:\WINDOWS\Desktop>
_______________________________

Can I assume the virus is deleted??

Also I just restarted my computer as I updated Norton and this is what I see on the black screen:
%1: %2
Windows could not upgrade the file %1 from %2
(the above message is repeated 8 times)
Windows could not upgrade one or more system files before starting.
Windows may not start or run properly.
If Windows fails to start, run SETUP again.

Press any key to continue.

I hit the enter key and then Windows comes up but the screen is oof white and the icons are large.

Where should I start troubleshooting. Thanks again for all this help.

Jean

 

I'm not sure I'm following you along. Did you disable system restore?
When you say "delete "......tell me that you actually mean "uninstalled through the control panel's add/remove "?
Lastly... here's how Billy would fix your latest problem.

Daizy

 

Hi Daizy,
I'm just not sure what I have and have not done at this point. I'll try to update you the best I can.

I did try to disable System Restore but it was already disabled so I couldn't do anything with that.

Remember I installed AVG Virus detector so you said I shouldn't have both Norton and AVG on at the same time. So I uninstalled AVG.

Thanks, I did fix my latest problem with the black screen but now here is where I stand.

I have turned everything on in the MSCONFIG. I get an error message saying:
Long File Name - Bad command line format error. I click OK.

Also a MSN Internet Access sign up which I turn off.

I am trying to scan the computer through Norton as I was able to update the definitions but I don't think it is working. It just sits there saying
Curent Item
C:

But doesn't scan.

Actually, I think the computer is working better because it boots up faster but now what do you think I should do.

Jean

You are so helpful, again thanks to you and
Stanaconda. By the way they don't seem to have that many fonts on the system.

 

Hello again.

Go back to msconfig and slit for us what all you have a check mark beside please.

Secondly... don't worry about Norton's for now. Go do the online scan at housecall .

Daizy

 

OK, Daizy, I'm scanning the computer through HouseCall now and this is what I found so far:
Virus: PE Magistr.A
Scan Result: CanNot Access
File: C:\_RESTORE\TEMP\A0171584.CPY
(It is still scanning C:\_RESTORE\TEMP\..... It has been going on for at least 1/2 hour now). I'll let you know what else I find out when it is done. (I hope I will be able to delete this _RESTORE folder.)

MSCONFIG STARTUP CHECKMARKS ARE:
AIM, PC Health, Quick Time Task, ZTfgServerSwitch, Tgcmd, CMDL31, ScanRegistry, System Tray, LoadPowerProfile, TaskMonitor, hpppta, ccApp, ccRegVly, SULFNBJ, CSCRIPS, SAGD, MS00BD, RealJukeboxSystray, AVG_CC, ScriptBlocking, SSDPSRV, "StateMgr, SchedulingAgent, StillimageMonitor, LoadMonitorProfile, ccEvMgr, Avgserv9.exe, VAIO Action Setup (Server), Event Reminder, Microsoft Office StartUp, CreateaCard Gold 3 Forget Me Not Reminders Tray Icon, and Compuserve 7.0 Tray Icon.

More later.
Jean

 

I just finished scanning the computer with HouseCall. It only found the one infected file as I posted earlier and when I tried to delete it, it said,
"Unable to clean the file C:\_RESTORE\TEMP\A0171584 CPY" because is is currently in use. "

What should I do now?

Thanks.
Jean

 

It's saying it's in your restore folder...which means you've not turned off system restore. You mentioned that it was already disabled.... but something's wonky with that. So........I'd go in......turn it on....reboot. Go back in...... turn it off......reboot. Then scan once more with housecall.

As for msconfig......give me a few minutes. You've got a whack of stuff to turn off in there.

Daizy

 

AIM, (uncheck)
PC Health,
Quick Time Task, (uncheck)
ZTfgServerSwitch, (uncheck)
Tgcmd, (uncheck)
CMDL31, (no idea)
ScanRegistry,
System Tray,
LoadPowerProfile,
TaskMonitor,
hpppta, (uncheck)
ccApp,
ccRegVly,
SULFNBJ, (This is here because of the virus you have)
CSCRIPS, (This is from the virus as well)
SAGD, (No idea)
MS00BD, (From the virus)
RealJukeboxSystray, (uncheck)
AVG_CC, (I thought you uninstalled AVG?)
ScriptBlocking,
SSDPSRV, - Simple Service Discovery Protocol (SSDP) and General Event Notification Architecture (GENA) services for network plug and play functionality. Starts up a web server on port 5000. Used by Universal Plug and Play (for network device discovery). To remove this program, open Add/Remove Programs, select either Communications (Me) or Networking Services (XP), and remove the checkmark next to Universal Plug and Play

"StateMgr,
SchedulingAgent,
StillimageMonitor,
LoadMonitorProfile,
ccEvMgr,
Avgserv9.exe, (AVG again)
VAIO Action Setup (Server),
Event Reminder,
Microsoft Office StartUp, (uncheck)
CreateaCard Gold 3 Forget Me Not Reminders Tray Icon, (Up to you.)
and Compuserve 7.0 Tray Icon.


Do NOT go back and ucheck these again, once they have been unchecked. Click apply......ok....then reboot.

Do all this of course, after you've come up clean from housecall.

Daizy

 

Hi,

I went back in to the System Folder and checked to disable restore. (I swear earlier there was a checkmark there.) I then restarted the computer and went to Housecall and after checking the whole computer it said it did not find a virus.. That was very good news.

I have now turned off what you told me to in the MSCONFIG.

SULFNBJ and CSCRIPS and MS00BD are still showing in the System Config. Util. I turned them off but not sure if this was correct.

I did uninstall AVG, I don't know why it is listed. I turned it off anyway.

After I turned them off, here is what happened. I restarted the computer and Windows ME screen appeared momentarily, then DOS screen,.
Then it told me I was using the Selective Startup and I said OK.
Then everything appeared normally. Anything else I should do that you can think of.

I think we are getting there now.

Jean