Windows 7 takes several minutes to boot

[jeicex]

Hi everyone. My computer does not run smoothly, and I cannot figure out why. My computer takes upwards of five minutes to reboot, with several minutes on the "Windows is Shutting Down" screen and several minutes on the initial boot. The delay even includes starting the computer in Safe Mode.

Additionally, I am having tremendous amounts of graphical problems while running any game I have on my machine, including Rig N' Roll, Nascar 2003, Max Payne, and Skyrim (even on the lowest settings). Random discolored shapes will appear and stretch throughout the screen. Black lines show up and the graphics are so unbearable that I cannot play any games functionally. For example, when going through the very beginning of Skyrim, the screen would turn almost completely white and stayed that way until I exited to desktop.

The graphical problems are not only in games, as even browsing on the internet can cause random thin horizontal black lines to appear across the screen. The lines remain even if I shut off my monitor and turn it on again, so the monitor does not appear to be the problem.

I have run full scans in safe mode of Malwarebytes and Symantec Endpoint Protection Antivirus, with no detections of virus, spyware or malware. I don't know what else to do.

I have the most recent (as of today) Windows updates with the exception of one. The update of KB 911895: Other Hardware - HID Non-User Input Data Filter, refuses to update.

OS: Windows 7 Enterprise 64-bit.
Motherboard: XFX Nforce 680i Sli
Processor: Intel Core 2 Quad CPU Q6600 @ 2.40ghz
Ram: 4 gb
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 7900 GS 2gb card, with driver currently updated after running drive sweeper and installing the latest driver
Audio: Realtek HD Audio
Mouse: Microsoft Wireless Laser Mouse 6000
Keyboard: Logitech G15

If anyone can help, I would greatly appreciate it, as this computer is almost unusable now.

Thank you!

 

[hang-the-9]

First, re-install Windows, re-install all the drivers. If that does not fix it, try a new video card. Your video issues are 90% caused by either corrupt drivers for the card or a bad card.

Make sure the case is clean, vents, fans, etc...

 

[Combat Wombat]

Hi, and Welcome to Toms Hardware!

I never use programs like drive sweeper, because the designers have to update that program for you to receive "the most up to date driver" all the time.. Because your running windows 7, winding drivers is easy, and if windows doesn't pick them up.. there pretty easy to source safely. A verity of things could be causing all these issues.

To expand a bit on Hang's response.

There are a dozen things that could be causing the slow processing power.. best way to resolve/troubleshoot this is with a windows reload:

http://www.techtalkz.com/windows-7/514412-windows-7-installation-guide-tutorial.html

(Note) - Backup your data files before you do this, either to a external device or separate partition, that you wont reformat later..

But for the GPU related issues... it could be that the solder on the card(s) has started to separate.. After the reload.. try running of the on-board video for a hour or two, to check if the lines persist.

Get beck to us,
Thanks

 

[jeicex]

Hi there. Thanks for the advice so far.

I solved the video problem by replacing the old 7900GS with a new Geforce GT 240. So far, things are going much better graphically.

The rest of the startup problems have persisted. I do not have possession of a Windows 7 disc, as I purchased this computer premade and they did not include a disc. If I had a Win7 disc, I would have done a fresh reinstall. What other options can I pursue?

One problem that significantly slows my computer randomly is a series of DLL errors that pop up. The latest error that popped up was C:\Windows\System32\LZ32.dll. There have been dozens of other various dll files that error and make life difficult for the computer. This error was the first that I have not clicked through or hit space bar and cleared it by accident.

So yeah, what other options can I take without having a Windows 7 disc?

Thanks!

 

[jeicex]

In doing some research, it seems I have a very outdated BIOS. My motherboard is an XFX Nforce 680i SLI and I cannot acquire a bios file from XFX any longer. Additionally, NVidia's driver does not support Win7 64bit. I read somewhere else (bleepingcomputer, maybe?) that these motherboards are virtually the same, and a BIOS from XFX, eVGA and others will suffice. The latest BIOS driver I have found online is called the P33, but no sites have it. The FTP servers are long gone, the mediafire/driver uploads have been deleted, and I cannot find a copy of that BIOS? Where else could I look for that file? Updating my BIOS should help with compatibility between my motherboard and the rest of my computer, which should speed things up, right?

Thanks,
JP

 

[hang-the-9]

The BIOS will not do anything for the errors that are coming up.
If the PC was bought from a real vendor, they will either have a restore disk set or a way to build one using a utility. Otherwise to re-install Windows you'd have to buy your own copy of it.

You will have a pretty good chance of killing the motherboard totally with a different BIOS. It may work, may not. I don't see it as more than a 50% chance of success.