Windows PC after the login screen
June 12, 2008 8:10 AM Subscribe
What is my computer doing after I see the Windows login screen?
I have a Dell PC running Windows XP Professional all updated, etc. on a Pentium 4 2.8 GHz processor. Also running Zone Alarm firewall and internet suite, etc.
After I see the Windows login screen (there are 3 user accounts) it takes a long time for disk activity to stop. It used to take slightly over a minute, but then I upgraded my memory from 1 GB to 2.5 GB. Now it takes 30 seconds. To me this is a long time (but maybe not).
My suspicion is that it is looking for security software updates on the internet. Is there some kind of a trace program I can run to see what's happening -- along the lines of filemon, or diskmon or regmon? As far as I know, these programs start only after I have actually logged in.
It seems to me that if I don't wait for this disk activity to stop before I log in, some stuff is screwed up (programs won't start, or hang, etc.). This suggests to me that it is loading drivers, etc.
I have a Dell PC running Windows XP Professional all updated, etc. on a Pentium 4 2.8 GHz processor. Also running Zone Alarm firewall and internet suite, etc.
After I see the Windows login screen (there are 3 user accounts) it takes a long time for disk activity to stop. It used to take slightly over a minute, but then I upgraded my memory from 1 GB to 2.5 GB. Now it takes 30 seconds. To me this is a long time (but maybe not).
My suspicion is that it is looking for security software updates on the internet. Is there some kind of a trace program I can run to see what's happening -- along the lines of filemon, or diskmon or regmon? As far as I know, these programs start only after I have actually logged in.
It seems to me that if I don't wait for this disk activity to stop before I log in, some stuff is screwed up (programs won't start, or hang, etc.). This suggests to me that it is loading drivers, etc.
Your PC does functional stuff without an active logon.
For instance, if you have any network shares, the PC will get those initialized and sharing without anyone logged on. The same goes if you've set up your machine to be accessed remotely; it must run the RDP server so that if it gets a request over the network, it can be logged into remotely.
Neither of these should take long, certainly not minutes, but they can definitely be factors.
posted by SlyBevel at 9:01 AM on June 12, 2008
For instance, if you have any network shares, the PC will get those initialized and sharing without anyone logged on. The same goes if you've set up your machine to be accessed remotely; it must run the RDP server so that if it gets a request over the network, it can be logged into remotely.
Neither of these should take long, certainly not minutes, but they can definitely be factors.
posted by SlyBevel at 9:01 AM on June 12, 2008
A lot happens. Machine startup scripts (if any), userland startup apps, startup services, various apps check for updates, etc.
Your best best is running msconfig or autoruns from sysinternals. Id dump zone alarm and just go with the built in XP firewall too. Its also a good idea at this point to uninstall apps you dont use anymore or dont use frequently and do updates on apps you still use.
posted by damn dirty ape at 9:05 AM on June 12, 2008
Your best best is running msconfig or autoruns from sysinternals. Id dump zone alarm and just go with the built in XP firewall too. Its also a good idea at this point to uninstall apps you dont use anymore or dont use frequently and do updates on apps you still use.
posted by damn dirty ape at 9:05 AM on June 12, 2008
Also this is a symptom of windows looking for a server or share it cannot find. Do you have any mapped drives or odd network connections in there. If so delete everything that isnt current.
posted by damn dirty ape at 9:06 AM on June 12, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by damn dirty ape at 9:06 AM on June 12, 2008 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Unless performance is being hindered significantly, I wouldn't worry about it. The OS is always doing something; updating registry values, checking the status of installed updates, polling USB devices, etc. Additionally, all your Startup items have to load once you login, which carries with it all the associated tasks with those applications.
Try launching MSCONFIG and uncheck "Load Startup Items", then reboot and see if it makes a difference. If it doesn't make a dent, maybe a defrag is in order.
Also, you mentioned Zone Alarm. I find it has a tendency to get REALLY bloated after a while. Security apps typically do a lot at Startup, as they initialize all of their services and load their built-in rules and so forth.
I'm running an XPS 710 with 4GB of RAM (and 64-bit Vista Ultimate) and my system still does a fair bit of HDD access at Startup, I don't really pay attention to it unless there's a problem.
posted by Dark Messiah at 11:10 AM on June 12, 2008
Try launching MSCONFIG and uncheck "Load Startup Items", then reboot and see if it makes a difference. If it doesn't make a dent, maybe a defrag is in order.
Also, you mentioned Zone Alarm. I find it has a tendency to get REALLY bloated after a while. Security apps typically do a lot at Startup, as they initialize all of their services and load their built-in rules and so forth.
I'm running an XPS 710 with 4GB of RAM (and 64-bit Vista Ultimate) and my system still does a fair bit of HDD access at Startup, I don't really pay attention to it unless there's a problem.
posted by Dark Messiah at 11:10 AM on June 12, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by mephron at 8:20 AM on June 12, 2008 [1 favorite]