7 seconds to open 'My Computer' !?!?!

[dgallagher]

Somebody please help.... I have a new Compaq 5190 AMD k6-2/400 and Win98. From a fresh restart/powerup, if I double click on My Computer, it takes 7 seconds to display the 8 items. ALL other PC's I've checked take less than 1 second. I've already replaced the mother board, CPU and hard drive.

I've noticed that once My Computer is open, if I single click on the CD/DVD-ROM icon, it takes 4 seconds to highlight/display info! Best guess so far is one or more units are not responding. Removing/refreshing the drivers is no help. Restarting in Safe Mode eliminates the problem.

Any suggestions???????

Many thanx in advance,
David

[kwai]

while your computer is off, try disconnecting your cd/dvd drive ide connector (making sure to note which side the red ribbon is on) and power power connecter, and start your computer.

you might get some error messages as your config.sys and autoexec.bat files process ("drive not found, mscdex not loaded, etc), but try to duplicate the problem.

if that solves it, either you have a really slow cd/dvd drive and its seeking a disc, or the drive itself is faulty.

free tip: don't buy compaq. http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif

[WRSauber]

Just a thought. Do you have a scanner attatched to your system?

[CMonster]

Having already gone to the trouble of changing even the motherboard, CPU, and hard drive, I am guessing that you have also tried various IDE configurations IDE:1/IDE:2/slave/master etc? It certainly sounds like the CD/DVD is the problem - because in Safe Mode the drivers for it would not be loaded. I have had this problem and saw it on a couple of machines where the drive was on the same IDE as the hard drive but was either not set, or not recognised, as a slave. Sometimes all that is necessary is to give the drive its own IDE channel i.e. IDE:1=hard drive IDE:2=CD/DVD

[This message has been edited by CMonster (edited 03-02-99).]

[dgallagher]

To Kwai: I will probably try the disconnect approach. BTW, I tried other Compaq's and they don't have this problem. However, I probably won't buy Compaq again!!

To WRSauber: Yes, I do have a scanner. However, after the last attempt via HD replacement, we tested after re-initializing the HD and without any device attached.

To CMonster: How do I go about checking and modifying the IDE configurations settings (sorry if this is a basic question).

All - thanx for your input!

[kwai]

(in case the cookiem is too busy)

you change which channel a device is on by which cable it's connected to. if you want to try his suggestion, put the cable plugged into the primary ide connector (prob marked IDE1 on the mb) only to a hd. put the cable plugged into the secondary ide connector (IDE2) only to the cd drive. the jumpers (usually) on the back of the drives should tell you which setting is for master (MA) or slave (SL). the hd should be master, the cd drive should be either master or slave (try both) even if its the only device on the channel.

i don't like compaq's not for this specific problem, but for probs of this nature -- they use crappy proprietary (read nonstandard!) designs.

keep us updated -- i'd like to know if this helps.

[CMonster]

-thanks Kwai http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif

Since it's a Compaq He may also have to go out and buy the $2 data ribbon for the secondary IDE - since it might not even be there. hehe

[This message has been edited by CMonster (edited 03-03-99).]