Slow startup

[kcav]

I have an HP Elitebook model 8440p. It uses Intel Core i7-620M processor with Intel Turbo Boost Technology, 4GB of DDR3 1333MHz SDRAM and a SSD internal hard drive. I love it but it starts slowly. What should I do minimize the startup time?

I have tested the hardware with HP PC Hardware Diagnostics, no problems were detected. To make sure all drivers are updated I used HP Support Assistant.   This has led to specific questions which I have posted to the HP Business Notebook Forum. I have run Windows utilities to check for system errors and found several issues.  I am reading the Elitebook User’s manual to determine the proper configuration for starting my 8400p. I would like to discuss findings from these activities in individual posts to the forum but in this place I would like to coordinate the constituent elements to grasp the range of activities covering How to minimize Startup time on my Elitebook 8440p.

The idiom, “The devil is in the detail” refers to finding elements mysteriously hidden, meaning something might seem simple at first look but will take more time to complete than expected.   Please help me with timely completion by giving me timely advice based on your experience.

[IT_WinSec]

Hello,

Thank you for posting in the HP Support Forum.

HP Support Assistant only updates existing drivers. It does not deploy missing drivers if you haven't installed them before.

- When did you install Windows for this device ? Did you install all drivers taken from HP servers/website ?

- Computer with your specs should be pretty fast for start up - no more than 10-15 seconds (if no healy software loads during startup) . What do you consider slow startup ? How slow in seconds/minutes does it start up ? When do you consider full start up complete ?

- Download Autoruns (from Microsoft) from this URL => http://live.sysinternals.com/autoruns.exe

Information about the product => http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb963902.aspx

- Save the file on your Desktop

- Run Microsoft Autoruns  with Administrator rights (right click -> Run as Administrator).

Agree with the standard license agreement from Microsoft.

- Once Autoruns is started, it will need some seconds (could be a minute) to gather the snapshot, wait for it.

Once it is ready, you will see the word Ready in the lower left side.

• Click on Options

Make sure that only the following are selected:

• Hide Empty Locations
• Hide Windows Entries

- Click on  Rescan button  or  click on File -> Refresh to rescan the system.

It will need some seconds (could be a minute) to gather the snapshot, wait for it.

Once it is ready, you will see the word Ready in the lower left side.

- Finally, click on File -> Save

Save the snapshot on the desktop in .TXT file

Open the newly created TXT log file.

Mark and Select all of the text (e.g. CTR+A), copy it and

visit http://pastebin.com/  to paste it there

Create new paste and give me the URL to see the log file.

Looking forward to your reply.

[kcav]

EXPERTIT_WinSec

Thank you for replying to my post to the HP Support Forum.  I particularly appreciate your comment that my computer should be pretty fast for startup – no more than 10 -15 seconds.

In reply to your question, when did I install Windows, I recently purchased the 8440p and Win 7 Pro 64-bit was installed, and the device startup time was 10 – 15 seconds.

I configured Network and Sharing Center to connect to a gateway router which connects to a DSL that comes into my home.  I then began updating the OS.  For protection I downloaded, installed and updated Microsoft Security Essentials; I installed Macrium Reflect v6 so I would have a full featured backup & restore system; and I also installed Sysinternals Autoruns, but have not had time to run it.   Thank you for the instructions on how to use it; plan to do so ASP.

In order to make sure I had all the right drivers installed and the BIOS updated I used HP SoftPaq Download Manager and HP System Software System Management. After running SoftPaq about three dozen files were downloaded and installed but 9 files were determined to be Available but Uninstalled.  I check each file individually and click Install.  Most failed to install so I attempted to install them manually. That is when I discovered I had to uninstall a newer version already installed. The issue of How to determine if the correct drivers are installed could be a subsection of Slow startup.

Another subsection could be use of Windows utility programs found in Msconfig.exe.  I have already posted questions to the Forum concerning issues that arose when I ran CHKDSK and Event Viewer.

I would like to thank you for the wonderful reply you made to my post.  I am anxious to continue our discussion.

[IT_WinSec]

Hi @kcav

I received your Autoruns log file in private message.

As per forum best practises, let's continue our discussion here. In case you believe you need to share with me something private, please feel free to send me a private message.

Based on the provided information so far it looks like the problem you experience is software related - Windows or drivers.

It looks like that initially your computer started normally and fast - for max 15 second but after running drivers and BIOS update, you began to notice the slow down.

Could you please test your start/restart time and let me know exactly how slow the PC is.

For example:  Shut down the PC from Start button -> Shutdown

Then, start the PC and measure the precise start time from starting the PC (pressing the button) to fully loaded Desktop with all icons on screen.

Restart the PC 3 times and measure the start time each time.

What is the average start time of all the 3 starts ?

I will review the Autoruns log file and reply soon

[IT_WinSec]

Hi @kcav

I reviewed your log file and found the culprit of your issue.

I believe this computer is company owned asset and part of some small/medium sized or big corporation. Am I correct to assume this ? Is this PC company owned ?

If this computer is not your own property, please refer your issues to your local IT specialists, local IT department ot HelpDesk.

If this computer is your own properly (which I suspect due to the software I found), the problem is related due to the following apps you have:

McAfee Antivirus / McAfee VSE or McAfee Endpoint Security - some leftovers

McAfee Host Intrusions Prevenetion System HIPS - some leftovers

Microsoft Security Essentials

You also have HP Protect Tools with encryption software (not sure if running)

McAfee Drive Encryption  (full disk encryption) is present - I am not sure if this is actively encrypting your drive, I am unable to check

Problems:

1) You cannot have more than 1 of the same software type - you have 1 activie antivirus and some leftovers - drivers running - this can cause severe slowdowns and/or crashes . Microsoft MSE + McAfee - big NO NO !

2) McAfee itself is slow software and may cause slowdowns

3) McAfee Drive Encryption is full disk encryption (FDE) program which can slow down the PC (not too much if your disk is fully encrypted now OR very much if it encrypts your SSD at the moment). More info:

>> https://www.techopedia.com/definition/13623/full-disk-encryption-fde

>> any FDE can slow the PCs for up to 30% - depending on specs

I am not sure which version of McAfee DE you have installed. Old versions can cause slow downs:

>> https://kc.mcafee.com/corporate/index?page=content&id=KB66256

>> https://kc.mcafee.com/corporate/index?page=content&id=KB87429

4) HP Protect Tools - I am not sure which componets are there and running

You should definitely turn to your local IT specialists in the company you work for , request reimage of the PC [Windows reinstallation] and do not install Microsoft MSE, do not update drivers, do not install HP Support Assistant, check if McAfee is mandatory software to keep (if possible, avoid it as much as possible).

Let me know if any questions 🙂  Please, mark this post as solution if you believe your issue is solved.

[kcav]

About 50 seconds - after I removed files from Windows Stratup - will post to forum 

[kcav]

I purchased the computer from Tekmobility; I believe once it was a corporate computer.   I want to clean it up, custom configure it, and then I plan to give it to my son.

I am not sure how McAfee got on the machine. I certainly don’t want it.  I use MSC on my computers and every so often I download, install and run the free version of SupertAntiSpyware as a check.  I would like to start using encryption, advice welcomed.

Ken

[kcav]

I was about to mark Slow start solved when the unexpected occurred. I booted and could not connect to the Internet.  I had another computer connected to the Internet so the problem was on my 8440p.  I went to Control Panel/Network & Sharing Center and the wireless adapter was not shown.  It was there yesterday morning.  What should I do?  Finally I decided to restore my system partition from the backup file. The restore took only about 13 minutes, now I am back where I was when I posted Slow start.  

KCav

[IT_WinSec]

Do you have a COA sticker attached/sticked to the PC (usually on the bottom side or hidden behind/below the battery) - Windows COA sticker like this one:

Because this was someone else's computer before, you are advised to format the entire HDD and reinstall Windows from scratch. By doing this you will remove anything you had before on the PC and will give it a fresh clean start. I really can't believe this company handled a used PC without reimaging it first (due to security reasons). You never know what might be left behind from previous user so you need to start clean.

So, do you have such a COA sticker - is it readble ?

[kcav]

I have a sticker and itis readable.

Ken