BleepingComputer.com: Start up process chugging and BSOD. Thanks for the Help.

My computer is taking ten-fifteen minutes to even get to starting windows and is starting to have more frequent BSODs. It sometimes has ceased up during the start up process; sometimes even before I can access my Bios. I thought I would use the talent on BC to help me do diagnostics and see where the source of my problem is. (Runs pretty well once windows is up and operational; as long as it doesn't go BSOD.)

I'm running windows xp SP3
Gigabyte K8Triton nForsce SLI
AMD 3500 64bit
Nvidia Gforce 7800
2GB RAM Corsair XMS 2x1GB
windows install on a 150GB Western Digital HD
also a 300GB Hitachi HD

When I get back from work I'll clean my processor's Heatsink and run memtest 86. (Is memtest still the best RAM diagnostic tool?)
I'll let you know if it is still slow.

Thanks in Advanced for your help

Step 1: Test the memory (RAM)

Memory needs to be tested outside of Windows, so memtest86+ is run from a bootable CD.

To make a bootable CD with memtest86+:

• Download the Pre-Compiled Bootable ISO (.zip) from near the bottom of the memtest86+ page.
  OR ... use the following direct download link: Download - Pre-Compiled Bootable ISO (.zip)


• Extract the downloaded zip file:
  
  • In Windows XP, right-click on the zip file and choose Extract all.
    The contents of the zip file (the .ISO image file) will be extracted to a folder in the same location as your zip file.
  
  
• Burn the .ISO image to CD: If you do not already have a suitable burning program for writing .ISO images to disc ...
  
  • Download and install ImgBurn.
    
  • Ensure that you UN-check the box agreeing to install the Ask toolbar during the installation.
    
  • Place a new (blank) CD disc in the drive tray.
    
  • Choose Write image file to disc.
    
    • Under Source, click on the Browse button: Navigate to and select the .ISO file that you wish to burn.
      
    • Place a check-mark in the box beside Verify.
    
    
  • Click
    
    
  • When the CD has been burned and verified as successful, it will be bootable.

Boot from the newly created CD.

You may need to configure BIOS or the Boot Menu to boot first from the CD.

• memtest86+ will begin running automatically: You need do nothing else at this time.
  
• Allow memtest86+ to run un-interrupted.

See the screenshots in this informative link: Diagnose with Memtest86+

There MUST be NO errors what-so-ever:

• If you see an error, stop the test.
  
• Then proceed to test each stick of RAM separately to sort the good from the bad.

A minimum test for some confidence in the result, should be 7 full passes (each "pass" is a series of different types of tests), with NO errors.

• Allow memtest86+ to run for 24 hours for maximum confidence in the test result.

memtest86+ will continue running until you stop it:

• Press the <ESCAPE> key to re-boot the computer, removing the memtest86+ CD.

Step 2: WESTERN DIGITAL HDD

Check your system HDD with the HDD manufacturer's diagnostic utility ...

• (The exact same tool is used for all Western Digital hard drives, so do not concern yourself about the reference to a different model in the following instructions.)

Go to the WD Caviar Black Downloads page and download Data Lifeguard Diagnostic for DOS (CD)

• Unzip (right-click > Extract all) the file when you have downloaded it, to get to the .ISO image file.
  (Read the instructions while you are there.)

If you do not already have a suitable burning program for writing .ISO images to disc ...

• Download and install ImgBurn.
  Ensure that you UN-check the box agreeing to install the Ask toolbar during the installation.
  
• Place a new (blank) CD disc in the drive tray.
  
• Choose Write image file to disc.
  
  • Under Source, click on the Browse button: Navigate to and select the .ISO file that you wish to burn.
    
  • Place a check-mark in the box beside Verify.
  
  
• Click
  
  When the CD has been burned and verified as successful, it will be bootable.

Boot from the CD.

(You may need to change the boot order to enable booting from CD before hard drive.)

• Run the Short/Quick test and then the Long/Extended test].
  There is a chance that during the Long test, you may be offered the opportunity to attempt repairs on the hard drive:
  
  • If so, go ahead and attempt to do so, but ONLY after backing up all important personal files.
  
  
• Please let us know the results of the tests.

Step 3: HITACHI HDD

Test the hard drive with the manufacturer's diagnostic utility.

Download the Drive Fitness Test, CD image from Hitachi's Downloads page.
http://www.hitachigst.com/support/downloads/#DFT

If you do not already have a suitable burning program for writing .ISO images to disc ...

• Download and install ImgBurn.
  Ensure that you UN-check the box agreeing to install the Ask toolbar during the installation.
  
• Place a new (blank) CD disc in the drive tray.
  
• Choose Write image file to disc.
  
  • Under Source, click on the Browse button: Navigate to and select the .ISO file that you wish to burn.
    
  • Place a check-mark in the box beside Verify.
  
  
• Click
  
  When the CD has been burned and verified as successful, it will be bootable.

Run the Quick/Short test and then the Extended/Long test.

Please post the results.


Step 4: BSOD information

Please download BlueScreenView (in zip file)
Extract (right-click > Extract all) the contents of bluescreenview.zip.
Double-click on the BlueScreenView.exe file, to run the program. (No installation is required.)
When scanning is done (usually complete by the time the interface appears), go ...

• Edit > Select All
  
• File > Save Selected Items, and save the report to your Desktop as BSOD.txt.

Close the BlueScreenView window.
Open BSOD.txt using Notepad and go ...

• Edit > Select All
  
• Edit > Copy, and then paste the entire contents of the text file into your next reply.

(Let us know if no information is reported in the BlueScreenView interface: This means that there are no minidumps saved in the default location.)


Step 5: Please Publish a Snapshot using Speccy, and post a link to it in this thread.

This is a convenient and accurate way of providing us with details of your computer specifications.

Step 6: Please download MiniToolBox, save it to your desktop and run it.

• Checkmark the following checkboxes:
  
  • List Installed Programs
  
  
• Click Go.
  When the scan is finished, a text file will open in a Notepad window.
  
• Copy the entire contents of the Notepad window, and paste in your reply.
  (Result.txt will be saved in the same directory the tool is run.)

Step 7: Please do the following to create a boot log of normal startup.

Re-name your existing ntbtlog.txt file (so that you don't include all the old logs in what you will upload):

• Navigate to C:\WINDOWS\ntbtlog.txt
  
• Re-name the file ntbtlog.txt to ntbtlogOLD.txt
  (A new ntbtlog.txt file will be created on the next startup.)

Create a new boot log of a normal startup.

• Re-start the computer, tapping F8 to get to the Advanced Boot Options menu.
  
• Choose Enable Boot Logging and press <ENTER>
  Allow your computer to start normally.
  
• Navigate to C:\WINDOWS\ntbtlog.txt
  
• Right-click on the ntbtlog.txt file > Send to ... > Compressed (zipped) Folder.
  The zip file will be located in the same place (the Windows folder).
  
• Attach the zip file to your next reply.
  When you click on Add Reply, you will see the facility to attach a file just below the box where you type your message.