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[kcwong]

My computer started acting strange a month ago. Bootup becomes very slow - after BIOS it takes a few minutes for the Vista loading bar to appear, and then, even more minutes to hit the login page. After login it takes a very long time to start the virus shield (Trend Micro Internet Security), and computer is not very responsible for a while. After a while, everything goes back to normal. Diagnostic - Performance log will show startup as degradation, followed by a number of completely random components responsible for the slowdown. One of svchost, taskmgr, explorer.exe, virus shield's service, and even a cryptic "CPU resources overutilized, cannot locate cause".

I did everything I could think of. Check RAM - check. Scan HDD (including surface scan) - check. Full virus/spyware scan - check. Reinstall Vista - check. Boot in safe mode - check. Disable all unnecessary services and processes - check. Flash BIOS to latest version - check. Experiment with various drivers for video card, network card, etc. - check.

Nothing works. Even in safe mode it's only a little bit faster to boot.

At this point, I believe it is hardware related... perhaps in my motherboard, an ASUS P5K. I have other computers, but those are older ones and cannot exchange components to test.

I think I'll just throw money at it. I'll go build a new computer, with new CPU, motherboard, RAM and a new HDD. Then I'll slowly move things over and see where the problem really is.

I had planned to wait for Windows 7 before building a new computer, but today I spent 3 hours to get my computer to boot. I think I've had enough...

*Sigh* I've been spending a lot lately... my O2mini broke, external speaker won't make any more sound - USD800 for a HTC Touch Pro 2.

[IndonesiaWarMinister]

You sure it's not a worm or virus?
Or a cryptic spy/adware?

Hell, my old computer also had something like that (your problem).
I've been fixing it by throwing linux distros at it... (I know that the Registry is unsalvageable. Too much installations )

[kcwong]

Yup, I checked. And Windows had been reinstalled twice to no effect at all. It is most likely a hardware/driver problem, but I checked those too. It leaves just the power supply, CPU and motherboard.

Anyway, I've spent a lot today, and now I'm posting from a new computer, downloading Windows Update (87 items before even getting to Vista SP2).

New motherboard, new CPU, new tower, new RAM, new PSU, one new HDD. That gives me new a working computer to test my old parts.

I'll post pictures of my new computer later...

[IndonesiaWarMinister]

Hey, post it, then!

[kcwong]

I'll be darned!

It's my old HDD. I always use 2 HDDs - one for OS and program files, one for my data and installed games.

My old OS HDD seems to be the problem. I attached my it to my new computer, and boot up slowed down like before. My data HDD is perfectly fine though.

[kcwong]

Now I have to research what a S-ATA drive can cause something like that... it continues to slow my system down even after repartition, so it must be a hardware failure.

It's really strange (and scary)... my dead HDDs in the past were always my OS HDD, just like this time. Though the old ones all died of bad sector, not like this one.

Anyway, my new computer... photos taken while I was building it last night (and stayed up until 3am)

Spoiler: Motherboard (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: PSU (click to show/hide)

700W ran out of stock, so I decided to get a 1000W instead... since video card price is going down, I might have a use for SLI later. The extra juice would be a plus.


Insane packaging. A box for a few pieces of paper, cable straps and screws?



They used a cloth bag to hold the unit. ... well, at least I can reuse it somewhere else.


Bullhead logo on the unit... gotta admire it right now, I won't get much chance to see it again!

Spoiler: Case (click to show/hide)

Front when powered off.


It has an "air-guide" on the left-lid. When closed it points directly at the CPU fan.



The case uses a screw-less design (except for motherboard and PSU). Holes still exist in case you decide to screw it up (hehe). Here's one of the rack to hold disk drives in place.


Front, when powered on. The red LED at the top is the HDD indicator. Reset button is at the top of the case, on the edge of the front panel.

Spoiler: Stickers (click to show/hide)

Why are they obsessed about these little stickers?

CPU is a Intel i7 860 Quadcore 2.8GHz, 2 sticks of Kingston DDR3 2Gb, HDD is a Seagate 500Gb 32Mb cache S-ATA. I moved my old Seagate 250Gb disk and Asus GeForce 9800 GTX+ over.

These new Asus MBs have a dual processor design - there's an extra processor you can use for specific apps (like browser, skype, etc.) when the main one is starting up. I haven't tested this feature yet.

[IndonesiaWarMinister]

Whoa.
You got i7? I am jealous. :| Only got Q8400

Oh well. I got Asus MB as well, though.

[kcwong]

Whoa.
You got i7? I am jealous. :| Only got Q8400

Oh well. I got Asus MB as well, though.

Yup, quad core with hyperthreading. My task manager's performance tab is VERY crowded.