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Thread ID: 29079 2003-01-09 08:01:00 Explorer and Windows Setup Very Slow glenn (177) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
112399 2003-01-09 08:01:00 I just installed a new 40gb HDD in a Pentium 100 PC with 128MB FPM RAM running 95B. I couldn’t find a BIOS update for the Elite Group mb, so the Seagate installation software installed a DDO. I partitioned the drive using the same software. Everything seems to be running fine. Programs open and run without any problems. But all is not well.

When I open Windows Explorer, it quickly displays the conents of my C drive. But when I click on any other partition, it takes 10-15 seconds to display the results. There are only a few files and folders in these partitions.

Another curious problem that may be related: when I go into Add/Remove Programs and enter Windows Setup and add a component, it can take ages! I mean, like 10-15 minutes to add Freecell!

Something seems to be going on here, but I sure can’t explain it. I’m doing this for a friend, so I haven’t lived with the pc so can’t compare the current performance with its past.

Any insight would be a huge help.

Cheers!

g
glenn (177)
112400 2003-01-09 18:40:00 Hey

Firstly - you are aware that Windows95 doesn't recognise partitions/drive sizes that are over 2GB right? - so if you have some spare money try upgrading - even if it's only an upgrade to Windows98
(if you are upgrading buy the full version of Win98 and not the Win95 upgrade)

Also, how many partitions are there on the drive? as (from memory) the first partition is the fastest, and from there it goes to the slowest.

Try installing the BIOS update from here (www.ecsusa.com) and see if that fixes anything

Also, are there any conflicting drivers in System Properties under the Control Panel (Under the device Manager tab)?


CyberChuck
cyberchuck (173)
112401 2003-01-09 19:02:00 Window 95 and 95A utilized FAT16 and had the 2.1gb limit. I'm using 95B which uses FAT32.

Thanks for the link to the MB manufacturer. I've checked there before, but the bios is still too old to resolve the 8.4GB barrier.

There are no conflicting drivers.

I made 5 partitions. two 5gb and three 10gb.
glenn (177)
112402 2003-01-10 05:42:00 Some more info . . . . . .

I thou g ht that all pro g rams were runnin g fine . Then I installed AVG . When it was scannin g the HDD it took a g es! You could actually read the number of files read as it ticked by one at a time .

I wanted to rule out the DDO, size of the HDD and partitions, so I took out the 40GB HDD and installed the ori g inal 850MB drive . No DDO . No partitions .

While I can't see the Windows Explorer problem (since I have no partitions to click on), I'm havin g the same problem with Windows Setup in Add/Remove Pro g rams . It takes AGES to install any component, and that's with the 95 CD-ROM copied to c:\windows\options\cabs and the re g istry pointed to it .

Is there a common thread anyone can see? AVG is scannin g throu g h files . Windows setup scans throu g h setup files . Explorer scans the folders to reveal its contents . Am I just g raspin g for straws?

These are all occurrin g after a clean install . I just don't g et it!

Thanks a g ain for any ideas .

g
glenn (177)
112403 2003-01-10 06:02:00 Is DMA enabled on the HDD controller? If its running in DOS compatability mode (or equivalent) it could be slow.

just grasping at straws...
godfather (25)
112404 2003-01-10 06:18:00 I had DMA enable on the 40GB HDD and it didn't make a difference. However, I just enabled it on the 850MB one and it seems to do the trick! I'll install AVG and try a scan and get back to you.

Thanks!
glenn (177)
112405 2003-01-10 07:40:00 AVG still runs very slow. 1917 files took 30 minutes.

We have a Pentium 133 with 48MB ram runnin g 95 that runs AVG without any problems. I know that it should perform much faster.

Is there some funky BIOS settin g that I need to chan g e? There's g ot to be an explaination as to why the 40GB HDD just isn't happy!

Cheers

g
glenn (177)
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