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Windows takes too long to load

 

This can occur after adding a new device such as a new sound card..etc

When Window98 does eventually start, sometimes after a full 5 minutes, you may not find any conflicts shown in Control Panel, System, Device Manager - this is not helpful.

What is happening here is that Windows is trying to resolve possible conflicts by re-organising all the resources every time in loads.

A common cause is interrupts for sound.

A sound card may be present and there may also be sound (wave device) incorporated into a fax modem and both need resources.

Look in your config.sys or autoexec.bat (Start, Run, Sysedit).

If you see a sound command with figures at the end such as:

Example:

Soundblaster or SB (or some other sound device), 220 I7 D1

….this will, in this example, mean that the sound card is using IO Address 220, Interrupt 7 and DMA Channel 1.

In this example changing the Interrupt from 7 to 5 e.g: 220 I5 D1 may result in less work for Windows98 in configuring resources, especially if no other device is using Interrupt 5. This can be understood when we realise that Interrupt 7 is normally used by LPT1 (printer).

 

Finding which Interrupts are used/available

If you need to know what Interrupts are being used in the system, you can find all interrupts used in Start, Control Panel, System, Device Manager - leave Computer highlighted and then click the Properties button. Ensure that the Interrupt Request (IRQ) radio button is selected. Now you can scroll down and find all interrupts which are used and by what device. If an interrupt is not shown e.g: 1,2,3,4,6,7 (5 not shown), then Interrupt 5 should be available for use. Note also that Com1 and Com2 will show up on the list but are available if not already used.

If you are using a PS2 mouse, then a Com port is not required for this. Check to see what other devices may be using Com1 (usually used by a Standard Serial Mouse), if you have a PS2 mouse and there are no other devices on Com1 or devices using Interrupt 4, them Com1 Interrupt 4 is available for use (and the same goes for Com2).

Here are the standard Com Port details:

Com

Interrupt

IO Address

Com 1

4

03F8

Com2

3

02F8

Com3

4

03E8

Com4

3

02E8

For more information on conflicts see: Conflicts

Note also that if ALL your system resources are in use, then Windows will report that this is so, if you try to add and manually configure for new resources. If you have a case like this then consider replacing at least one of your devices with a USB version. If your system does not have a 2 USB ports at the back, or on older PCs a USB jumper of the Motherboard, then it's time to 'call it a day' in terms of adding new things to the computer; and probably time to be thinking of getting that NEW second PC - check out my Price-Your-Own - custom-built page or email me at michael_small@lineone.net for further help.

 

 

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