Computer acting strangely.

[Saggy]

Well, it all started out with me trying to change Winamp's output device to a soundcard that I had just installed. When I tried to play music with it selected, my computer froze up completely (mouse wouldn't even move, that kind of freeze-up).

 

Anyway, I restarted, and when it got to the Windows2000 Professional start-up screen, and got about 2/3 the way done loading, it just stayed there. On average, it takes it about 20 minutes to get past that point.

 

 

Now, whether it be coming out of stand-by or hibernate, or starting up completely, it takes FOREVER to get back to a useable state. In stand-by and hibernate the screen just stays blank, and the computer basically doesn't even send a signal to the monitor. It does that for about 20 mins, and then eventually continues normally.

 

 

I'm doing a defrag right now, which is taking a while so I figured I'd make this topic before I had to go to bed. I was pondering taking out the soundcard, thinkin' that maybe it had something to do with the IRQ settings, and just because the problems started when I put it in, but I just don't want to shut-down and have to wait 20-40 minutes waiting for it to start-up. So, I'd like to hear what you guys think first.

[Bond996]

How long does a safe mode boot take? Did you install the soundcard drivers in some large bloated package, or with like JUST an inf? What if you remove it from device manager and reboot? How about a linux bootup with Knoppix or likewise and see if it takes forever?

 

Ehh, I'd just remove the card, or verify IRQ settings, but probably remove it.

[Wolf68k]

What were you using for audio before? Another PCI sound card or on-board audio?

If it was on-board audio; go into the BIOS and disable the on-board audio and see if that makes any difference.

 

Also while you're in Safe Mode, and if you can, run Ad-Aware and Spybot as well your anti-virus. Might not help but it couldn't hurt.