Program takes an hour or more to start

[JohnConnolly]

We have a very strange problem with a program (WinOnCD CD writer). It takes an hour or more to start up!<br>
When we start it the mouse cursor changes to a big sand timer, then small sand timer and then back to an<br>
arrow but no sign of the application. Looking in Task Manager there's no sign of it on the applications tab<br>
but it is there on the processes tab (and using 40 to 50% CPU). Also either EXPLORER.EXE or TASKMGR.EXE<br>
is pretty busy. Then maybe an hour or so later up comes the application and it works fine from then on i.e. we<br>
can write CD's with no problems.<br>
<br>
The program used to start up fine and still does the first time if we do a complete de-install/re-install. We have<br>
up-to-date anti-virus detection and nothing is reported. All other programs start normally. We have even tried<br>
a complete re-install of Win NT and apps after a low-level SCSI format of the HD but still have the same<br>
problem.<br>
<br>
Now we're right out of ideas! Any suggestions?<br>
<br>
John Connolly<br>
<br>

 

[rstevens]

2 thoughts...<br>
<br>
Low on memory. While you are waiting for your program to start, can you open other CPU intensive apps? And then more and more of them?<br>
<br>
IDE failures can cause these and many more symptoms. Could be the CD drive, or any HDD or the Mainboard itself. It does not have to show up as a failure to cause poor performance in the system. Not as sure about scsi, but definately check all connections and jumper settings. Then have someone else doublecheck your doublecheck! Then read the documentation that you have on scsi and check the jumper settings again! Hey, maybe you have a bad terminator! I vote on a bad CDROM, and I know you don't have a spare to test swap with. Good luck.

 

[JohnConnolly]

Thanks for the tips but it has turned out to be a bug in<br>
the program (only when the program is closed with a<br>
particular window open).<br>
<br>
Funny that we had been using it for nearly a year without<br>
ever doing that before.