start up really slow

my start up is really slow, ive ran all antiviruses malware and adaware killers...im up to date on all updates... i ran a highjack this ..posted it in this forum and was told it was a clean log......i went into msconfig and took off all the things i dont need in start up.....i went to regedit HKEY_CURRENT_USER/control panel/desktop/menu show delay..and changed the default settings from 400 to 50...im told changing the value of the prefetch has little or no effect so i left that alone...im running windows xp pro....i have a 80 gig hard drive thats less than 1/2 full....i have 1 gig of ram....im running a AMD Sempron, 2 gig....ive defraged and ran disk cleanup....then ran scandisk to check for errors...ive ran ewido, adaware se, cc cleaner, window washer, registry mechanic and a few others......i know theres more tips and tricks to get your start up faster...hoping someone knows a few.....thx!!!!!.

What exactly is "really slow"?

What is the make and model of the computer?

Is this a new problem?

Do you have your XP CD?

it all slowed down.......the black windows screen that comes on as soon as u turn on the comp.........once the desktop pops up it takes forever for my norton to load (thats the only thing that starts on my start up) when i click into internet explorer for the first time that takes forever as well to pop up, i have a cable connection, then everything that i do on the net just kinda lags...it used to pop right up.... i ran another check to see if it was just my cable connection at pcpitstop.com and its runnin full tilt....the comp is a compaq presario
SR1303WM......its not exactly a new problem it just seems to be getting worse as time goes on...when i got the comp and formatted it, it ran like a champ....but now its startin to slouch like a chump...yep....still have my copy of windows.....thx

I would turn off everything in msconfig and see if that makes an initial difference.

Norton is the source of many problems.

I would not go online without an Anti Virus unless it is to immediately get AVG Free which I find superior in many ways to Norton.

http://free.grisoft.com/doc/1

If you notice no improvement here it might be worth considering a Repair Install (or non-destructive recovery).

i shut the norton down...still no change........ill do the repair install next....i like AVG but theres options in norton system security that i like...been using it for years never had a problem...i know theres millions of comp cleaners out there but is there 1 that really stands above the rest in all aspects...ill get back w/ u after the repair install.....

I have tried many cleaners over the years and the only three that I stick too are:

1) CCleaner http://www.ccleaner.com/

2) RegSeeker http://www.hoverdesk.net/freeware.htm

3) Index.dat Suite http://support.it-mate.co.uk/?mode=P...index.datsuite

My computer has been doing the same for ages. so you think thoese cleaners u posted will speed up the startup?

(black screen for a few minutes before login, screen appeares)

No harm in trying those programs but your issue sounds different.

Do you get a monitor message about "No Signal Input" during this pause or is it just a black screen?

Does you monitor LED go from green to amber?

Do you have the latest drivers for your Graphics Card?

thx jephree for all your help.......ive tried everything under the sun...still no results.......i went and got the "xp cheater"....yes i went and got "tweak xp pro"........everything is a-zoomin now........dont care to much for the comp cheat but it'll do for now.....thx again!!!!!!

I don't know that software but have looked it up.

Did it tell you exactly what it did or was it just a general cleanup?

Just curious.

Glad it got things going for you!