Lazy Laptop
When powering on my HP laptop, it usually takes around 30 seconds to load the Windows login screen. Then, from hitting return having typed the password, a further 15 to 20 seconds to populate the desktop, quick launch buttons, system tray etc and them become useable.
Just occasionally, about one in ten startups, the first part up to login happens normally, but after hitting return to enter the password, the desktop background appears but there's a delay in it being populated. The delay varies between about 20 to 40 seconds, Then the icons, taskbar, sys tray, etc, pop up as usual within another 15 to 20 seconds.
When the delay occurs, there seems to be very little HD activity, whereas on a normal startup, the HD is going ten to the dozen. It's as if the system just isn't getting itself in gear and getting on with the job, not as if it's bashing away at some intensive process which is slowing things down. There seems to be nothing in the event viewer which differs between normal and slow startup to suggest something's actually going wrong or something extra is happening, just the unexplained pause.
Any and all ideas and suggestions welcome as it's getting rather annoying and gives the niggling feeling that one day the pause may suddenly become a full-stop. Or should I just accept that I have a laptop which has developed a propensity for occasional laziness?