Slow response after boot Windows 10 Dell Inspiron 3668

The system "churns" for 15+/- minutes after booting.

The taskbar is visible and populated with the usual apps, but none of them respond for a while. Right-click the File Explorer icon in the Taskbar sometimes gives no response, and when it does, sometimes the program doesn't run.

Double-click File Explorer icon brings up an instance of File Explorer. When I use OPEN WITH in File Explorer, it brings up the program but it may not actually run. When the program does start, Task Manager shows not responding.

I first posted this question at answers.Microsoft as "Slow Response After Boot". If you have access to that forum, feel free to view the question there. The following is the detailed advice given by a user there.

QUESTION POSTED AT answers.Microsoft

Let's boot your computer to safemode, please click the link below for the steps.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...4-b3e5e56fe234

In safemode, please perform the methods below.

Method 1: Run System File Checker

1. Open command prompt (Run as administrator)
2. Type each command below and wait until scan is completed.

sfc /scannow
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Quick note: Please be patient, it's expected to see the process stuck at 20 or 40 percent. After a few minutes, the process will complete successfully.

3. Close the command prompt then proceed to method 2.

Method 2: Perform Clean Boot
- This process will eliminate 3rd party application running in the background of your computer along with services that are not needed to run windows. If there's any conflicting 3rd party application that causes the issue on your computer, this process will stop it.

1. Open the run box by pressing the Windows Key + R and type msconfig
2. System Configuration Utility box will open and by default you are on general tab.
3. On the General tab, click the selective startup and make sure that load system service and load startup items both have checked mark.
4. Click on services tab
5. Put a check mark on Hide All Microsoft Services > This is a very important part as if you miss to click on this, computer might not boot properly or permanently and will end up on clean installation.
6. Once Hide all Microsoft Services have checked mark on it, click on Disable All
7. Click on the Startup Tab and click open task manager. This will open another window which contains all your startup applications on the administrator account.
8. Disable all application that you're not using. You can simply just click on them and select disable.
9. Click OK , Apply and close the configuration utility.
10. Restart your computer to normal boot and check if the issue still persist.

Feel free to reach back if you need any further assistance.

Hope this help. Have a good day.

Thank you,
Jerico T.


For a while the system ran smoothly. Then it began to degrade as described above. This was without a re-boot, which I have not yet tried.

TIA for your help.
JanSweet1.

dalchina said

What is the model of your PC (and approx age)?
3 years

Did these:
sfc /scannow
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
all pass?

I must have been unclear. The safe boot would not run.


Please boot normally, wait for things to settle down, then post a screenshot of your task manager showing resource usage, organising columns high to low as appropriate.

I will do that after I finish posting this

Your specs say nothing of your disk. What is it?


How much free space do you have on C: ?

Samsung SSD 860 EVO 1TB

Used 857 GB
Free 73.7 GB

Are paging parameters set as default? (That said, with 12 Gb RAM you should be ok).

Total paging file size for all drives 25926 MB

Check your disk. Get a copy of Hard Disk Sentinel (portable version available). Green is good result on its GUI. Valid for SSDs.
If ok run
chkdsk c: /scan
from an admin command prompt.

Hard Disk Sentinel gave an error


Part of what you report might be read as memory leak: e.g.
How do I check for memory leaks, and what should I do to stop them? | PC Gamer

I don't subscribe to PC Gamer

When these symptoms start, if you then boot to Safe Mode does all seem well again?

I said at the beginning The safe boot would not run.

Your best friend should probably be a search engine or a disk imaging program.
My Chinese students always asked "How to....?" - but it's never a proper question in English.
My ComputersQuote Quote Multi-Quote This Message Thank

I use an excellent search program called File Locator, but I suspect you are taking about a search engine at the CPU level, no? I also use and excellent disk imaging program call Macrium Reflect. Will you be able to help me troubleshoot this issue without being able to boot in safe mode? Indeed, that seems to be the crux of the problem

Thanks for your help.
Jan1Sweet.

I've lost track of how to enter my reply inline with your answer as I did before. I hope this will be understandable. I'll put a snippet of your question in italics.

There is nothing...

I will repeat what I previously said. I must have been unclear. The safe boot would not run. I opened the link and that was the end. It did nothing, id display nothing. To me that means it did not run.


Clarify do you mean
I'm uncertain whether it was when installing or running. I've posted a question at Sentenel web site so I will get my answer there. You needn't be concerned. Of course, I will report Sentinel's results here once it runs.

Are paging parameters...

I don't know how to determine whether thay are the default

screenshot of reagentc

https://www.dropbox.com/s/xz065fzq9h43dgo/command%20prompt%20reagentc_info.png?dl=0

Thanks for your help.
JanSweet1

- - - Updated - - -

Dalchina,

Hard Disk Sentinel

What report do you want me to run?
I repeat that I've never run the product before now, so I have no way of knowing without inquiring at the forum.

This report came into my mail box without my asking for it. I think it's the front door to getting me to upgrade.


Again, let me know the name of the specific report you want me to run.

Thanks. JanSweet1

I detached the Seagate drive that report 4% errors. I still could not do safe mode. I then executed the steps outlined in answers.Microsoft. With those I was able to executre Safe Mode.

my problem is solved.