PC really slow after power loss

[Christopher Aponte]

Hey Marcel,

i've got a(n) (easy?) challenge for you here. I've got a friend here who had 2 continuous powerloss @ his home. While with the first power loss he started his pc & it did start normal. But after his second power loss, his pc starts reaaaaaaaaallly slow now.
Everything starts normal (bios startup, system checkup & windows loading screeen), but after putting his password to acces & continue startup, then it gets to a snail speed. Desktop items & windows task bar feels like it won't load, while hd light indicates that the hd is working hard.
Already tested it in safe mode, but same results (& also he told me something about getting a BSOD with a warning that system needs to be restarded in safe mode and/or a software is not properly installed).

Any idea to what can be done?

already asked him to remove the power cable (or cables connected to the hardwares...although he's afraid to touch or remove some connectors)
also removed all usb devices


specs
antec sonata 2 with 450W psu
asus p5b
core 2 duo E6600 @ stock
2X 1GB DDR2 pc5400 from corsair
Asus EN8600GTS 256MB
maxtor 250Gb hd

[Marcel Hulsbergen]

He can try to make a Ghost image from the system and do a clean XP or Vista install, if this starts faster then it's an OS issue and he can continue installing his new OS en finally delete the old image.

If the pc stays slow then i think it could be a memory problem, maybe try some other memory first as this is faster then installing the OS, maybe your memory if it is also DDR2.

Did he also try to reflash his bios?

[Christopher Aponte]

nopes he didn't
don't know how to do that

btw how do you make a ghost image?
i was thinking also clean xp install.....he used to have vista, but because some program for his study could not work in vista he went for xp....i think now can go back to vista..

my memory is indeed DDR2, will test it then i hope 2morrow
else maybe take out 1 Ram card & see if there is a different?

[Christopher Aponte]

2day could not go to check his pc.....but he did give me an extra info today.
he started his pc today in the morning & came back home a couple of min ago. he saw a message about an error with desktop index & needs to be restarted, & so he did but pc is still slow (from preperation for restarting to restarting pc)

does this maybe give a better idea where the problem is?

[Marcel Hulsbergen]

That means indexing service, has to be run. But i think XP does this automatic, i think the best thing to do is reinstall it with a fresh Vista.

[Christopher Aponte]

okeedokee

tnx Marcel for your help

Vista 64 on his pc....here we come

[Christopher Aponte]

hey Marcel
just a quick update......monday i finally got the slow pc to be brought here @ my home.....did some testing & indeed it had problems with windows index.....did some backup (even though it took a loooooong time.....luckily i went to sleep when it was making backup ) & 2day installed the windows vista 64bit

& the pc now runs smoothly again......2morrow will start it up again & begin installing it's needed software & then let it run for 24 hours before giving it back to its owner.....

so tnx again Marcel, for your help/tips.... ;)

[Marcel Hulsbergen]

Youre welcome, if there is something wrong just message me.