Windows XP locks up for around 5 minutes after each boot

[purplefire]

So i recently had to reinstall windows XP. I have all the updates and service packs, but now every time i boot up the computer or bring it out of standby, the windows interface will not allow any new programs or windows to be launched for around 5 minutes, at which point all of the programs i've attempted to launch will all launch at once. This includes task manager, windows explorer and the start menu.
This seems to have something to do with my internet connection, because it will work alright until i connect, and as soon as i do it will happen and will freeze up. A few days ago i managed to disconnect and it broke the freeze and everything launched, so i connected again and it seemed fine. Today however when i clicked disconnect, it took five minutes or so to actually cut off.
If i have an active firefox window this will not lock up, and i can continue to browse the internet while waiting for the freeze to end.
I haven't had much luck in finding a fix for this problem as it doesn't seem particularly common, and it's hard to do a search for a problem that seems so specific.
I have tried looking at windows event viewer on numerous occasions but there is never an entry.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated as this is a very annoying problem that really tests my patience.

My hardware is as follows:

Q6600 Quadcore processor
4GB RAM
8800GT Graphics card
Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L Motherboard

 

[riser]

You can try this fix:

http://www.itnewsgroups.net/group/microsoft.public.windows.server.general/topic16733.aspx

Your PC might be waiting for a network connection before logging in. You can disable this in the Windows Regsitry.

Also, your computer might be searching for updates before logging all the way. You can also make sure the Offline Files is disabled. You can access this by going to the Control Panel - Folder Options.

 

[mike99]

Windows will be slow, you appear not to have a hard drive!
Try running HDTune to see if performance problem. Try manufactureres diagnostic. If drive is slow to spin up, windows will hang. Check Event Viewer.

Mike.

 

[purplefire]

I didn't think it would be useful information to include hard drive specs.

I have three, one is inoperative, one has a 10 gig partition which is housing windows, the rest of it is running drive C which contains games and system programs. The tertiary disk stores my art.

 

[mike99]

Hard drives DO matter. The 10 Gb will be very slow (old technology) Your OS should be on your fastest drive. I hope that is not a Fujitsu 10Gb drive, they had BIG problems with them. Use HDTune to compare the performance of your drives. If the 10Gb is having intermittant read problems it will be causing windows to hang.

Mike.

 

[Zoron]

No, he doesn't have a 10GB hard drive... he has a 10GB partition on his drive.

 

[purplefire]

That's right, they are all relatively recent drives of moderate to large capacity. The windows partition is currently on my newest drive