First build -runing SLOW looking for some help!

[mnal]

This is my first build and I am no computer whiz so I need some help with my current problem please, bear with me if I get something wrong here.
Here is my problem; when I start the system up sometimes it starts up just fine right away(2min or so). Other times when I start it up, it will take 15min or so to get past the green asus motherboard start up screen, and another 15 or so to actually get where Windows loads, and get to the home screen on the desktop. Once I can get a program started it runs "ok" but it usually will take a bit to open up the program. Some like "itunes" will take 10min to open and the run slowly. Every once and a while when the system starts up fine it will run fine. Typically you can open a window or program and it will freeze for 10 min and then run again. So I guess to summerize I have built a computer that works if you like to take 10-15min breaks between every thing you want to do. I am at a real loss here and don't know what to do. I downloaded all the windows and ATi updates. I attempted to update the BIOS with the automatic program ASUS has. Any help would be great! And please remember I'm just a beginner!

The system:
Asus M3A78-EM
AMD Athlon 64 X2 5200
Seagate Barracuda 1.5TB 5,900RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive
Windows 7 Ultimate
ATI All-in-Wonder Premium
4GB of RAM Corsair
500 Watt power supply

 

[p55ibexpeak]

While the pc is taking the time to start up, is there any LED light activity? Describe it in details. Also, when running a program, is the harddisk busy or not?

Loading bios default usually fixes it. If not, try the process of elimination. Remove all but keyb & mouse.

I would suspect misconfiguration in bios. I've seen similar things before on one of the many pc's I built, but I'm not positive it's the same thing.

 

[captaincharisma]

first thing to do is to turn off that asus screen in the bios so you can see the ram check and drives as they are detected. it is possible it is taking it a while to detect a drive.

 

[womble]

Yuck now that sounds ugly. I would have thought you'd into Windows in about one minute from switch on.

If the system is sitting for long at the POST screen something is wrong there, maybe a problem detecting drives or trying to boot of a network.

If you go into the BIOS, you should be able to boot section and you'll see a boot settings configuration section. Try making sure that the boot logo thing is disabled, that should get rid of the asus graphic thing and let you see it detecting the drives etc at the start. Might give you a clue there.

Karl

 

[noahjwhite]

I have to agree with the others. I recently had a friend have a similar problem and it turned out to be a bad HD.