Slow boot due to dhcp?

Counterfe1t · Oct 12, 2007, 11:30 PM

I posted this in the networking thread because i figure it's a networking problem?

Recently i tried to connect a hard drive to my girlfriend's computer. The hard drive was faulty i realized because it wouldn't be detected by any computer.

Anyways.. that's not the point.

After i got rid of the hard drive.. i noticed that my gf's computer would take forever to boot. Before it booted, it stuck in this black screen saying something about dhcp with dots and a rotating slash.

here's a link to an image i got from google.

http://img527.imageshack.us/img527/4536/00dhcpjj6.jpg

it does that for 5-10 minutes until it finally boots. I really don't know how to get rid of that. What is it, why is it there, and more importantly.. how the hell can i get rid of it?

Dyre Straits · Oct 13, 2007, 01:51 AM

Try this.....

Right click on My Computer and then select Manage.

Now double click on Services and Applications

Now double click on Services

Scroll down to DHCP Client

Notice that it likely is set to Automatic

Right click on it and select Properties

In Start Up type, change it to Manual.

Exit out with the OKs and reboot.

Keep your fingers crossed.

Good luck!

Tipstaff · Oct 13, 2007, 07:35 AM

To add to Dyres suggestion, I would also look at something else.

To me it sounds like one of 2 things: 1) the network card is listed as a bootable item in the bios, or 2) the network cards onboard bootrom got reset some how.

For number 1 it's pretty easy. Just go into the bios, and look for the bootup options. If there, remove the network card from the boot order, or at the very least move it to be the last device.

For number 2, may not be easy. I know with most network cards that have a bootrom you can just hit a key combo, such as CTRL-I or CTRL-S, to get into it, and do what you need to in order to disable it. With Intel it's pretty simple, but I'm not sure if your card has this feature or not.

In any case, most likely by removing it from the boot order in the bios will clear things up.

**ChaosMinionX** · Oct 13, 2007, 10:56 AM

Yeah, most likely on the new install it installed a LAN type option as a bootable item, just disable it in your BIOS.

H3X4D3C1M4L · Nov 3, 2007, 08:54 PM

Could always just assign it a static IP

Judas · Nov 4, 2007, 12:39 PM

easiest and quickest and most likely best solution is to disable BOOT FROM LAN or similare option in the bios..

i've only seen a couple of machines where the boot from lan was set as #2 boot order... right after floppy.... it sits there because it's attempting to find a bootable lan .... and just keeps searching... at which point it won't find one and continues onto the next boot option..

ATM, all the machines i build, i now set CD-ROM as boot option #1 and hardrive as Boot option #2 and disable all other boots