Windows 7 x64 Ultimate using only one core of T5600 core 2 duo

Jacko could you please list your full system spec?

Ta

Gladly, but my machine is still installing Windows, so I'll tell you what I know off the top of my head.

- Its an HP, the model is nx 9420
- Mobile Intel 945PM Express chipset
- The processor: Intel Core 2 Duo T5600 (1.83-GHz, 667-MHz FSB, 2-MB L2 cache)
- 17.0-inch WSXGA+ wide viewing angle BrightView display with 1680 x 1050 resolution and 16M colors
- Originally 1GB 667-MHz DDR2 SDRAM, I added an extra 2GB, 4GB is all the motherboard will take though
- ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 graphics controller with 256 MB of discrete video memory
- Originally a 80GB 5400RPM Hard Disk Drive, have since upgraded to 250GB 5400RPM Toshiba, with a WEI rating of 5,3, compared to the original 4,6
- Built-In Intel PRO/Wireless 3945 A/B/G
- HP Integrated Module with Bluetooth 2.0 Wireless Technology
- 8-cell high capacity Lithium-Ion (68Wh)
- DVD+/-RW SuperMulti with Double Layer
- Ports: 1x IEEE 1394a Port, 1x Type I/II PC card slot, 1x S-Video TV out, 1x VGA/External Monitor, 1x 7-in-1 Media Reader, 4x USB 2.0, 1x headphone out, 1x microphone in

In case I missed something, everything on it is on this link:
ICEcat.biz
There are many nx9420's with different specs - these are the right ones.

Its been installing Windows for 3hours now, still nowhere near finishing!!!

Yes, I did format and yes it is a clean install.

Have you had windows 7 installed previously and running fine? I only ask because I was looking through the compatibility centre and couldn't find your anything relating to your model.

Yeah, at one point win7 worked fine with both cores firing, it was great...for a while.
Then one core stopped working, but before I upgraded the BIOS everything still worked fine, but really slowly, with only one core.
Then I upgraded my BIOS, got both cores firing and a mess with 100% cpu usage. I clean installed and now have a system that is beyond slow.

Now I did a completely clean install and in idle, with no updates, no extra programs, no aero, just win7 being installed and in its first run as it were, the system is running between 65%-85%. The main user is svchost at 50%, taskmgr also runs high at whatever else is left.

The only thing I can think of is what Nibiru said about the system settling in...hope this is it. I'll keep it running for a couple of hours longer, but somehow I doubt this is it, because it wouldn't be such a pain in the @ss installing win7 in the first place. That would have been done quickly and it would be figuring out everything else now.

I'm not sure!

Originally Posted by JaCKo

Its been installing Windows for 3hours now, still nowhere near finishing!!!

Yes, I did format and yes it is a clean install.

That's a very long time to take to install Windows 7, something's not right here with your system hardware. A Windows 7 install should take at max about 30-45 minutes.

When you added the additional RAM, did you put the 2GB stick in slot #1 and move the 1GB stick to slot #2? The biggest RAM stick should always be in the first SO-DIMM slot.

I stuck the RAM in the only slot available at the back of the laptop about two years ago and it always worked fine, so thats not it.
30-45 mins sounds about right, thats how long it took to install the first time (that was about ten days ago)...maybe an hour, not sure, but it was ok time wise. AFTER I UPDATED THE BIOS everything went from slow to snail, thats why I don't get it.

Mind you, what you posted earlier might have very well taken all the % out of the cpu. They're running at 6-10% now, spiking to 25-30%, the only process that takes up any cpu (5% or 25% is always taksmgr.exe which is again strange).

...

But then I reboot and we're back to square one with svchost.exe taking up 50%, taskmgr 25%,...

Still don't know how to get into BIOS! The problem has to be there, right?

Type services.msc in the start menu then hit enter. Disable and stop the Windows Search service. Most enthusiasts do this anyhow and it will calm your pc down.

To get into the bios, try holding down delete while turning it on until it doesn't do anything. Then let go.

Or try this technique with whatever button you'd press before.

It might be worth trying the bios update again just to make sure it has updated properly. As for getting into the bios, have you tried:
F2
Delete

I also found a review which talks about the bios key being F10 although you have to be very quick apparently:

''Since this notebook has some extra security options, many can be set in BIOS. There are standard passwords for system and setup, but also additional smartcard, TPM, disk passwords etc. There are also settings for devices like enabled wireless, Bluetooth, serial, parallel, usb, firewire ports. Then things like Fan on AC, dual core support, native SATA, virtualization technology etc. You can use the disk check and memory check + disk sanitizer too. There is also a boot option menu and you can choose what devices can be used for the booting process and in what order.* And of course you can see the system info. No temps or advanced power settings. F10 works only if you are very fast since the enter BIOS option is by default set to 0s. F9 gives you the boot menu''
The full review can be found here: HP Compaq nx9420 Review
Hopefully this is your model?

I've tried every button I can think of, F10 gets me into computer setup, but not BIOS.
All the others ask which system to boot and only give win7 as an option because its the only one OR I get a choice of booting from hard disk or CD.

I came into BIOS a couple of years ago (on this very computer) setting up Wireless and Bluetooth order of connectivity, haven't been in there since! I can get into the BIOS on this computer (daughter's) with no problem.

I'll try the service.msc and update BIOS one more time and get back to you!