I've been trying to find why my laptop (Sony PCG-F190 -- 366PII, W98SE) is
searching for a tape controller at startup. My bootlog.txt, according to
Boot Log Analyzer, is recording a period of about 30 seconds or more during
this search time. I checked detlog.txt, and it shows up there- 2 or 3 times.
When I first discovered this, I looked at detlog.old, and it didn't show up
there. The dates on the detlog files showed the last change must have been a
month or two ago-- I don't recall for sure. The system is a year old, and
I've never had a tape drive connected; the closest is a parallel-port Zip
drive, which has been connected and installed off and on several times over
the last year.

I've run an "add new hardware" detection routine with the Zip removed and
physically disconnected a couple of times, with no change in the search for
the tape drives at startup.

(I thought the Zip was possible related because detlog showed lines relating
to the IRQ and IO address relating to my ECP port, where the Zip is
connected, immediately between the references to "TAPECONTROLLER.")

In summary, I can't find what's causing the system to think it should look
for a tape drive or controller. I understand that detlog is a txt file- for
humans- that reflects a binary file that's created during hardware
detection. And the file MSDET.INF has some degree of control over INFs to be
checked during h/w detection, but it contains no reference to a tape device.
The registry had lines that appeared to be copies of DETLOG lines about the
tape controller, etc., and there were the same lines in the "bad" list, but
nothing I deleted (after exporting, for safety) seems to have any influence
over devices searched for- either at startup or at the time detlog is being
defined.

If someone can give me a better understanding of what's happening, I would
really appreciate it. I'd like to know what's controlling this whole
sequence of events, just for the understanding of it; my practical goal is
to stop wasting 30 seconds of startup time.

As an additional curiosity, why is bootlog being appended to *after* bootup
seems to be completed, showing multiple "Microsoft kernel ..." activities
going on for 455 seconds and more after the system is up and running? I
could send supporting screen captures by e-mail if it would help explain
what I'm asking for.

Thanks in advance for any help/insights you can provide. And I _am_ trying
to avoid being too dangerous with my little knowledge in this particular
area. :)

Regards,
Jerry Lide

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