Help: finder slow at start-up, airport problems

[mytragicuncle]

Hi,

For some reason my macbook pro 17" is extremely slow at start-up, when it gets to the part where it's loading the airport and battery icon. I'm also having problems connecting to the internet via the airport. The signal is at full strength, but there is no internet connection. This was all working the day before yesterday, and when I plug in directly to the cable internet connection via ethernet, the internet works.

One other catch is that I'm in a foreign country and don't have any startup CDs/DVDs with me, and it would be cost-prohibitive for me to call applecare (which I'd really like to do!). Also couldn't figure out how to contact applecare via ichat (there are still some luddites among us, apologies). Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Macbook Pro 17"
MacbookPro 1,2
Intel Core Duo
2.16 Ghz processor
Memory: 2 ghz
bus speed: 667 Mhz

Wireless connection via: D-link, airplus G, 2.4 ghz

I've tried the following:


SLOW FINDER:
Repair disk permissions - didn't seem to do much
Switching user accounts - same slowness with my other account
Downloading 10.4.9 update - problems downloading, says it sent the file to the trash and I can retrieve it and try again. Did that, but it didn't work.

AIRPORT:
downloaded software updates
tried plugging directly into internet connection, and that works fine.

 

[mad jew]

Do you have plenty of free hard drive space (8GB or more)? As a start, I'd try resetting the SMC and then running fsck in Single User Mode.

 

[Jeep2000]

I have a client with a slow startup as well, reportedly up to half an hour. The computer is used on an Active Directory using a mobile account at work, then at home using his wireless network.
In the Console I see "AirPort: Link DOWN (AP deAuth 0)"
so I think it may be a problem with his home wireless network. My question is why would the computer take so long to start up? Is it something in the network setup?
We have several users who have similar problems when they take their computer away from work.
This is a PowerBook G4 and we also have reports of this problem on MacBook Pros. All are various versions of 10.4.
Also, if anyone knows more about the AP deAuth 0 error, that would be helpful, too.

 

[MacDann]

If the user has to authenticate via Active Directory, that could be the key to the long startup. See how long it takes if they log in as a local user - that would be the giveaway.

MD

(Windows AD guy at work only because I have to be)