Slow booting

Bootup time is about 60 seconds, but for 20 or so seconds, there is no
hard drive activity. Normally, the Windows logo would be displayed, but
I added a line to msdos.sys (logo=0 in the [options] section)to
eliminate it. So although it doesn't display anymore, there is still the
long period of inactivity.

This is a computer that used to boot in 46 seconds, including time to
load about 5 items in the system tray. Now, the only thing item in the
tray is time.

I've rebuilt it as follows:

1. Kept Asus V7-E mobo, 768MB RAM, Duron 800MHz CPU, case and power supply
2. Replaced two old hard drives with one new Western Digital 80 GB unit,
with four partitions
3. Replaced two old CD-RW recorders with one new Lite-On CD-RW

The hard drive is master and the CD burner is slave on the Primary IDE
channel. In the bios, I've disabled the master and slave in the
Secondard IDE channel. (That considerably shorted what used to be an
even longer boot time.) Also in the bios, first boot device is the hard
drive.

In software, I've removed most of the fonts from the Fonts folder. OS is
still original W98.

Thanks for your ideas as to what might be prolonging boot time and
suggestions for fixes.

Ray