Windows XP boot time decreaser

MonsieurEvilMonsieurEvil Join Date: 2002-01-22 Member: 4Members, Retired Developer, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
in Off-Topic
<div class="IPBDescription">ONLY Windows XP.</div>MS has come out with an optimizing utility for Windows XP (only!) that will analyze your OS config and make config changes that will decrease your OS boot-up times considerably. It can be downloaded here:

<a href="http://www.microsoft.com/hwdev/platform/performance/fastboot/default.asp" target="_blank">Download BootVis</a>

To use it, run the file, choose Trace | Optimize, then when prompted reboot. Then get a cup of cofee when you log back in, as it will take about 10 minutes to run and optimize the system file structure. Reboot it again and you're done.

After I've tested this, I found some huge improvements in the time between logging in and actually being able to work (i.e. the hourglass and empty desktop times are much shorter). Sometimes 15-20 seconds faster between getting past the startup screen and being able to start working, depending on the hardware.

This will go into an updated Tuning Guide at RR.org later this week, in case you were wondering.



<!--EDIT|MonsieurEvil|Oct. 09 2002,16:04-->
Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome

Comments

  • kerplunkkerplunk Join Date: 2002-09-29 Member: 1378Members
    wait so does it decrease time after you click on your username or when its just starting before that?
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • MonsieurEvilMonsieurEvil Join Date: 2002-01-22 Member: 4Members, Retired Developer, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
    Both slightly before, and greatly after, depending on the NT Loader processing. Read the whitepaper at the article if you want to see more about tuning the BIOS to load faster (and cut down on the 'before' time).
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • TychoCelchuuuTychoCelchuuu Anememone Join Date: 2002-03-23 Member: 345Members
    Yippee! Thanks MonsE! My shortsighted family fellows are convinced WinXP is the worst OS because they cannot stand the 30 seconds it takes to log in, and even a 2-3 second decrease will make em leap for joy!
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • DOOManiacDOOManiac Worst. Critic. Ever. Join Date: 2002-04-17 Member: 462Members, NS1 Playtester
    ah. I saw this months ago but assumed it didn't work, or there was some form of catch. I mean otherwise wouldn't everybody want it? heh.

    but if monse says it works, then i'll try it :)
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • MouseMouse The Lighter Side of Pessimism Join Date: 2002-03-02 Member: 263Members, NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow
    Wow, I can bring my log on time from 1 second down to 0.25 seconds. Yay <!--emo&:p--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':p'><!--endemo-->
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • MonsieurEvilMonsieurEvil Join Date: 2002-01-22 Member: 4Members, Retired Developer, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
    Either you're being silly, or you don't understand what it's doing, Mouse. But I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and say 'silly'.
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • MouseMouse The Lighter Side of Pessimism Join Date: 2002-03-02 Member: 263Members, NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, Squad Five Blue, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Shadow
    well I was being silly. But seriously, the time it takes from when I click on my username to when I can start doing stuff is so small this utility is basically pointless (well for me anyway). In total it probably takes about 30 seconds to 1 minute for me to get to my desktop from a cold start (aka turning on the computer after it's been off for an hour or more).
    But if this utility does more than reduce the time it takes to get to the desktop after pressing the power button, please tell me.

    [EDIT] I just turned off the computer and then turned it on one minute later. It took 54 seconds from when I pressed the power button to when the hourglass disapeared, most of that time (roughly 40-45 seconds) was taken up by the computer starting up
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • MonsieurEvilMonsieurEvil Join Date: 2002-01-22 Member: 4Members, Retired Developer, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
    It will still shorten things - all XP users should run it, as it doesn't hurt and will ceertainly make small improvements no matter how optimized your PC already is.

    Before running this app, when you get to a desktop there is still some slowdown going on? ALL XP users here will get to a desktop a couple seconds after the logon is processed. The difference is, there will be no disk thrashing or intermediate hour glassing when you get there after using BOOTVIS. Right now on an Xp box I get to a desktop, and if I immediately start up outlook, IE, trillian, etc. they take a goodlie while to load as they are fighting some final drivers being fired up. After I run BOOTVIS the machine is 100% responsive after logon.

    So, time from logon, to getting a few apps started and responsive immediately thereafter. The use BOOTVIS and time it again. Should be an obvious improvement.



    <!--EDIT|MonsieurEvil|Oct. 11 2002,09:12-->
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • SpoogeSpooge Thunderbolt missile in your cheerios Join Date: 2002-01-25 Member: 67Members
    I'm gonna try this when I get home.  Login time has been slowly increasing for me as I add more to my machine.  Hopefully this will help.

    A little off topic but I was hoping I might ask a question.  When I log in, my SYSTEM32 folder opens up.  It has done this since my first boot.  It's not a major problem (I just close it right away) but if someone knows how to stop this, I'd appreciate it.
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • MonsieurEvilMonsieurEvil Join Date: 2002-01-22 Member: 4Members, Retired Developer, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
    Check and make sure there is not a shortcut to it in your Startup folder on the Start Menu. If not, check in the registry under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run and HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run as well.
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • GhostfaceKillahGhostfaceKillah Join Date: 2002-10-05 Member: 1438Members
    i noticed that xp is super slow starting up, i mean, my p4 1600mhz comp boots up slower than my pII 250mhz peice of ####
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
  • MonsieurEvilMonsieurEvil Join Date: 2002-01-22 Member: 4Members, Retired Developer, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
    Ok.

    Have you followed the steps in this thread, as well as the
    <a href="http://www.readyroom.org/perfgde_1.html" target="_blank">Readyroom Windows Tuning Guide</a>?
    Off Topic Disagree Agree Awesome
Sign In or Register to comment.