Windows Startup speed boost

[JiM PolPot v.W.o.]

I am trying to make my system start up as quickly as possible.

I have a standard Win XP Home Ed setup. 1.8 gightz processer, 512 kb ram.

I know of the following places where you can make files start automatically...

-msconfig
-registry (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run)
-Startup Folder in Start Menu

Is there any other places I should check?


I am trying to get my computer to load XP, the necessary op-sys services, Zone Alarm, and Norton Anti-Virus auto protect. And that is all I want to load.

Does anyone have any tips for making the computer boot and load the listed files faster?

BTW: I run ad-adware to clear out spyware. I have disabled Windows Messenger from loading. I have disabled anything I deemed unnecessary for startup in msconfig. Almost every time I change something in msconfig, the settings come right back (for example, qttask.exe).

[CREDO]

You have covered everything I could think of.
All i could suggest is to open your task manager after start up and go through all the running apps one by one and hunt down any crap that might be there.
Its a good thing to do anyway, it gets you familiar with what should and shouldnt be running for later referance.
Just so if you ever suspect a virus or something slowing you down you can just hit ctrl+alt+del and tell straight away what looks suspisious.

[Goldbird]

:lol: 512kb ram

[AareDub]

There is a program called bootvis that will help your system start up much faster. It does what it's supposed to, but use it with caution. Some systems I've built have had a lot of problems when using it.

[CREDO]

Actually, according to MS, BootVis does nothing in the way of optimizing boot time.

http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/system/sysperf/fastboot/BootVis.mspx

"Please note that Bootvis.exe is not a tool that will improve boot/resume performance for end users. Contrary to some published reports, Bootvis.exe cannot reduce or alter a system's boot or resume performance. The boot optimization routines invoked by Bootvis.exe are built into Windows XP. These routines run automatically at pre-determined times as part of the normal operation of the operating system."

It can tell you what programs/drivers are taking the longest to load though, which can be useful in helping you to decide which should be axed from your startup routine.

[AareDub]

Hmm, once it detects the slowdowns and such from your bootup you can tell it to optimize. After doing so, there is a definite decrease in boot time. I'm going to have to disagree with Microsoft on this one.

[JiM PolPot v.W.o.]

:lol: 512kb ram
planning on hd and ram upgrades before summer is over.

but 512 is better than a lot of people. the majority of computers still have 256k.

[JiM PolPot v.W.o.]

You have covered everything I could think of.
All i could suggest is to open your task manager after start up and go through all the running apps one by one and hunt down any crap that might be there.
Its a good thing to do anyway, it gets you familiar with what should and shouldnt be running for later referance.
Just so if you ever suspect a virus or something slowing you down you can just hit ctrl+alt+del and tell straight away what looks suspisious.
you don't need to tell me about ctrl+alt+del. :p i was looking more for some more advanced tips if anyone happened to know have any random ideas.

and i already did the process list thing awhile back, but shit gets installed so often and spyware gets its name changed so often that its hard to follow the names of 50+ processes.

[AareDub]

planning on hd and ram upgrades before summer is over.

but 512 is better than a lot of people. the majority of computers still have 256k.

He wasn't laughing at the 512 part, he was laughing at the kb part. You have 512mb of ram, not 512kb ;)

[JiM PolPot v.W.o.]

He wasn't laughing at the 512 part, he was laughing at the kb part. You have 512mb of ram, not 512kb ;)
whoops.

uh... i meant 512kb of L2 Cache.

god i feel stupid. i work in the computer industry too. :'(


i guess there's always employment opportunities at microsoft for me.

[JiM PolPot v.W.o.]

but 512kb ram would explain why i boot so slow :)

[JiM PolPot v.W.o.]

and even worse i said kb with the b in lower case. that reduces me by another factor of 8.

my computer sucks. :(

[Goldbird]

:lol: jim, computer industry eh?

[JiM PolPot v.W.o.]

I have finally found an effective method for improving the startup time. It involves using a whitelist strategy on the MSCONFIG file's startup tab. I disabled everything except for Zone Alarm's client and Norton Anti Virus.

My system saw significant improvements in its startup speed. :)

[DS]

Yeah, Norton kills start up speed. Disable all services besides the Microsoft ones in msconfig and disable everything you don't need on startup.

[KleptoKlown]

I have finally found an effective method for improving the startup time. It involves using a whitelist strategy on the MSCONFIG file's startup tab. I disabled everything except for Zone Alarm's client and Norton Anti Virus.

My system saw significant improvements in its startup speed. :)

if your work deals with computers, you should have known about selective startup in msconfig sin win98