Windows Forum / Windows XP / Performance and Maintainance / August 2007
Slow Startup
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DaveM - 19 Jul 2007 22:54 GMT My startup is really slow.
My user profile appears to be c. 4 Gb - contains (Itunes) music files, photo's, documents etc. You name it, its there.
Assume I can speed up my reducing the size of my profile, but what's the impact of doing it?
 Signature Dave M
Leonard Grey - 20 Jul 2007 01:17 GMT The size of your profile has no effect on how quickly your computer starts.
--- Leonard Grey Errare humanum est
> My startup is really slow. > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > Assume I can speed up my reducing the size of my profile, but what's the > impact of doing it? DaveM - 20 Jul 2007 19:46 GMT So, what are the potential causes? disk has been cleaned up/defragmented.
 Signature Dave M
> The size of your profile has no effect on how quickly your computer starts. > [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Assume I can speed up my reducing the size of my profile, but what's the > > impact of doing it? Leonard Grey - 20 Jul 2007 20:33 GMT Hi again Dave:
There could be hundreds of reasons why a computer is slow to start. In my estimation, these are among the more prevalent reasons:
Infection by a virus or other malicious software; Insufficient system resources for the programs that are running; and Misconfiguration by the user
--- Leonard Grey Errare humanum est
> So, what are the potential causes? disk has been cleaned up/defragmented. Daave - 20 Jul 2007 20:42 GMT [top-posting this time around because when in Rome...]
See:
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/slowcom.htm
Assuming you're truly malware-free and your hardware is fine, chances are it's something that occurs during startup, perhaps a virus scan. To take better control of your startup process, heed the advice given in Step 13.
Also, what are the specs of yourPC?
And have you tried running Process Explorer? Link:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/Utilities/ProcessExplorer.mspx
> So, what are the potential causes? disk has been cleaned > up/defragmented. [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] >>> Assume I can speed up my reducing the size of my profile, but >>> what's the impact of doing it? Jeff Daniels - 06 Aug 2007 14:37 GMT If your PC is slow to boot and you know your PC is spyware free, go start run and type in MSconfig. This will bring up your system configuration box, slect the startup tab and this will display all your startup items that could be slowing down the PC loading. This process can be trial and error do not un-tick anything you dont know about ask first or Google it. Cheers Jeff
> My startup is really slow. > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > Assume I can speed up my reducing the size of my profile, but what's the > impact of doing it? Ken Blake, MVP - 06 Aug 2007 15:54 GMT > If your PC is slow to boot and you know your PC is spyware free, go start > run and type in MSconfig. Before using MSConfig, or any similar utility, to disable auto-starting items, one should check its Options to see if it has the choice not to start (make sure you actually choose the option not to run it, not just a "don't show icon" option). Many can easily and best be stopped that way.
Only if that doesn't work, should you run MSCONFIG from the Start | Run line, and on the Startup tab, uncheck the programs you don't want to start automatically.
> This will bring up your system configuration box, slect the startup tab and > this will display all your startup items that could be slowing down the PC > loading. > This process can be trial and error do not un-tick anything you dont know > about ask first or Google it. Yes. Don't do this just for the purpose of running the minimum number of programs. Despite what many people tell you, you should be concerned, not with how *many* of these programs you run, but *which*. Some of them can hurt performance severely, but others have no effect on performance.
Don't just stop programs from running willy-nilly. What you should do is determine what each program is, what its value is to you, and what the cost in performance is of its running all the time. You can get more information about these at http://castlecops.com/StartupList.html. If you can't find it there, try google searches and ask about specifics here.
Once you have that information, you can make an intelligent informed decision about what you want to keep and what you want to get rid of.
> > My startup is really slow. > > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > Assume I can speed up my reducing the size of my profile, but what's the > > impact of doing it?
 Signature Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP Windows - Shell/User Please Reply to the Newsgroup
LadyDungeness@Fish.Net - 08 Aug 2007 00:19 GMT If you are using XP, create a restore point first. I prefer other utilities over msconfig. I like RegCleaner by Vourio. It makes backups so you can restore what you've removed, if need be.
Lady Dungeness Crabby, but Great Legs! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|> If your PC is slow to boot and you know your PC is spyware free, go start |> run and type in MSconfig. [quoted text clipped - 38 lines] |> > Assume I can speed up my reducing the size of my profile, but what's the |> > impact of doing it? Ken Blake, MVP - 08 Aug 2007 01:52 GMT > If you are using XP, create a restore point first. I prefer other > utilities over msconfig. I like RegCleaner by Vourio. It makes > backups so you can restore what you've removed, if need be. Most registry cleaners make backups. But if the result of a registry cleaner's deleting something it shouldn't have is that the computer won't boot, the backup doesn't do you much good.
 Signature Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP Windows - Shell/User Please Reply to the Newsgroup
Daave - 08 Aug 2007 22:54 GMT >> If you are using XP, create a restore point first. I prefer other >> utilities over msconfig. I like RegCleaner by Vourio. It makes [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > cleaner's deleting something it shouldn't have is that the computer > won't boot, the backup doesn't do you much good. And that's the reason that RegCleaner is one of the better registry cleaners. But as far as other registry cleaners that go overboard and delete necessary keys, you are absolutely correct.
Daave - 08 Aug 2007 22:57 GMT > I prefer other utilities over msconfig. I like RegCleaner by Vourio. It makes
> backups so you can restore what you've removed, if need be. I believe you're confusing RegCleaner with Startup Control Panel. :-)
Mike Lin's Startup Control Panel: http://www.mlin.net/StartupCPL.shtml
I like it, too.
LadyDungeness@Fish.Net - 09 Aug 2007 04:57 GMT You believe incorrectly. I am confusing nothing. Instead, you do not know what features RegCleaner has, yet you write as if you do. Go figure.
RegCleaner by Vuorio has a menu to view and selectively delete certain items from startup. As well as other options. It's a tiny little program that works well and it's free.
No need to download any separate program to tweak the startup options.
Lady Dungeness Crabby, but Great Legs! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|> I prefer other utilities over msconfig. I like RegCleaner by Vourio. |It makes [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] | |I like it, too. Daave - 09 Aug 2007 15:25 GMT I stand corrected. It's been a while since I used RegCleaner, but you are absolutely right.
> You believe incorrectly. I am confusing nothing. Instead, you do not > know what features RegCleaner has, yet you write as if you do. Go [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > | > |I like it, too. Arrrrr - 29 Aug 2007 04:14 GMT Hi,
I'm searching for some answers regarding my laptop's slow performance. I'm using a Sony Vaio laptop with 512Mb memory runing XP Home Edition. The laptop is just over 18 months old. It was running quite well at one point.
It got slower after I installed Norton System Work. I have since removed it and am now using a firewall and protection with minimum footprint. I have tried every step mentioned below, for example:
1) MSCONFIG - I have but 0 program in my startup. I have 47 processes after booting up. I have no junk program in the services. I checked against available list on what each services is for and shut down any that I didn't need.
2) Changed memory managment in Registry to setting 2
3) cleared out of TEMP directory.
5) Removed JAVA updates
6) Run Regcleaner, Ad-Aware and several others. Found no issue.
7) Took a day, but I DEFRAGGED my HD
8) Removed all unnecessary program in Control Panel
9) I have no unused network connections.
10) I have no virus or spyware. I can confirm this after several scans and using online scans (such as Panda)
11) I have downloaded the latest Bootvis (37??). It shows that it takes me 406 seconds to finish loading !! However, when I select to optimise, it just sits there and never finishes. I left it running overnight and nothing happened.
I have exhausted all the usual FAQ type suggestions. So, can someone please something else. Anyone know why Bootvis doesn't finish optimise on my laptop?
Thanks.
> > If your PC is slow to boot and you know your PC is spyware free, go start > > run and type in MSconfig. [quoted text clipped - 39 lines] > > > Assume I can speed up my reducing the size of my profile, but what's the > > > impact of doing it? Arrrrr - 29 Aug 2007 04:22 GMT I should add that I have no fancy background pictures etc. I have configured the system for max performance.
The IE also takes a while to load as well. However, once it's loaded, it works just fine. the CPU is not running crazy.
I'm just running out of ideas and helpful information I can find. Please help.
> Hi, > [quoted text clipped - 81 lines] > > > > Assume I can speed up my reducing the size of my profile, but what's the > > > > impact of doing it? Daave - 29 Aug 2007 14:48 GMT Comments inline.
> Hi, > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > It got slower after I installed Norton System Work. Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner! Norton has been known to slow systems down.
> I have since removed it [snip] How did you remove it? I wonder if any of its many tentacles remain.
> 2) Changed memory managment in Registry to setting 2 Please specify the key you altered.
> 6) Run Regcleaner, Ad-Aware and several others. Found no issue. Identify the "several others." Did you run either Spybot Search & Destroy or SUPERAntiSpyware?
> 7) Took a day, but I DEFRAGGED my HD That's odd; defragging shouldn't take that long. Did you perhaps check your drive for bad sectors?
> 8) Removed all unnecessary program in Control Panel Control Panel? Do you mean msconfig?
I suspect your problem is with Norton remnants.
Vince - 29 Aug 2007 20:56 GMT Much agreed. I had some systems that had System Works installed that had to be reformatted because there was just no going back.
> Comments inline. > [quoted text clipped - 34 lines] > > I suspect your problem is with Norton remnants. Arrrrr - 30 Aug 2007 04:56 GMT Thanks for the response Daave.
I removed Norston System Work by using the cleanup tool provided by Norton . I have read several posts where people mentioned that "uninstall" doesn't clean things out properly. Hence, I used the tool provided by Norton. Is that still not enough?
To answer your other queries. Yes, I didn run "Spyboy Search & Destry".
Regarding the registry change, I updated HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management\prefectchparameters Changed "EnablePrefectcher" to 2 Changed bootime period from 30 seconds to 3 second.
I did CHKDSK my HD and found no bad sector, but I will double check.
As for Bootvis, I also read that it requires a few services, such as "Task Scheduler" to be on to run. I did that and it still did not work for me.
Is there anything that you can suggest?
Thanks.
> Comments inline. > [quoted text clipped - 34 lines] > > I suspect your problem is with Norton remnants. Daave - 30 Aug 2007 06:11 GMT The Norton cleanup tool is *supposed* to work, but I know of a few cases where it doesn't. You mentioned you ran RegCleaner. Was it Jouni Vuorio's program? If so, under the Software tab, click the Author column. Do you see any entries that say either Norton or Symantec? Do the same with the Software column. And what is listed under the Startup List tab?
The reason I suspect Norton is that your problems began immediately after you installed Norton System Works (IIRC). But since your defrag took a whole day, I wonder if it's starting to go. You should obtain a program from the manufacturer of the drive that checks the health of your hard drive. If you're not sure where to obtain it, post back with detailed information about your laptop and hard drive.
It's possible you have malware, even though scans come up negative. If I were you I would either try Clean Boot Troubleshooting (if you want to get your hands dirty and have time to use the process of elimination) or posting a HijackThis log (if you would prefer experts to analyze what's on your PC) to an appropriate forum.
"How to perform advanced clean-boot troubleshooting in Windows XP": http://support.microsoft.com/kb/316434
HijackThis: http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/programs.php#hijackthis
"Online Help Forums": http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/forums.php
> Thanks for the response Daave. > [quoted text clipped - 60 lines] >> >> I suspect your problem is with Norton remnants.
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