Home › Forums › Archives › Computer Support › Computer Support Discussion › How to make Windows XP Boot faster…
- This topic has 8 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 17 years, 7 months ago by Mastertech.
-
AuthorPosts
-
September 11, 2006 at 9:27 pm #24906QuiksilverMember
~Make sure you’re running Windows XP. The version of XP doesn’t matter~
I didn’t really see a place where you post general computer related stuff so I decided to post this neat little guide here.
When you start up your computer you probably get a screen with the company name of the computer, then sometime after the Windows XP screen with the bars going accross over and over again for a little while. This is the part that you can reduce to a mere two flashes and bam login screen. This is guaranteed safe, so don’t worry.
For example, my usual time to get to the login screen took around 40 seconds. First my graphics card loads, then something with Dell, then the Win XP screen which was there for a good, annoying 20 seconds. Now my computer gets to login within 20 seconds.
Anyway, here’s how:
Hit Start –> Run. Type “regedit” (without the quotes) into the box and press okay. A window labeled Registry Editor will pop up on your taskbar.
In this Reg Editor find the following file: Go to start –> Run
Type in “regedit” without the quotes.HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE –> System –> CurrentControlSet –> Control –> Session Manager –> Memory Mangement –> Prefetch Parameters.
In the Prefetch Paremeters, find the file named “EnablePrefetcher”. Right click it and press modify. Now change the 3 to a 5 and press okay. Restart your computer whenever you want to check it out =). This can always be changed back…if you wanted to 😮
Yay =)
September 12, 2006 at 10:24 am #152141MastertechMemberThere are only 4 functional values for the EnablePretcher Registry Key = 0, 1, 2 and 3. 3 is the default and optimal. 5 does not exist.
September 12, 2006 at 7:42 pm #152138QuiksilverMemberThen tell my why it works?
September 12, 2006 at 9:03 pm #152137SpikeMemberCan you explain exacty what you changed and why it works, or did you just copy that from somewhere, apply it to your computer, and hope that it would work?
September 13, 2006 at 12:58 am #152142MastertechMember@Quiksilver 207078 wrote:
Then tell my why it works?
Part of the problem is properly timing Windows Startup, looking at how long a graphic is displayed on the screen is completely INACCURATE. You need to use a Stopwatch and time it from when you turn your computer on to the desktop. But you also have to be sure Prefetching was working properly BEFORE you start testing.
I have personally spoken to Engineers on the Windows Client Performance Team who have confirmed what I just said. Any values outside of the 4 functional values will default to 3 for XP. So when you set it to 5 it just sets it to 3 anyway. Many people have this setting disabled (0) and thus when the set it to 5 they irronically reenable it to the default and optimal 3. Just leave it at 3 and confirm yours is set to 3. Many useless “tweak” programs, tweak Registry Scripts and bad guides break the Windows Prefetcher.
Post the link where you found this “advice” and I guarantee it wasn’t Microsoft.com
September 15, 2006 at 2:46 am #152139QuiksilverMemberKind of a late reply but here’s what happened: A friend asked me if I wanted to have my computer boost a little bit faster so I said yes (Duh). So he showed me how to do it, and I did it. I restarted. I DID use a stopwatch to time it and it IS faster. I’m not denying that values above 3 may not exist but all in all My computer boots faster and you can’t tell me it doesn’t.
=)
September 15, 2006 at 6:56 am #152143MastertechMemberWhich means that the value must have been set to 1 or 0 before you changed it and when you set it to 5 it defaults to 3 because 5 is not valid. Did you time it before you changed the value? Because it is simply IMPOSSIBLE for 5 to do anything, there is no setting! I spoke to Microsoft Engineers on the Windows Client Performance Team about this. Any setting other than the 0, 1, 2 or 3 will default to 3 (default and optimal).
Do this to prove it. (DO NOT SKIP ANY STEPS OR INSTRUCTIONS, do not load or install anything during the test other than what is specified.)
1. Confirm the Task Scheduler Service is set to Automatic and the EnablePrefetcher key is set to 5.
2. Reboot your computer three times. (Boot Prefetching is not optimized until the third boot)
3. Go to start, run and type:
defrag c: -b
then press enter. (This happens every 3 days automatically but we don’t have time to wait)
4. Now reboot one last time and shut off the PC.
5. Get your stopwatch (reset it) and start timing as soon as you turn your computer’s power on. Wait until the desktop is completely loaded and press stop on the watch, write down the time.
6. Now change the value to 3 and shut off the computer.
7. Get your stopwatch (reset it) and start timing as soon as you turn your computer’s power on. Wait until the desktop is completely loaded and press stop on the watch, write down the time.
8. Compare times
September 15, 2006 at 8:03 pm #152140AqeelParticipantI don’t know how and why but it worked for me…
after the Windows XP screen with the bars going accross over and over again for a little while. This is the part that you can reduce to a mere two flashes and bam login screen.
I was getting six bars going accross over and over again but now just two. I’ve checked the time its also less.
September 15, 2006 at 11:17 pm #152144MastertechMemberSee this is the problem! You have to use a STOPWATCH! How long you see some bars scrolling on the screen means NOTHING! It is NOT booting faster because of this. The graphic for that is simply being displayed quicker but prior to and after the graphic Windows is taking LONGER to boot. You need to time it with a STOPWATCH from when you PRESS POWER until the desktop. I clearly stated on how to accurately time this. There is no way you followed the instructions by replying the way you did.
-
AuthorPosts
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.