Slow Start up

Hi Guys, I am new to this forum and this is my first post. I got my Alienware m14x R2 about a month ago and have loved it ever since except for one issue, the start up. I'm not talking about boot time - thats fine. After I've logged in it takes about 1-2 minutes before it is usable. There are alot of programs to open at the start but I'm not sure which ones are needed. Below is a list I got from Ccleaner which shows all of the programs which boot and don't boot. I have already disabled some but I'm not sure about others :
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Yes HKCU:Run AdobeBridge

No HKCU:Run DAEMON Tools Pro Agent DT Soft Ltd "C:\Program Files (x86)\DAEMON Tools Pro\DTAgent.exe" -autorun

No HKLM:Run Adobe ARM Adobe Systems Incorporated "C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Adobe\ARM\1.0\AdobeARM.exe"

No HKLM:Run Adobe Reader Speed Launcher Adobe Systems Incorporated "C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Reader 10.0\Reader\Reader_sl.exe"

No HKLM:Run AdobeAAMUpdater-1.0 Adobe Systems Incorporated "C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Adobe\OOBE\PDApp\UWA\UpdaterStartu…

No HKLM:Run AdobeCS6ServiceManager Ado… Systems Incorporated "C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Adobe\CS6ServiceManager\CS6Service… -launchedbylogin

Yes HKLM:Run AlienwareOn-ScreenDisplay… Electronics, Inc. C:\Program Files (x86)\Alienware On-Screen Display\AlienwareOn-ScreenDisplay.exe

No HKLM:Run APSDaemon Apple Inc. "C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Apple\Apple Application Support\APSDaemon.exe"

No HKLM:Run BCSSync Microsoft Corporation "E:\Programs\Microsoft Word 2010\Office14\BCSSync.exe" /DelayServices

Yes HKLM:Run Command Center Controllers Alienware "C:\Program Files\Alienware\Command Center\AWCCStartupOrchestrator.exe"

Yes HKLM:Run FAStartup

No HKLM:Run FATrayAlert Sensible Vision C:\Program Files (x86)\Sensible Vision\Fast Access\FATrayMon.exe

Yes HKLM:Run HotKeysCmds Intel Corporation C:\Windows\system32\hkcmd.ex…

Yes HKLM:Run IAStorIcon Intel Corporation C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\Intel(R) Rapid Storage Technology\IAStorIcon.exe

Yes HKLM:Run IgfxTray Intel Corporation C:\Windows\system32\igfxtray…

No HKLM:Run Integrated Webcam Live! Central Creative Technology Ltd "C:\Program Files (x86)\Integrated Webcam\Live! Central\WebcamInt.exe" /mode2

Yes HKLM:Run IntelliPoint Microsoft Corporation "c:\Program Files\Microsoft Mouse and Keyboard Center\ipoint.exe"

Yes HKLM:Run IntelliType Pro Microsoft Corporation "c:\Program Files\Microsoft Mouse and Keyboard Center\itype.exe"

No HKLM:Run iTunesHelper Apple Inc. "C:\Program Files (x86)\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe"

No HKLM:Run mcui_exe "C:\Program Files\McAfee.com\Agent\mcagent.exe" /runkey

Yes HKLM:Run MSC Microsoft Corporation "c:\Program Files\Microsoft Security Client\msseces.exe" -hide -runkey

No HKLM:Run NeroLauncher Nero AG C:\Program Files (x86)\Nero\SyncUP\NeroLauncher.exe 900

Yes HKLM:Run Persistence Intel Corporation C:\Windows\system32\igfxpers…

No HKLM:Run QuickTime Task Apple Inc. "C:\Program Files (x86)\QuickTime\QTTask.exe" -atboottime

Yes HKLM:Run Sound Blaster Recon3Di Control Panel Creative Technology Ltd "c:\Program Files (x86)\Creative\Sound Blaster Recon3Di\Sound Blaster Recon3Di Control Panel\SBRcni.exe" /r

Yes HKLM:Run Stage Remote ArcSoft, Inc. C:\Program Files (x86)\Dell\Stage Remote\StageRemote.exe -Quiet

No HKLM:Run SunJavaUpdateSched Sun Microsystems, Inc. "C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Java\Java Update\jusched.exe"

Yes HKLM:Run SynTPEnh Synaptics Incorporated %ProgramFiles%\Synaptics\Sy…

Yes HKLM:Run UpdReg Creative Technology Ltd. C:\Windows\UpdReg.EXE

Yes HKLM:Run USB3MON Intel Corporation "C:\Program Files (x86)\Intel\Intel(R) USB 3.0 eXtensible Host Controller Driver\Application\iusb3mon.exe"
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I also wonder if there is a setting in msconfig > start up that will make the start up signifigantly faster? ** Also my Bios version is only A01 as I've heard bad stories about the 650m not working when you upgrade. could this be the issue?*
Thanks in advance,
Dilthedocker

 

Hi Dilthedocker,

Welcome. Here's a really great site about optimizing windows: Black Viper. Lot's of great information here about services and msconfig.

I've heard that the Alienware Command Center can be slow sometimes:

"C:\Program Files\Alienware\Command Center\AWCCStartupOrchestrator.exe"
Alienware On-Screen Display\AlienwareOn-ScreenDisplay.exe

Have you tried turning off those and see if the M14X responds any quicker? Of course if you do disable those your Command Center will not load, but you can always start it manually if you need to change anything. There is also an update to the Command Center that came out recently I believe, but I haven't explored that myself.

I'm not too sure about the BIOS slowing down your system. I bought my M14X R2 about six months ago and it came with the A03 BIOS. I have since updated to A09. Yes, you are right about the problems with A09, but I have been one of the lucky ones. It seems that Dell has removed the A09 BIOS from their driver download page and replaced it with A10. I have not updated to this yet, but there is some discussion about this update here.

Since you've just got your M14X recently, I'm assuming that you've made a backup of your system with AlienRespawn before you start tinkering

Good luck!

 

Here is also some more information about this.