Bootup times - what is your time?

My new notebook seems to take a long time to get to startup, but I am not experienced with PC's and XP.

I am curious - how long does it take you guys to get to a useable state?

Say from from the time you press the power button on your powered off notebook... click your user icon (log on)... to when your system is completely ready (no other things starting up - no hour glass) ... how long does it take?

I am seeing bewteen 1.45 to 2 mins for the whole process.

Goes something like this on my dell notebook.

Power button
Dell stuff and splash
Windows dots .......
Go to black
User selection screen (Dad, Mom, Kid names)
Click dad ....Loading user settings
Desktop shows Misc starup stuff loading (like ZA suite suite,wifi network, etc)
Hour glass stops


P.S.

I decrapified much off the dell (uninstalled stuff) have not not installed much yet on Laptop except

1) Zone Alarm Complete Suite
2) Registry Mechanic
3) TUT ( http://www.answersthatwork.com )
4) My DVD

I am trying to fine tune as best I can to speed up things - hence the TUT program for newbies like me.

 

It took 47 seconds to startup on my xps 1210. Don't know if this is good or bad. Anyone know?

 

Try going to run>then typing in msconfig . This will bring you up a box, and you then click the startup tab. Click disable all, then go back and manually check what you want to start when your computer starts. Click apply and ok and you are done. This elminates the things that startup in the background when your computer starts, fighting for resources and starving the computer of the speed it needs to initiate.

 

Thanks.

Because I am a newbie to windows and a bit uncomfortable with things like msconfig and what all those xyz.exe things mean - I like using the TUT program to guide me and I have disabled a number of startups and other processes using TUT.

I am also being very generous about the whole startup time - there is probably at least 20 seconds (or more) while the Zone alarm suite and other little stuff is showing up in the lower right hand corner when windows is up - so I am waiting until there is nothing happening on the computer (idle) - to consider it done booting.

The "loading personal settings" - when I click my name seems to be the biggest time user.

Otherwise, so far, the computer seems responsive once up and running, but I have not spent much time with it yet. Just been getting it prepared for use.

 

I get between 45 seconds and 1 min 30, depending on how long it's been since I've done my maintenance.
I usually try and do antivirus, antispyware, ccleaner, defrag, ntregopt and then bootvis about once a week.

 

About 45 seconds, 44 processes inc theming programs

 

About 30 seconds, mind you I did a fresh install of XP yesterday.

 

e1405 T2300E 1GB 100GB5400
shut down: 29 sec.
turn on: 44 sec.

deep freeze installed ( somthing like system restore working on every restart of the system )

 

50 seconds, 30 Processes.

JC

 

Then I am running double to most of you... Something must be really wrong with my new system....

I will work on this.

 

X60 -
5 seconds from power button to swipe finger to log on.
20 seconds for XP to fully load. 54 processes.

MBP -
~35 seconds.

 

Dear lord!
That's easily the fastest boot time I've seen!
Even my fresh installed notebook didn't boot in less than about a minute.
Even from standby it takes about 10 or 15 seconds.
How do you do it?

 

I used "registry optimization" from Registry Mechanic, do a registry clean about every two weeks, set Diskeeper Pro Premier to smart scheduling, unchecked all the useless entries in msconfig (removed ~10), uninstalled all the bloatware, tweaked the BIOS, and increased the RAM to 2GB. Thats about it.

I've been working with computers since I was 9 years-old so it is mostly from experience. All my desktops are DIY and I solve my PC problems myself. When you've been working with computers for a long time, you will have a "feel" for it.

 

Out of curiosity, are you connected wired/wirelessly to your broadband modem? I've noticed on my old PC and my personal laptop that some programs like ZoneAlarm and other apps tend to use that startup time in trying to connect to their servers for updates and such, or possibly doing a full scan of a disk for either viruses or spyware.

What programs are now running after using your TUT to deactivate some programs?

 

Strangely, I have the same problem. I did a clean install of XP and disable all unnecessary programs from msconfig - there are only 4 left: 2 NVIDIA, Zone Alarm, and 1 other. I have system mechanic, za, registery mechanic, spyware doctor, ad-aware, spybot s&d all installed. I run maintenance at least once a week, sometime twice and yet I have a boot time around 2 min. “Loading your personal settings” also seems to be the longest process – takes forever. Please help!!!!!

P.S. I use a 7200 rpm drive and C2D processor. My old Toshiba Notebook w/ p4 and a 4200rpm HD seems much faster in booting...

 

Wirelessly to a wireless router which is connected to a regular router then to the modem. I use AC only for this. Not Windows or Intel.

One Thinkvantage program that I completely removed is the stupid CSS. That program is a hog. Took ages for the X60 to bootup with that installed. I uninstalled it and just used the fingerprint reader to log on and all the other security stuff. Much easier and shaved my boot time to almost 1/2. Other TV programs I use are RnR, AC, APS, and some more. I also uninstalled Message Center and Away Manager. Useless for me.

Zone Alarm is probably phoning home. Did you tell System Mechanic to scan or do anything during or right after bootup? I stopped using spybot because it has become useless in my scenario. I also use an extremely light AV, which could account for my speedy bootup: NOD32.

 

33 Seconds, 25 Processes.

Well, all you really need to do is reformat your PC, and regularly defragment, and clean the registry, and minimize startup processes and programs for a fast boot time.

 

I didn't tell system mechanic to do anything at start up. I think I disabled it from msconfig. ZA is slow, but my other laptop has it installed also, and it seems to boot faster, even though it has a 4200 rpm HD.

 

Let me suggest something else. You can go into the device manager and disable certain things that you know you won't be using.

For example, you can turn go into the IDE controllers and disable any channels that aren't being used. Also see if you have an entry for a floppy disk controller. If you don't use floppy disks, disable it. Windows wastes time scanning for these things when it boots up -- you definitely will cut down load times. (I also disabled infrared, the PC Express slot, midi or gaming ports, and other junk I don't use.)

You also must disable the junk programs that are clogging your system. Run msconfig, click over to "startup," and inspect the programs that are being loaded up. I bet 80-90% of them are useless (like Adobe and Office toolbars, chat programs, sound card bloatware, Realplayer or Quicktime junk, etc.).

I know my startup programs were reduced from 25 to 3. Huge performance boost, for sure.

 

Hmm, is this laptop sometimes connected to a network? Perhaps Windows is wasting a big chunk of time trying to connect to a network that your laptop isn't connected to. Network connections can definitely lag boot times.

 

For the sake of comparison I went to msconfig (scary to a newbie) and unchecked all startups. Well that got me down to about a little over 1 min.

Sounds like there are some others in the 2 min range too. Glad to have this board.

I used TUT and disabled all the "red" items including QuickTime, adobe, some ATI stuff... and a few "yellows" too. Did not help too much.

I defragged, deleted all temporary stuff, and used registry mech to repair. I have not used the compact registry function in Reg Mech yet. Might try that.

My home network is based on an Apple Mac and Airport WAP2.The network is on all the time at home. I have the complete ZA suite installed.

There is the longish "black screen" between windows dots and the welcome to windows/login screen. Maybe I should post a little video of my E1505 starting up for all to see.

Although disappointed in the long startup - as long as the overall performance using applications and games does not suffer - than I guess I can live with it. Not sure if it would be of any benefit to have dell look into it - they have some feature to take control remotely???

Anyway - this new notebook should be pretty fast with the specs I have ..Just want to make sure I do not have some hardware or other problem. I have a 30-day window to return this notebook if not satisfied.

One last thing - do any of you think I should install some sort of benchmarking utility (3dmark06 or ???) to make sure the overall speed is testing okay?

 

Don't waste your time.

 

29s, 50 processes, 5400.3 HD, Vista

 

Well, cutting it from two minutes to one minute is very good. Plus disabling those junk programs will definitely speed up your system a bit.

 

52 seconds to the login screen, 1 minute and 20 seconds to all apps loaded. Apart from essentials I have toshiba power saver and McAfee set to load at startup.

 

and the problem is........ Zone Alarm internet suite!

I did a dell restore to factory fresh
Decrapified System

40-45 seconds to useable desktop

Installed TUT and Registry Mech did optimizes and disables of process/startups

Still about 40-45 seconds

Set up connection to my home wireless network

Now about 50-55 seconds

Installed a lot of windows critical/security updates

Still about 50-55 seconds

Installed Zone Alarm Suite and...

Bam! 2 mins to usuable desktop and substantial wait time at "loading personal settings".


ZA suite was highly rated on net. My daughter will be spending much time on this laptop and on the net - so I wanted lots of protection (virus, spy, IM, internet, firewall, yada yada).

I am wondering if there is better ways to do this (faster) but also wonder if that longer startup time is the price to pay for complete protection for now - at least for newbies to windows.

 

I have ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite and my boot up time is only 50 sec. Hm weird.

JC

 

just try a fresh install of windows .
so you know and can control what you install and what boots up .

you can clean your system aswell but i think it is beter and easier to do a format and reinstall.

 

I use ZoneAlarm on 2 laptops:

1) Dell XPS1210 2.33 GHZ C2D, 2GB 667 RAM, 7200 RPM HD

2) Toshiba P10 3.0 GHZ P4, 512 ~300MHz? RAM, 4200 RPM HD


Surprisingly Toshiba will boot in about 55 sec while the Dell boots in over 2 mins. They have identical software installed, and I actually maintain (defrag, registry cleaning, etc) the Dell about twice as often as the Toshiba... Do any of you know the reason for this?

 

Why dell? Maybe because they have an arrangement with Norton and TrendMicro?

or maybe something special about Dell systems like the media direct features on the E1505? hmmm....

My E1505 came with the trial version on Norton. I am going to go back to factory restore - try it with Norton that and see how the boot times are ...despite all the negatives about Norton on the net.

 

I have the Dell Inspiron 1150, however, I dont have the Media Direct feature on my notebook. Maybe.

JC

 

That's weird. I have the same notebook/setup, only )I have a 2.0 c2d. takes only 30 seconds. try bootvs.

 

What is BootVis?

 

About BootVis.

"Customer research shows a frequently requested feature that users want from their PCs is fast system startup, whether from cold boot or when resuming from standby or hibernation. The Windows development team at Microsoft has taken bold steps in making fast startup PCs a reality with the Microsoft® Windows® XP operating system.

The design goals for Windows XP on a typical consumer PC are:

- Boot to a useable state in a total of 30 seconds
- Resume from Hibernate (S4) in a total of 20 seconds
- Resume from Standby (S3) in a total of 5 seconds

Boot and resume times are measured from the time the power switch is pressed to being able to start a program from a desktop shortcut."

JC

 

I downloaded BootVis and either it's not working at all (my boot times didn't improvr) or I'm doing something seriously wrong. I think that latter the more plausible. Here's what I did:

1) Downloaded BootVis

2) Installed it

3) Opened it

4) Trace>Optimize system

5) Restarted


Did I do anything wrong and is there another software that I should try? (I already use system mechanic, Zone Alarm, Registry Mechanic, Spyware Doctor, Spybot S&D and Ad aware)

 

Also, I have a software from MS called "Autorun" which displays a list of processes that starts up when I turn on the comp. However, it's rather comprehensive and tells me everything - I can't possibly decipher those processes. Does anyone know how to use this software? Please help