How long does it take for your TZ to start?

People are concerned on how long it takes for you TZ (4200RPM HDD) to boot into Vista. Many even downgraded to XP or went for SSD. I have provided my OS starting time as a reference. You could probably cut the starting time a little more if you don't use bluetooth, EVDO, VAIO power management or anti virus.

U7500 1.06GHz
2GB RAM
4GB ReadyBoost
100GB 4200RPM
Vista Business x86

48 sec from power on to Vista desktop appears on LCD
1:04 sec from power on to finish start up software loading (AVG anti virus, bluetooth stack, SmartWi, VAIO power management).

MS access 2007 - 2.60 sec
MS excel 2007 - 1.33 sec
MS outlook 2007 - 4.63 sec
MS powerpoint 2007 -1.92 sec
MS publisher 2007 - 1.74 sec
MS word 2007 - 4.80 sec
Quickbook 2007 retail - 29.97 sec (including load company file)
Photoshop CS3 - 6.84 sec
Dreamweaver CS3 - 3.59 sec

*I run 5 tests on each application / start and use the median as result.

Program I have installed.
Office 2007 enterprise
Photoshop CS3
Dreamweaver CS3
Quickbook 2007
Acronis Image 11 home
Realplayer
AVG 7.5

*aero and some non-essential services are turned off.

 

Less than 40 sec!

 

I was hoping some SSD user could post their starting time and possibly application time with configuration. This would help potential buyer who is interested SSD setup.

 

I have almost all the same programs installed. Under 40 seconds to boot with SSD. Load times are:

MS access 2007 - N/A (uninstalled it)
MS excel 2007 - 1 sec
MS outlook 2007 - just under 3 sec
MS powerpoint 2007 -1 sec
MS publisher 2007 - 1 sec
MS word 2007 - just under 2 sec
Quickbook 2007 retail - N/A
Photoshop CS3 - 5 sec
Dreamweaver CS3 - 3 to 4 sec

 

59 seconds booting from a HDD with the celeron M CPU

 

I have similar config to yours except for the 1.2ghz and 1 gb ram, with similar programs installed but mine takes 1.07 min from start to vista desktop.

What non essential services did u disable?

 

Great thread!

 

Question, did you actually use a stop watch to time it or is there a program?

 

I would say the first thing is to upgrade the RAM to 2GB ($58).

then fresh install Business Vista and follow the FAQ wrote by Flamenko http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=166532

You could also tweak it further by disable Adobe Acrobat, AML, Alps Pointing, GrooveMonitor, Intel CUI igfxtray.exe, HD Audio, RealPlayer, VAIO camera and Windows Defender in msconfig.

I personally kept bluetooth, ISB utility (AKA VAIO power management) and SmartWI. If you don't need those, disable it will cut your start up even more.

Last thing, get ultra fast flash memory for ReadyBoost. Yes, it works~ especially on those slow 4200rpm HDD. I use a lexar 8GB SSD expresscard ($49) and cut my startup time around 7~10 seconds.

 

its done manually with a stop watch. I don't think there is a program for this purpose since you are going though the booting process.

 

Before the XP downgrade on my 4200rpm 1 gig TZ160C:
roughly 2 mins 30 secs after removal of bloatware and Norton, from power on.

After XP install: 1 min 15 seconds.

Next up: 2 gig SODIMM upgrade

 

Despite what most ppl think, XP doesn't boot significantly faster than Vista if you disable all unnecessary service in Vista and use ReadyBoost. There is video of TZ91 with 200GB 5400RPM HDD and 2GB RAM takes 46sec to boot into XP. Thats only 2 sec faster than my boot time. Not mention I have slower processor and 4200rpm HDD.

 

I posted this in my TZ198 thread, in case you missed it. I timed this comparison with my iPhone, which is accurate to 1/10th of a second, on a TZ198 with 64GB SSD:

1. XP boots in 37 seconds
2. Vista took 1 minute and 15 seconds.

 

I consider Superfetch and ReadyBoost the greatest feature in term of reducing Vista startup time on 4200rpm TZs (it reduced start up time by 7 seconds on day six). It really contributed in closing the gap between XP and Vista. But again, SSD user won't benefit from ReadyBoost since SSD is already designed for lower I/O transfer. As a result, SSD user will see a bigger gap between Vista and XP.

Also, there are many services in Vista that can be disabled to speed up the boot time. My TZ150 2GB RAM takes about 2 min ~ 2 min 15 seconds to boot into Vista Business without bloatwares before tweak. Flamenko wrote a great guide on tweaking Vista which is a good start. You can also disable some additional Sony related startups (see my previous post).