tz150- another post about slow startup

OK, after reading about 15 of the 52+ pages on the tz users thread, can someone tell me how to get this unit to boot faster in Vista?
I have the tz150/1gb(ordered 2gb should be here in 3 days)/100gb 4200rpm/1.06Ghz core duo 2.

I reinstalled the factory installation. Then I removed using the uninstall in vista everything that I thought wasn't needed. Norton,anything resembling free or trialware, the spiderman3 stuff. Then I went in and removed the sony bloatware folder with all the leftover freeware.
I removed some sony apps from startup like the sony control bar. I keept the wifiapp, sony powersave programs.
I installed the "free" diskkeeper on the harddrive to do a defrag.
I "forced" the unit to 533Mhz with the sony program.

I went from 14+mins to load into windows where the hd light wasn't stuck "on". Yes, I know about indexing. But this is a fair guess where it quit loading stuff in.
Now, I got it to about 5:50.

Now I installed a sandisk III memory stick duo pro 1gb. and using readyboost. Granted I only rebooted like 4 times since its install. But my boot time is now 7:30+.

Does readyboot help in loading of windows? Or just with things once windows is loaded?

Oh, I took the 2gb ramchip in my Asus just to test. to load into windows from the 5:50 it droped to just around 3:30. So I know ram will help. But still... 3+ to load is a long time. Yes, I know its a slow processor with a slow harddrive. lol. I would stick in a SSD harddrive but just as my windows is now, I'm at 17gb used so I would need to at least get a 32GB ssd, and I dont think $500+ is worth that yet.

Another reason to get a bit quicker load is I noticed from a 100% battery, by the time I got done with one startup, I was at 95%.

 

btw, I ordered:
G.SKILL 2GB 200-Pin DDR2 SO-DIMM DDR2 667 (PC2 5300) Laptop Memory Model F2-5300CL4S-2GBSQ - Retail

I paid the $10 more (from the ddr2 533) and got the faster ram. What the hell at this point.

 

thing to remember is it is an ULTRA compact... it will never boot as fast as a desktop replacement. I have gotten mine donw to around 1.5 minutes which feels like forever, but I can't imagine doing anything else to it... short of installing an SSD

 

btw I have the exact same ram you ordered and a sandisk III memory stick pro... my bootup is more like 1.5 mins, you probably need to disable some of your installed applications' startup apps... they are usually unneeded. Things like your chat programs, music players, adobe, etc. Lots of those programs have startup applications that run in the background and will slow the whole boot process.

 

I have tested this numerous times, and I have done at least a dozen re-installations of the operating system to get my TZ150 to where I think it is at its best: 35-40 seconds cold boot time, timed accurately with a stop watch from pressing power button to a usable desktop. (Note: I only have one operating system and one user, which does not add further unnecessary delays to the booting process.) With only 1GB RAM, I still booted in under a minute just by doing a clean installation and tweaking the operating system.

You need to do a clean installation. Uninstalling programs is not the way to go. You need to start with a fresh slate. I can't possibly list every thing I did to make my TZ boot as fast as I have stated, but I suggest going to the tweaking sites (google "tweak vista" and you'll find plenty) and doing some of the things they list. I do not recommend following the tweaking guide on this forum; some of the utilities such as CCLeaner that automatically delete files made my boot times WORSE and over a minute. I know, because I had to reinstall at least ten times trying to figure out how I got my TZ to boot in under 35 seconds (I couldn't replicate it when I used those third party utils)... I only use Vista disk defragmentation utility (from the command window, but the GUI is also suitable). At first, after I do everything, it boots in 55 seconds. After a few days it gets lower and lower, until it stabilizes at the 35-40 second range.

Edit: Also, if you want fast boot times, you should try Windows XP or another OS. Vista just takes a little bit longer to load...

 

I was wondering, I have vista ultimate. Can I use that dvd to install on this computer, but use the business key?

btw, dont get me wrong, as I mentioned, I know this is not a gaming computer or desktop replacement by any means. But if I can get the load times to about 2-2:30min at most, then I'll be happy. Last time I went to the airport they wanted me to power on the laptop, while they didn't wait for me to load completly into windows, I don't want to wait 5+mins to power up and then shut down before putting it away.

 

After clean installation of Vista Business it takes about 45-55 sec to start from cold. So not bad a all for such a tiny thing. Do the clean install, not the recovery.

 

I agree - I did a clean install and I boot in about 90 seconds - perhaps less.

 

err. so you guys didnt answer, can I use the ultimate vista dvd and just input the key of the business?

 

VISTA DVD's have all versions on them.
You choose the version that you have a license for during the install.

Andrew

 

K, once I get the new memory, I'll do a clean install. 1GB and trying to install can't be any more fun than the 3+ hours it took to reinstall the factory windows.

 

Just letting people know, I tried a dvd (king kong) 2hrs 40mins and I was down to 15%. And it says it should last about 50+mins more. Thats pretty good.

 

should last longer than that even, I've watched over 2 dvds on one charge... try using a battery saving profile, then adjusting the brightness to the lowest needed level

 

That doesn't sound like a total result of the 1GB of memory. I am sure that 2GB or more would help some, but this has to be a combination of slow CPU and slow hard drive. I am assuming that you don't have an SSD?

Andrew

 

Right, true. BUT with all the copying and installing it does, after it copies the files over (which is going to take long), any work of decompressing or reinstalling software should be much faster. So instead of taking 3+ hours, maybe 2. Lol. 2 hours. sheesh.
Should be less than that if I use my vista ultimate, being none of the sony junks are going to be installed.

 

I was on battery profile. I had the volume up to about 85% and screen brightness at 80%. Two notches from max. I wouldnt want to dim it unless I was in a dark room. I htink 4hours would've been the max. And thats with the turn on to vista, which took 5+mins and droped battery to 95%.

 

Ok, I couldn't wait for the ram... I hate waiting. anyways... I reinstalled windows vista using my ultimate dvd. Install worked. quick startup. about 1minute to get to windows screen, then about 15-20sec before hour glass goes away. But now that I installed the BT stack, wifi drivers/utilities and some sony drivers, its up to about 2:40min before its done. I'm hoping the ram will fix that a bit more.