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    Disable superfetch?

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by I♥RAM, Sep 12, 2008.

  1. I♥RAM

    I♥RAM Notebook Deity

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    Should I disable superfetch or leave it? Not sure if keeping it helps? Thanks.
     
    I♥RAM, Sep 12, 2008
    #1
  2. McGrady

    McGrady Notebook Virtuoso

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    No, you should keep it enabled. Don't disable.
     
    McGrady, Sep 12, 2008
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  3. NAS Ghost

    NAS Ghost Notebook Deity

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    Alot of people say it kills your performance, but I beg to differ so I leave it on. Though, of course, this decision should only be made if you know what superfetch actually does.
     
    NAS Ghost, Sep 12, 2008
    #3
  4. Andy

    Andy Notebook Prophet

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    It doesn't let the unused memory go wasted....
    Linky| Linky
     
    Andy, Sep 12, 2008
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  5. NAS Ghost

    NAS Ghost Notebook Deity

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    ^^Yea basically, but try telling that to all the people using legacy hardware screaming "ZOMGVISTA!?!?!?!?! GIMME BACK MY RAM!!!"
     
    NAS Ghost, Sep 12, 2008
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  6. swarmer

    swarmer beep beep

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    Personal preference. Superfetch speeds up loading of frequently-used programs, but it does cause extra disk access when idle and when you close a program. So, it's really a matter of preference... up to you.

    You can turn it on and off all you like and see which way you prefer.
    Task Manager, Processes tab, Show processes from all users, then over to Services tab, click Description column to sort, right-click Superfetch, then click Stop service and Start service. The start/stop service here won't survive a reboot, so it's good for testing things out.
     
    swarmer, Sep 12, 2008
    #6
  7. atbnet

    atbnet Notebook Prophet

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    I'd say leave it on. I had to turn it on with Server 2008, but I never had any extra disc activity or at least I never here it. The HD activity button though is rarely on.
     
    atbnet, Sep 12, 2008
    #7
  8. nizzy1115

    nizzy1115 Notebook Prophet

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    I think it is great. It launches programs much faster when enabled.
     
    nizzy1115, Sep 12, 2008
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  9. johnny13oi

    johnny13oi Notebook Evangelist

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    I keep it disabled, it causes massive disk activity when turning on the computer and while on battery which causes the battery life to die.
     
    johnny13oi, Sep 13, 2008
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  10. McGrady

    McGrady Notebook Virtuoso

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    Lol. Did you seriously test that? Starting the pc with it disabled and starting it up with it enabled? And with it enabled, you got the disk thrashing?
     
    McGrady, Sep 13, 2008
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  11. fonduekid

    fonduekid JSUTAONHTERBIRCKINTEHWLAL

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    :rolleyes: :rolleyes: Really???

    I don't see any of those 'massive' disk activity or whatever.... strange!!

    And superfetch is very *useful*, imho.
     
    fonduekid, Sep 13, 2008
    #11
  12. Rodster

    Rodster Merica

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    That's not true. Vista still utilizes all available memory with or without Superfetch turned on or off. The only benefit to Superfetch is that programs or apps will get preloaded into memory on a restart. ;)

    Once a program or app is called into memory it's there if you decide to shut it down. Reopen that same program and it opens just as quickly as if Superfetch was turned on. Also I would watch memory being drained as more programs or apps were opened as if Superfetch was turned on especially when doing an AV scan. I would watch 3.5GB of memory slowing being drained to almost zero. Likewise over a period of time memory allocation was released as if Superfetch was turned on.

    When I was using Vista I turned off Superfetch as I found it to be an annoying feature to mask the Vista bloat. If it makes you feel better you can leave it turned on. ;)
     
    Rodster, Sep 13, 2008
    #12
  13. swarmer

    swarmer beep beep

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    Well it's not just for restarts... Superfetch will also load stuff to fill up freed memory when you close a program. But you're right that Vista still does some caching of programs even with Superfetch off. And I agree that Vista runs fine with it off too.
     
    swarmer, Sep 13, 2008
    #13