Yet another boot speed optimization thread

snoboarder2k6 · 06-22-2009, 04:00 PM

So, I just got one of the pc bundles from the mp3car store, decent value btw. Anyway, I ended up with this.

I then installed TinyXP on the thing expecting decent boot times. Instead I got 2 minute cold start times and 1:30 hibernate times on a fresh install.

I tried a couple different things. First I tried bootvis. Got it installed ok, and it traces just fine. I just get an error when I try to optimize. This guy has the same problem.

I also got rid of most of the startup programs using msconfig and autoruns, but the problem remains that the thing spends about 30 seconds on the windows xp loading screen. (the one with the logo and the indeterminate progress bar).

After playing around with TinyXP and failing miserably trying to speed it up, I gave up and tried out the windows 7 beta, what with the promise of 15 sec boot times floating around and all. I'm pretty sure this slowed the thing down any more, and there's not much to do in the way of optimizing it. Bootvis doesn't even install, and I can't even get the usb drivers working, so I'm giving up on windows 7 for the time being.

I'm considering a linux install, but I'm quite fond of RideRunner and the DigitalFX plugin, so I'd like to keep a windows OS if possible.

Any Ideas?

And thanks all for reading this long winded rant...

snoboarder2k6 · 06-23-2009, 01:57 PM

And I just tried a full install of XP sp3. After a defrag, I ran bootvis again, and it took 117 seconds to open explorer.exe, and almost 500 seconds until RR even starts.

I've even tried getting rid of all of the startup programs, no dice...

Thanks

Sal R. · 06-23-2009, 02:07 PM

Break down the times from "Key-on" to Front End.

It'll give a better idea on your systems boot up process.

prodigalsun · 06-23-2009, 02:20 PM

Tiny XP is a waste of time as it's just a stripped down version of XP with missing components (which ones you don't know), some of which you may need down the road. It'd be better to use something like nlite and customized your own copy. To be honest tho, stripping down XP is not going to speed up boot times. It's better to go with just a normal XP install and disable the services that are not needed. Those services are what slows down the boot time. IMO tiny XP and nlite should only be used when you have a storage limitation ie say you're using an eeePC (on my eee I got XP down to 500MB install using nlite) with only 4GB of storage.

In my build I started out with an nlited XP but later reverted to full XP because some programs needed components I took out. Nothing worst than setting up your system the way you like then wanting to say add some new functionality via new software only to find out you have to re-nlite and reinstall XP to make it work. Right now, I have full XP installed then just went thru and disabled a bunch of services. Now if I want to add software and it ain't working (b/c of a disabled service) it's just an easy click to re-enable and off I go (of course that'd affect my boot times).

You may know this but thought I'd mention....using less ram is most effective way to reduce hibernation time. There's a proportional relationship between boot times and the ram size ie. 1g stick ram will take x2 as long to come out of hibernation than a 512mb stick and so forth.

Hope that helps

snoboarder2k6 · 06-23-2009, 10:40 PM

so, i ran bootvis again to get the boot activity details, and weirdly enough, the entire boot activity graph is completely blank. The only mark is the red line that says "boot done (in 192 sec)".
none of the bars in the driver delay graph are red. The only warning I see is "Disk write caching is disabled". but as far as I can tell that's not a problem.

I'm stumped.

DarquePervert · 06-24-2009, 07:13 AM

Wondering what you've done in the BIOS?
Floppy controller turned on?
How about boot from USB?
Are you auto-scanning unused IDE channels?
IS Quickboot enabled?

snoboarder2k6 · 06-24-2009, 12:06 PM

I haven't touched really touched the bios yet. according to the store's description it has something called Intel® Rapid BIOS Boot, so the BIOS wasn't the problem.

DarquePervert · 06-24-2009, 01:18 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by snoboarder2k6

I haven't touched really touched the bios yet. according to the store's description it has something called Intel® Rapid BIOS Boot, so the BIOS wasn't the problem.

Just because the BIOS has a feature does not mean that it is enabled by default.

Besides, do you even know what RapidBIOS Boot is for?
I suggest not relying on some functionality with a name that sounds promising until you do some research about its functionality.

RapidBIOS Boot is not going to do diddley-squat for a standalone PC. It's a tool for servers that has little benefit (if any at all) for a standalone.
Yeah, it sounds great and wonderful, but it's useless for your project or the projects of 99% of the membership here.

2k1Toaster · 06-24-2009, 01:24 PM

Also the HD has a 12ms seek time, and I am guessing is 5400rpm. That is a killer for boot time...

Tidder · 06-24-2009, 01:51 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by DarquePervert

RapidBIOS Boot is not going to do diddley-squat for a standalone PC. It's a tool for servers that has little benefit (if any at all) for a standalone.
Yeah, it sounds great and wonderful, but it's useless for your project or the projects of 99% of the membership here.

Zomg, this is a day that legends are made of.

DP, you are wrong.

RapidBIOS boot is a quick init type of setting. It skips thru some "unnecessary" bios checks, allowing the bios to initialize faster. Supposedly it's faster than some older bios's "Quick Power On Self Test". For instance, if your hdd is set as the first boot device, it'll skip the useless task of seek testing the floppy. Little improvements like that gives it a faster post time.

EDIT: My D945GCLF2 motherboard POSTs so fast with that feature turned on, I don't even see a BIOS or splash screen.

2k1Toaster · 06-24-2009, 01:59 PM

!!!

I have never used a board with it so I dunno, but you can speed up boot times greatly by changing the settings yourself.

Do you get the same times when you disable this rapid thing and make the changes by hand?

Tidder · 06-24-2009, 02:07 PM

I've never tried... I'll check it out this afternoon.

DarquePervert · 06-24-2009, 02:27 PM

From what I've read, it initializes devices differently, making the boot faster.
Maybe it will improve performance. Maybe not. I haven't worked with it either.

However, just because the option is available does NOT mean the option is enabled. That's a poor assumption on the OP's part.