Can I make Windows load faster?

[CrazeD]

My windows XP bar goes by like 15 times! It's retarded. Is there anything I can do to make it go faster? I just reformatted tonight, so is there any options I can turn off so they don't have to load? Everything in MSCONFIG is off except logitech setpoint, I need that for my mouse.

I have:
ABit UL8 mobo
AMD Athlon 64 3200+ @ 2.20GHz
1.5GB DDR400 RAM
Seagate ATA133 7200RPM HDD, 80GB

The IDE cables I have are black/grey/blue, I heard those are faster.

Anything?

My mom has a similar system, better HDD and RAM, and she loads in like 3 passes.

 

[jdhore1]

do a google search for: BootVis that'll help ya

 

[CrazeD]

Downloaded it, installed it, when I try to run it I get:

"the procedure entry point WmiOpenTraceWithCursor could not be located in the dynamic link library ADVAPI32.dll"

Typical Microsoft software *yawn*..

Too bad, I really want to try it too. Damnit.

EDIT: Upon further searching, I found I need to have SP1 installed.

Screw that, everytime I install that garbage it always does more harm than good. The last time I tried, I lost all USB interface...

Any other ideas for faster boot?

EDIT 2: I installed SP1a anyways, knowing that it will probally mess something up soon. It hasn't yet, though.

Thank you man. I went from like 15 bars to 6.

 

[snypercore]

1.5 gb RAM?? i was under the impression that sometimes having over 1GB RAM can actually be slower..but maybe thats just hearsay

P.S 100th post

 

[CrazeD]

...why would more RAM make you slower?

 

[snypercore]

my 1st reaction but search the forum and its been said before that when people say they zre gonna buy 2gb RAM lot of people refer to 1gb for this same reason. i persoanlly wouldnt knwo i have neevr used over 1gb RAM so..

 

[CrazeD]

Maybe they are referring to 1GB dual-channel vs 2GB non-dual-channel.

More than 1GB is a must in BF2. I did have 2GB, but one of my 512mb sticks was some piece of crap that wasn't running well.

 

[Trotter]

Pick up the May issue of Maximum PC. It has an entire article on cranking up (down) your boot time, entitled "Fastest Boot in the West".

I won't detail all the steps (copyright and all), but here are the basics...

Defrag, spyware/virus scans, Startup folder, MSCONFIG, services, BIOS, prefetch folder, splash screen, BootVis.

Go ahead and take the plunge into SP2. Unless you are using archaic hardware, you don't have a thing to worry about.

 

[CrazeD]

I've never had good luck with the service packs. They have made more than one computer in my household no longer have a desktop. It was as if explorer never started.

I don't really care about security.. if someone wants to hack or infect my PC, let them. It takes them longer to get through my firewalls and routers than it would for me to reformat.

 

[Osiris]

This should clean you up:

Follow these instructions carefully

Download ALL 8 programs and update if needed.

Ad Aware SE Personal Free

Spybot Search and Destroy Free

Windows Defender 2 Beta

HijackThis Free

Ewido

CCleaner

Cleanup!

Follow these steps

Delete the prefetch folder C:\WINDOWS\Prefetch, this folder will come back on next reboot.

Delete all cookies and temporary internet files in the control panel.

Go to Start, run, type msconfig, go to startup, disable everything except your antivirus, Firewall, click apply, dont reboot yet.

Download Msconfig Cleanup below

Msconfig Cleanup Free

Run Msconfig Cleanup after you unchecked the items you were told to uncheck and recheck, click "Select All", then click "Clean up Selected", then click "Quit". Make sure your antivirus and firewall are not checked.

Now run each spyware program 1 by 1. Running all 3 at the same time will slow most systems down.

When each program has finished scanning, remove everything.

Now go to the recycle bin and delete everything that is in it.

When finished with the scans, reboot, and go into Safe Mode and run these scans again, remove everything they find, and then reboot back into Windows in normal mode. You dont need to run Hijackthis! yet.

Then run HiJackthis!

Save the log, copy and paste the log on www.techist.com
Do not attach the log, copy and paste always. This will make things go much faster.