One little trick is to remove unnecessary/unneeded fonts from your Windows/Fonts folder. A lot of programs install their own fonts and font enumeration on startup takes quite a while.
It may not work in every case, but it is one more thing you can trim.
Defragment your hard drive, and use WinXP's AppAccelerator if you're running XP.
Have at least 128MB of RAM for any version of Windows less than XP, 256MB for XP.
My laptop has been ....ing me off quite a bit lately and is taking forever to turn off. It's a 1Ghz Athlon with 256MB of RAM running Windows XP. I knew it was slow, but I didn't realize how slow until the other day when I used my 850mhz PIII with 128MB of RAM which booted very quickly into XP.
I've gone through the registry, fixed problems with ZoneAlarm, and tried a few other things but the stupid laptop still takes forever to start up or shut down.
There's a registry tweak that will shorten the length of time Windows will wait on a hung process. Unfortunately, I don't have it committed to memory. (mine, not the computer's) There's also a tweak to raise the interrupt priority of the system clock on IRQ8 which speeds up the machine too.
If I can find them again, I'll let you know.
(Later) Ok, here's the key. Open Regedit and search for HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlWaitToKillServiceTimeout. The value is in milliseconds, either 20000 or 30000 for 20 to 30 seconds. Set the value to 2000 (two seconds). If you don't have that key, create one using that exact punctuation and make it of type String like the others. (it will show as type REG_SZ--that's a String to the Registry.)
My XP machine reboots in about 90 seconds, 30 seconds of which is the time it is taking to shutdown and begin the restarting process. (When I first bought it I was at a total of 60 seconds.)
The new XP one is faster booting than other older machines I have. Why can't this be like a TV - instant on? For God's sake they can put a man on the moon. Maybe someday.
[This message was edited by igotout on January 08, 2003 at 23:12.]
But I can't use Word and Excel on an XBox. Concerning gaming, Santa got me a copy of Unreal Tournament 2003. Wow! It's great. Internet and LAN play is smooth. Now if they would only come out with Quake 4.
The new XP one is faster booting than other older machines I have. Why can't this be like a TV - instant on? For God's sake they can put a man on the moon. Maybe someday.
Actually, if you tell your machine to...I forget what it's called, but it's one step up from hybernating, it will be instant on in a way.
Theoretically, you could have an instant on machine, providing you don't have to load things from a hard drive.
I just leave them on all the time. Now if I can just get my 6 fans to be quiet.
That's another thing that bugs me. We can build a TV that is noiseless. Why not a computer without having to run water through the dang thing?
Zixar - I would love to host a UT Server but in my tests I have not been able to connect to it. Probably because I am behimd a router (firewall). I have opened all the appropriate ports. ?????
Tell you what. I'll set up a dedicated UT server this evening and leave it on overnight until mid morning tomorrow. I'll call It RichesonTampa or something like that.
See if you can find that server and whether or not you can connect. I am on the latest patched version.
I love the standby mode. That way you don't have to set aside 512 meg of HD space to have the system 'go to sleep' as it were. And you can still have your apps in the same state, even in mid post (such as I did here :)-->), when you power back up.
I love my Windows XP now. Heck it even beats Windows 2000, and that was a tough act to follow.
I use the Vantec Stealth 92mm fans in my box. ( 5 of them ). I have 4 in the case, and 1 over the CPU. They crank out 28 CFM each and have a noise rating of 20dBA. I'm telling ya, these things are quiet. 28dBA represents the typical background noise in a quiet room. My system idles at 29C and moves up to 50-55C when I play hard. They might be worth a try if fan noise is a problem.
I am not a geek, just a window cleaner who is a geek wannabe. Maybe if I keep tryin I will arrive at geekdom some day. If I go to Comdex will I qualify?
Recommended Posts
Zixar
One little trick is to remove unnecessary/unneeded fonts from your Windows/Fonts folder. A lot of programs install their own fonts and font enumeration on startup takes quite a while.
It may not work in every case, but it is one more thing you can trim.
Defragment your hard drive, and use WinXP's AppAccelerator if you're running XP.
Have at least 128MB of RAM for any version of Windows less than XP, 256MB for XP.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Mister P-Mosh
Damnit...
My laptop has been ....ing me off quite a bit lately and is taking forever to turn off. It's a 1Ghz Athlon with 256MB of RAM running Windows XP. I knew it was slow, but I didn't realize how slow until the other day when I used my 850mhz PIII with 128MB of RAM which booted very quickly into XP.
I've gone through the registry, fixed problems with ZoneAlarm, and tried a few other things but the stupid laptop still takes forever to start up or shut down.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Steve!
P - also uninstall any no-longer-used apps, and clean up excess junk on your hard drive, especially the root directory.
Older Windoze systems used to require a certain amount of space available in the root, I don't know if that's still true with XP.
Also, your virtual memory may be set too low or too high, either condition would cause slower booting.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Zixar
There's a registry tweak that will shorten the length of time Windows will wait on a hung process. Unfortunately, I don't have it committed to memory. (mine, not the computer's) There's also a tweak to raise the interrupt priority of the system clock on IRQ8 which speeds up the machine too.
If I can find them again, I'll let you know.
(Later) Ok, here's the key. Open Regedit and search for HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlWaitToKillServiceTimeout. The value is in milliseconds, either 20000 or 30000 for 20 to 30 seconds. Set the value to 2000 (two seconds). If you don't have that key, create one using that exact punctuation and make it of type String like the others. (it will show as type REG_SZ--that's a String to the Registry.)
I think this only works in XP and Win2000.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
igotout
Thanks, Steve for starting that poll. Here is an article relating to XP hangin on shutdown. It may contain that registry tweak you mentioned Zixar:
Microsoft Article
This link contains troubleshooting tips for XP Shutdown and restart problems:
Troubleshooting Shutdown and Boot problems in XP
My XP machine reboots in about 90 seconds, 30 seconds of which is the time it is taking to shutdown and begin the restarting process. (When I first bought it I was at a total of 60 seconds.)
The new XP one is faster booting than other older machines I have. Why can't this be like a TV - instant on? For God's sake they can put a man on the moon. Maybe someday.
[This message was edited by igotout on January 08, 2003 at 23:12.]
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Steve!
Iggy -
Bill Gates has been talking about "instant on" for YEARS.
Supposedly he's got some people working on it.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Zixar
John: If you want instant-on, get an XBox.
:)-->
Link to comment
Share on other sites
igotout
But I can't use Word and Excel on an XBox. Concerning gaming, Santa got me a copy of Unreal Tournament 2003. Wow! It's great. Internet and LAN play is smooth. Now if they would only come out with Quake 4.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Zixar
Yeah, isn't UT2k3 cool? And it looks great on my GeForce 4...
We should play some time!
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Mister P-Mosh
Actually, if you tell your machine to...I forget what it's called, but it's one step up from hybernating, it will be instant on in a way.
Theoretically, you could have an instant on machine, providing you don't have to load things from a hard drive.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Steve!
P -
"sleep"
Link to comment
Share on other sites
igotout
I just leave them on all the time. Now if I can just get my 6 fans to be quiet.
That's another thing that bugs me. We can build a TV that is noiseless. Why not a computer without having to run water through the dang thing?
Zixar - I would love to host a UT Server but in my tests I have not been able to connect to it. Probably because I am behimd a router (firewall). I have opened all the appropriate ports. ?????
Tell you what. I'll set up a dedicated UT server this evening and leave it on overnight until mid morning tomorrow. I'll call It RichesonTampa or something like that.
See if you can find that server and whether or not you can connect. I am on the latest patched version.
Thanks, John R.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Zixar
Sorry, John, I didn't see your message last night, and I'll be out of town this weekend. Maybe we can give it a try next week sometime.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
GarthP2000
I love the standby mode. That way you don't have to set aside 512 meg of HD space to have the system 'go to sleep' as it were. And you can still have your apps in the same state, even in mid post (such as I did here
:)-->), when you power back up.
I love my Windows XP now. Heck it even beats Windows 2000, and that was a tough act to follow.
Prophet Emeritus of THE,
and Wandering CyberUU Hippie,
Garth P.
www.gapstudioweb.com
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Mister P-Mosh
Funny, I would have pegged you as a Macintosh lover.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
wasway
you ought to hear this thing in the corner 16 fans and a radiator...but god it's fast
Link to comment
Share on other sites
GarthP2000
P-mosh,
"Funny, I would have pegged you as a Macintosh lover."
Nahh, that's Karl Kahler, Mac freak extraordinaire. As a matter of fact, for a short time, he was member of the Mac 'cult'--oops, I mean Users Group.
Prophet Emeritus of THE,
and Wandering CyberUU Hippie,
Garth P.
www.gapstudioweb.com
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Righteous Brother
Quiet fans...
John... if you want to get some peace and quiet from your fans, you might want to check this link out.
http://www.directron.com/quietfans.html
I use the Vantec Stealth 92mm fans in my box. ( 5 of them ). I have 4 in the case, and 1 over the CPU. They crank out 28 CFM each and have a noise rating of 20dBA. I'm telling ya, these things are quiet. 28dBA represents the typical background noise in a quiet room. My system idles at 29C and moves up to 50-55C when I play hard. They might be worth a try if fan noise is a problem.
RB
Link to comment
Share on other sites
igotout
Righteous - but I like the pretty lights in my fans: Fans with lights
I think I will try this instead (so I can have even more lights to be mesmerized by) and try turning the fans down or off when not needed:
Rheobus with lights
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Righteous Brother
Oooohh, Rheobus. I likeee.
"LED backlight becomes brighter as the fan speed increases "
Neeeet!
RB
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Zixar
Of course, a REAL geek would roll his own LED controller...
:)-->
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Righteous Brother
Well... I use ta could in my younger days.
But now the combination of caffiene and aging bifocals don't mix well with a soldering pencil.
RB
Link to comment
Share on other sites
igotout
I am not a geek, just a window cleaner who is a geek wannabe. Maybe if I keep tryin I will arrive at geekdom some day. If I go to Comdex will I qualify?
John R.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.