Ok, I’m struggling

I’m a “learn to help myself through the years” computer literate but not good enough. The box I’m talking about is running win 7 (64bit) ultimate fully up to date.
I like a fast computer so my setups are based on its start-up times as a reference. My method is to take the maximum out of start-up and to unload the .dll files immediately when I close a program.
Programs I use; Ccleaner (not installed – use run command), Glary utilities, Registry light and Reboot Scheduler. Only clean my computer after start-up, before shutdown or when getting slow.
Know too little about; scheduled, plug-ins, applications and windows services to fiddle with it and would appreciate some help in this area.

After Windows I install the programs I need based on what I like and the little as possible resources they use. I’m currently working on new/better programs and updates to see what suits me best.

My biggest problem is the internet and the fishing codes (hacking for advertising) that make my computer congested. Below are my times before and after I posted my “Google is getting seriously dangerous” thread

It took me 5 reboots and cleaning after which I could only achieve 15sec. I’m now busy to investigate “SoftPerfect Cache Relocator” to move my Cache files to a different drive and am looking for a program that clear up junk of uninstalled programs.

Thanx

I've never gone into the depth that you have in making a computer boot faster..... but a couple of things spring to mind reading your notes...

1. I was under the impression that Windows 7 is now obselete, so will not be up-to-date as Mr Gates is now concentrating on Windows 10.

2. Not sure which type of hard drive you are using? Have you tried an SSD? although these are now not the fastest as they have been superceded by the M.2. drives but are compatible with SATA connections

3. If you're using the old style 'spin drives' have you tried setting them up as RAID devices? this can also improve boot time.

4. Rather than booting cold to get a fast boot up time, have you tried just sending the computer to sleep?

Best regards

a reply to: ICycle2

There are processes like DHCP allocation of IP and network 'tuning' that take time and depending upon the rest of the network can affect startup time.

Once you have the right IP and your network has 'tuned' it is worthwhile to turn those things off, if startup speed is what you are chasing.

BTW, 10 seconds is incredibly fast boot time for Windows 7.

I'd also be careful of things that purport to 'clean out the registry'. They can have a slight effect, but can also completely screw up your PC.

Best ways to improve boot time are more memory (fastest speed if the MB supports it) and SSD disks and if you do use a spinning disk then the odd defrag just to tidy stuff up.

But at less than 30 secs its fine and getting faster load speeds really you'd be looking probably at better hardware.

Generally be wary of a lot of these sort of tuneup tools as most are more snake oil and could lead to strange things happening something isn't quite as expected and throws a wobbly down the line and the thing that does throw up the error won't be the thing that started it.

I didn’t see you mention this, but the best way to make your computer boot faster is make sure the OS is installed on a SSD. If you are booting off an old style hard drive then you will be slower.

to move my Cache files to a different drive

Why ?
If you have 2 hard drives , split the page file between both drives.Works for me.
1) check the recommended page file size
2) Set a custom page file with the recommended size 1/2 on each drive
3) Set the max at 1/2 on each drive at whatever size you want or need.

Purchase a PCIE NVME m.2 drive (fairly cheap now)
2 if you have the slots and do a RAID 0

Forget the boot time and the fancy stuff....
Performance is in the running.
Hades , both my systems take 2 minutes to boot , and I care not .
However , the systems rank in the high 90% ratings on benchmarks vs. the world.

Goth knows.
And install Windows 10 .
Leave that medieval Windows 7 behind

Disclaimer :
These are merely tips to be taken as is and only if the system supports them

originally posted by: Gothmog
Why ?
If you have 2 hard drives , split the page file between both drives.Works for me.

Two physical hard drives, having one disk with two partitions wouldn't make it faster, as the physical disk is the same.

originally posted by: ArMaP

originally posted by: Gothmog
Why ?
If you have 2 hard drives , split the page file between both drives.Works for me.

Two physical hard drives, having one disk with two partitions wouldn't make it faster, as the physical disk is the same.

No.
2 physical disks . 1/2 of the page file on each.
And it does make a difference.
Actually it does make a difference at boot of OS , once the pagefile kicks in...

a reply to: Gothmog

You can also just disable the page file completely, and make better use of RAM.
Haven't tried this since xp days though, computers are just fast enough without tinkering these days

If you're THAT obsessed with start up time,
don't turn the computer off

originally posted by: a325nt
a reply to: Gothmog

You can also just disable the page file completely, and make better use of RAM.
Haven't tried this since xp days though, computers are just fast enough without tinkering these days

Not advisable as some applications and games rely on at least a certain amount of paging.
But , if you like BSODs , feel free.

a reply to: Gothmog

Windows does really expect it to be available even if its just a very small amount and can as you say throw some serious wobblys if the memory management can't do what it expects and is probably to allow thin diskless clients to operate in a well controlled corporate environment.

originally posted by: Maxatoria
a reply to: Gothmog

Windows does really expect it to be available even if its just a very small amount and can as you say throw some serious wobblys if the memory management can't do what it expects and is probably to allow thin diskless clients to operate in a well controlled corporate environment.

I never understood why newb geeks believed turning off the page file could do anything good.
I run with 64 gb of DD4 3200 G.Skill Ripjaws ram , but still I set my own page file at > Windows even recommends.

a reply to: ICycle2

I do have 2 separate SSD drives
I only use start-up as a reference. I find it correspond to my operation speed.

The main problem is after I used the Internet my computer gets slow/congested for some reason that I believe is due to the Java script and hacking for advertising cookies. But like I said I do not know enough to be certain.

Thanx to chr0naut I will look into what he suggest

Had Windos10 and will reload it when it’s more reliable. It gave problems with old PLC programs that I wrote and installed with Win 7. Nobody need hours on a breakdown fixing an industrial machine due to software (Windows 10)

originally posted by: acackohfcc
If you're THAT obsessed with start up time,
don't turn the computer off

This.

He would have been very disappointed with the original IBM PC/XT boot times, sitting there watching it count ram in 4K increments.

originally posted by: ICycle2
a reply to: ICycle2

Had Windos10 and will reload it when it’s more reliable. It gave problems with old PLC programs that I wrote and installed with Win 7. Nobody need hours on a breakdown fixing an industrial machine due to software (Windows 10)

What is this about Win10 being unreliable? I have it on four laptops including my work laptop and startup speeds are pretty quick compared to Win7. Especially my work laptop which is only a year and a half old compared to 6-8 years old for my personal laptops. In all, I've had two bluescreens over the last two plus years of running Win10. The only reliability issue I have is Chrome and Firefox sucking up RAM.

originally posted by: ICycle2
a reply to: ICycle2

I do have 2 separate SSD drives
I only use start-up as a reference. I find it correspond to my operation speed.

The main problem is after I used the Internet my computer gets slow/congested for some reason that I believe is due to the Java script and hacking for advertising cookies. But like I said I do not know enough to be certain.

Thanx to chr0naut I will look into what he suggest

Had Windos10 and will reload it when it’s more reliable. It gave problems with old PLC programs that I wrote and installed with Win 7. Nobody need hours on a breakdown fixing an industrial machine due to software (Windows 10)

I also remembered something that I have found sometimes cleans up old systems.

Every time you insert a new device, like a USB key, or swap a monitor, the driver for the hardware is loaded and stays on the system in perpetuity.

Pointers in the HKLM key of the registry look for those devices at startup, regardless of if they will be there or not. So, I remove some of the 'hidden' inactive devices from the device manager. The caveat is that there are some software defined devices there that should not be removed, especially from sound or the network. Removing them from the device manager does not necessarily remove the driver files from disk, but it does stop windows trying to pre-load and locate them.

Set device manager to show hidden and the inactive devices will be greyed out. Be careful to not touch anything in the audio, video or network branches, and don't check the box to remove the drivers if it shows up.

There are software's that can automate this process, like 'Device Remover' but they usually are too aggressive for my liking.

Win 7 is just fine, esp if you got decent SDD, but win10 is a hog compared to win 8.5. Back in the day I when i was in my geeky gamer prime i had an internal build of win98 that didnt have all the framework crap and bells and whistles that slowed it down so much (like Millenia was). I also always checked what services were running and the registry always needed tweeking (always annoying when uninstall a prog doesnt remove its reg entry).

I dont get obsessed with boot time anymore, for me I just don't want a crash when relaxing playing a game or watching a movie. The browser thing does matter alot, you wan't a browser that doesn't hand out cookies, like Brave, and if you stream movies I suggest chrome with ublock plugin installed. Toms hardware is still a useful place for all things fast PC.

The main things I do now when building my systems from scratch is I dont turn on auto ANYTHING (except antivirus), esp updates after i initially install the os, and I install my apps in the order I use them and then backup afterwards.

I havent done much to this box except a new video card and some more ram last month, but it was a few years, and it still boots up in less than 6 secs. My dad got upgraded to my old i5 earlier this year from his prehistoric hyperthreaded intel eval board that i had since my Nvidia test gig years before, he doesn't even know what to do with all that power, lol!!

Good luck keepin it clean!

originally posted by: chr0naut
a reply to: ICycle2

BTW, 10 seconds is incredibly fast boot time for Windows 7.

I have seriously extensive first hand knowledge that this above statement is true. I saw win7 boot on over 50+ systems (x several builds weekly on each system) in my lab at MS back in the day, it was a slug to install clean (we mostly ghosted, but i had to do clean tests) and it booted like a cow with best hw we had back then, which best was a quad i5 with ddr2.

My laptop is an old used lenovo with win7 64 and a new 1tb SDD and 24g ram, it cold boots in about 15-18 secs, and I never clean installed a new os from the place I bought it from! I know Im super lazy but when something works I try NOT to break it first

One really cool thing about win7 is you still have full support and functionality using Wacom tablets, win 8+ all have this tabletPC crap so integral it messes up actual tablet devices.

a reply to: chr0naut & Aliquandro

Thanx