Holy cow, Vista is slow!!!

[Just Rachel]

1 min. 27 seconds from the time I pushed the power button until the desktop came up.  Took 69 seconds from the time the progress bar appeared! I disabled more services.  Don't know what else I can do.

[couttsj]

The next step would be to temporarily disable each of the auto-starting programs one at a time to see which one is contributing the most to your problem. Some programs that do not require an interface with the desktop (aside from the system tray)  can start up with the operating system as a service, and to the best of my knowledge cannot shut themselves down after. Let's forget about those for now.

Other programs will start up after the operating system is loaded, but before the desktop is loaded. Those are located in: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
or less commonly in RunOnce or RunOnceEx. If you know that you don't want or need them, you can simply delete them from the registry. For example, I have a file "RtHDVCpl.exe" in this section that I have no idea where it is located or what it does. It's a good bet that it is in the %Windows% (C:\windows\) or %System% (C:\windows\system32\) directory because those 2 directories are searched first by the operating system (turns out that it is in the %windows% directory). Using Windows Explorer, I right button click on it and look at the properties details tab. I find out that it is the Realtek Audio Control Panel that appears in the system tray. In this case I am pretty sure that this is not a problem, but if I was suspicious, I would simply rename the file to something like "RtHDVCpl.exe.org". The next time you boot up, the operating system may complain that it can't find the file, but you already know what the problem is.

There are other programs that start up with the User desktop, and are located in:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Treat these the same as in the previous paragraph.

What you have left now are the programs that start up from the Startup menu. Use the Windows Explorer to navigate to ProgramData/Microsoft/Windows/Start Menu/Programs/Startup. This is the All Users startup menu, and treat these the same as in the above paragraph (ignore the desktop.ini file).

Now navigate to \Users\UserName\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup. This is the individual User startup menu, and treat these the same as in the above paragraph (ignore the desktop.ini file).

You can also use the delete and restore function on each of these items, but I prefer renaming them. I find it is a little easier to keep track of what you are doing and to restore them to their original state after you are done.

Once you have determined the major culprit(s), then you can decide if that function is worth the extra time that it takes to execute on startup. In many cases, the same function can be started on demand when it is actually needed, rather than starting at boot up.

J.A. Coutts

[Just Rachel]

Thanks J.A.  Gotta shut down for tonight, but, I will follow your instructions in the morning.  Appreciate your help!

[Dolphin]

WOW!!!! And just as I was getting used to XP.   

Now I gotta contend with the advent of Windows 7 just over the hump.  This oughta be interesting.....if I skip over Vista I wonder if I'll have to buy a completely new system to do Windows 7.

Or should I upgrade to Vista just to get ready and be kinda familiar with all this stuff before Windows 7 dumps on us?

Hmmmmm.....decisions, decisions, decisions.....think I'll go take a nap with the dog.   

Now go have a great day.

Bill

[Just Rachel]

Bill, I like Vista.  Just this slowness is really bugging me! I'm sure it's not the OS, although, SP 1 made it slower than it already was. When I first got the machine it was fairly fast.

[Just Rachel]

UPDATE: After looking through the registry, disabling or uninstalling programs, and tearing my hair out (I haven't got much to spare!) I came across a tip to keep Readyboost set to Automatic.  I had disabled it.  After resetting it to auto from the push of the power button to my desktop is under 60 seconds!!! Yay!!!! I am one happy person now!!

Thanks so much for all of the help offered to me.

[couttsj]

Glad to see it is working better, but I would like to understand why. Readyboost supposedly works in conjunction with Superfetch. Superfetch analyzes your program useage, and uses available memory to preload your most used programs into memory(auto start programs would certainly qualify for that). Readyboost allows you to use a RAM drive (such as a USB Flash memory stick) to extend your memory for the purposes of such things as Superfetch. Do you have a RAM drive?

J.A. Coutts

[Just Rachel]

No ram drive.  I'm trying to find the link that clued me in on this.  Last time I booted it took 45 seconds, so, there is no doubt in my mind it was the culprit.

[Just Rachel]

Here's some Readyboost info, though it's not the link That I found this morning.  Midway down the page.  I don't understand it.  http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/cc162480.aspx

[couttsj]

Here's some Readyboost info, though it's not the link That I found this morning.  Midway down the page.  I don't understand it.  http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/cc162480.aspx

I believe what you are seeing is the results of ReadyBoot rather than ReadyBoost directly. ReadyBoot is an extension of the pre-fetch technology introduced with XP, and utilizes the same cache as ReadyBoost. Therefore, it implements when ReadyBoost is enabled. It uses available RAM on startup to store file pre-fetch information. After the startup is complete, the RAM is released. Like you, I had it disabled because the description said it was used with a RAM drive, and I didn't have one. Enabling it, I ran the startup tests again:
Cold boot to login - 42 seconds
Warm boot to login - 36 seconds
Resume to login - 2 seconds
Login till hourglass stops - 8 seconds
Login on resume - 4 seconds

Note that it improves all boot times. It also cuts the login on a resume in half.

This is very good information, and something I was not aware of. I trust that BV will pick up this information and adjust his description of the ReadyBoost service.

J.A. Coutts

[Just Rachel]

I'm thankful that you believed me and understand it all!! I don't, however, am benefiting from returning the process to automatic.  I too thought it was unnecessary without a flash drive.

[Black Viper]

I trust that BV will pick up this information and adjust his description of the ReadyBoost service.
J.A. Coutts

Boot optimization description has been included since SP1 release. However, later on today (err, early tomorrow morning), I will link this thread.