FAST BOOT how to - MRBOSS project

[®®®]

Intention and Goal

• SpeedUp Booting Process
  
• repair issues of XP, which occur after long time usage
  wait no longer: Dial-a-Fix is out and phenomenally fullfills that task
  
• after a FreshInstall just run MRBOSS to speed up the customization process
  
• add your tweaks in a single process with the help of a .REG file
  
• improve overall OS reaction time and prevent "OS lag"
  
• save space on Boot Partition (you have 2 partitions, right? If not then it's time) to decrease size and creation of IMAGE (PQ DriveImage)
  

.

PreRequisites

• defrag optimization works best on XP
  
• BootVis for exactly measuring and visualizing Boot Process (isn't needed for optimization)
  
• buy yourself a copy of Raxco's PerfectDisk v7 or try out the 30 day trial
  WHY? because PerfectDisk takes control of the layout.ini which is responsible of how files needed to boot XP are layouted on the HD:

  By default, Windows XP monitors application launches and identifies those files loaded during the process. Windows stores this information in the prefetch folder (usually Windows/Prefetch) in a file called layout.ini. Every 3 days, Windows does a "partial" defrag of the files indicated in layout.ini - attempting to make sure that they are contigous so that your system will boot faster and applications will launch faster.
  If PerfectDisk has been configured to let Windows manage the boot files, PerfectDisk will mark the files indicated in layout.ini as unmovable and will not attempt to defragment these files or move them elsewhere on the drive as it is expecting Windows do perform this task every 3 days. This can prevent PerfectDisk from doing a complete defrag job.
  If PerfectDisk has been configured manage the boot files, PerfectDisk will read layout.ini and will make sure that the files indicated are contiguous and the location is optimized.
  As PerfectDisk is a much more powerful disk defragmenter than the built-in defragmenter, letting PerfectDisk manage the boot files will ensure that these files are optimized for the fastest possible performance.

• PD download links:
  
• PD v7.0 for 2K or XP 30 day trial direct download (~3,42 MB)
  

• have a fast spinning HD like the 7K60 from Hitachi
  • 7K60 benefits:
    
  • 60 GB, 7200 rpm, 8 MB Cache
    
  • at this time the only 7200 rpm drive for Laptops (2,5")
    
  • runs cooler than Toshiba drives even under stress and continous file access situations
    
  • seems to be more reliable than the Toshiba MK series
    
  • 7K60 downside:
    
  • a bit higher priced than John Doe drives, but still affordable and worth the money
    
  • sometimes you hear a faint clicking
    
  • 7K60 links:
    
  • General
    
  • Specs
    
  • Overview
    

.

additional usefull freeware to help optimization

• use these as they are freeware
  
• use these as these "Tweaking Tools" (in opposite to many others) dont need installers and registry entries
  
• no installation orgy, just 1 small .EXE file
  
• use these as they do what they should do
  
• use these on a regularly basis (every week or so)
  
• delete MRUs etc.
  
• defrag registry for smaller size and more OS performance:
  
• NTREGOPT:
  • Download link
    
  • *new*v1.1f, 28-AUG-2004
    
  • defrags/rebuilds all Registry Hives, commandline also available and therefore used in MRBOSS
    
  • ReadMe English
    
  • ReadMe Deutsch
    

  [*]PAGEDEFRAG:

  • Download link
    
  • use this to have a quick glance of how bad your system files are defragmented
    
  • run this app regularly, if you have not installed PD, though PD offline defragmentation also defrags and moreover also places system files in a more efficient way on your Boot Partition
    

  [*]DougKnox Tools:

  • Download link to "XP Remove Hotfix Backup Tool"
    
  • Removes Hotfix Backup files and the Add/Remove Programs Registry entries.
    
  • Result: slightly smaller registry; more space on BootPartition
    
  • ---
    
  • Download link to "Clear Open with List" Tool
    
  • Result: slightly smaller registry; faster reaction to right clicking on files
    

.

especially usefull

• DOWNLOAD CrapCleaner
  
• best Cleaner tool
  

For me as reminder:

- concentrate on Defrag and Maintenance, other reg files (Tweaks) should be added by each user

- Delete unneccessary files is another project, but could be added/integrated as "add-on" (call delfiles.bat) or just use CrapCleaner (CCleaner)

[Guest Scotch]

Well, with my machine I get quite a different picture (see enclosed jpeg). I already tried any optimization that I could figure out, defrag, ntregopt, bootvis... What I find especially strange is that the shell takes more than a minute to initialize. Does anybody have a suggestion?

DELL i8600, PM 1.7GHz, 1GB RAM, nVidia FX Go5650 128 MB, WUXGA, Driver 54.01 w/ Pieter's .inf Ver. 20.21, 80 GB HDD, 4x DVD-RW, TrueMobile 1400 WLAN, Win XP SP1, BIOS Ver. A06

Dontknow, obviously I'd be most interested in this topic. I hope you're planning on giving more information?

Scotch

P.S. I doesn't let me upload the picture (jpeg). Is that a filesize issue (1440x877)? How can I attach the pic?

[Teraphy]

With reference to the picture. Image size is not an issue but filesize might be. 100KB is the current limit.

You can try cutting out unneeded portions of the image, saving in lower resolution, hosting elsewhere and linking.

As for details on the "Fast Boot" FAQ. It's in the works. :)

[mobilenvidia]

Set the compression higher on the picture.

The picture on the front page of website only takes 88kb compresed to oblivion but still looks OK.

Pieter

[®®®]

I had to upload the Bootpic in my signature to my Webpage and link it with the IMG tag, cuz i were not able to bring it down under 100k :)

[Guest Scotch]

Thanks for all your replies. Here's the pic, got it squeezed to just under 100K... looking forward to learning more about this topic.

Scotch

[®®®]

seems as if DHCP is enabled (but you dont have a DHCP server installed) and XP is searching and searching and searching for an IP adress :)

[Guest Scotch]

Yes, DHCP is indeed enabled. I'm running a 802.11g wireless network with a cable modem (Roadrunner) for internet access. I will try to check this out when I get home tonight. I could disable the wireless connection, or disable DHCP on the wireless router and the laptop, and configure everything with fixed IP addresses. However, I doubt that will explain the slow shell initialization... hmm. Thanks for the feedback,

Scotch

[Teraphy]

Exactly what I thought dontknow :)

I took one look at that picture and bam, DHCP :)

Actually, I have no clue about that picture... I'm looking forward to this process as well! Just waiting on details.

[®®®]

one look at that picture and bam, DHCP

me too. :)

[Guest Scotch]

Well, whaddayouknow... I disabled the wireless connection, and got this picture (see below). I would never have thought that, because I could have sworn I had much faster startup when I got this computer last December, and I had the same wireless network configuration running then. So, this brings my startup time under a minute, but I still have to configure the network without DHCP, and I have a suspicion that might not work with my VPN connection. Anyway, at least I know what's going on.

Still, it's a long way from more than 40 seconds to under 14 seconds. Actually, I'd be completely happy if I get the startup time to under 30 seconds. So, I'm still looking forward to hearing more about dontknow's tweaks.

Scotch

[®®®]

So far, so good.

Anybody dares to test the turning off of Indexing Service in XP??

Then pls run the batch. Doubleclcik.

There's another batch in the attached ZIP file: SizeFld.bat

It's needed to determine foldersizes and must be in the same folder of MRBOSS.bat.

I think i have considered all eventualities, so don't fear. I've tested it ALOT here on my desktop PC. Though i still have to fight with a registry readout, where there is a BACKSLASH missing when the Indexing Service Catalog is NOT located in C:\ (but i think c:\ is XP default, so no panic, and it only affect the foldersize readout), blabla

It spits out a logfile, you can attach it. It will certainly help a bit to determine "issues".

//edit i removed the attachment

Edited February 1, 2005 by ®®®

[Guest JafT]

Your project looks very nice, but my University Internet Server doesnt let the program download a missing file (sizecnt.bat). Could you please post that file here or in the project page so people with the same problem like me could make the optimization to work?? I will really apreciate that. Thanks.

Dell Inspiron 2650

P4 1.8Ghz

256 Mb RAM

20Gb HD

GeForce2 GO 16Mb VRAM

MS Windows XP Pro SP2

[®®®]

This project is something i wanted to work on for ages, but somehow there were other things all the time that prevented me from completing it.

The sizecnt.bat will not be needed anymore in a new version, which unfortunetately i have not began yet. There are some problems i need to consider like what if somebody has not installed PerfectDisk. Also i'm fighting with me if some of the more common performance tweaks (not boottime related) should be included and if yes how: just apply them or ask the USER individually for each one etc. etc.

[Guest Guest]

Yeah, that looks very complicated.

Well, I will really wait for that new version. Good luck mate. :)

[®®®]

Hi, some news here. I got the Desktop PC from a friend of mine for maintenance/fresh install. I built it almost exactly 2 years ago from components i choose.

Here's the clue: using MRBOSS (applying the tweaks) and using some of the programs i suggested in this (incomplete) thread plus usage of PD7 results in a boottime of 13.12 seconds of XP with SP2, which is actually better (some milliseconds) than what i reached some months ago with my Laptop using XP SP1. It seems for me that without extreme tweaking (like Windows reduction with nLite), there is kind of a limit in boottime namely under 10 seconds is not possible.

Specs:

ASUS A7N8X Deluxe, nForce2 chipset (BIOS beta 009)

HD: ATA5/UDMA100 WD800BB (7200rpm, 2MB Cache)

AMD Athlon XP 2600+ (Thoroughbred-B, Family 6, model 8, FSB333, L2Cache 256KB)

RAM: Samsung 512 MB PC2700 (333 MHz, CL2,5-3-3-7)

OC: no Memory OC, FSB OC 2 or 3 MHz => 2088 MHz)

GPU: MSI GF4 Ti 4200 (AGP8, 128MB)

OS: XP Pro with slipstreamed SP2 and all updates

Drivers:

standard XP drivers

nForce Chipset drivers v5.10 (installed all options: Sound driver, Sound Control Panel/Mixer, NV IDE driver etc.)

NV v67.66

3com NIC driver only (no Control Panel software)

No MS Office installation yet.

I uninstalled MSN Explorer, MSN Messenger, Accessabilty Options, WordPad and QoS from Network cards.

Security Center fully active.

Windows System Restore inactive.

SFP (System File Protection active (don't change that).

Both Network cards active (DHCP), Access to internet is possible.

Windows XP Style appearance: silver

All "My Documents" paths (and subfolders plus Favorites) in Registry moved to D:\

Size of C:\8 GB (hibernationfile=RAM size and pagefile.sys=768MB)

Didn't touched the "XP services" (except i turned off IndexService and Qos)

Disabled Offline Pages and FastUserSwitching

Installed and initialized standard apps for him:

WMP9, Windows Help, msinfo32, DXDiag, Acrobat Reader v6.03, NERO v5.5.10.56, AVAST AntiVirus, 7-ZIP, PerfectDisk 7, PQ DI6, NVTweak, 3ivx D4 v4.5.1, SUN JAVA v1.5.xxxx, HDD-Keyboard-LED, CrapCleaner (clean after Boot), SpeedFan v4.22

Most of the apps/tools autostart after boot, but as you see, it doesn't affect the boottime.

Tools i used:

BootVis, TweakUI, ntregopt, MRBOSS & some more tweaks (since it's still far from completion), chklinks, croa, OpenwithClear, Remove Hotfix Backups, CrapCleaner and of course PD 7

I didn't applied

Here's the result:

I find this pretty astonishing and it gives me some more motivation for completing MRBOSS, though it will be probably finished when Longhorn appears :)

[Guest tomvanallen]

The homepage for NT Registry Optimizer (NTREGOPT) has changed to this, and the latest version is 1.1h.

[®®®]

Yes, thanks for the info. Actaully i saw this 2 days ago, but was too laze to update the first post as the new version has only an updated link to his new homepage.

[Guest StevoBrooks]

Hey Rene, while reading your bio in the nVision Team section I got curious about your MRBOSS project. I've downloaded the BootVis utility, but am not getting very far w/ it. Each time I try to get a trace it goes through the whole process of rebooting, collecting the trace info., generating the trace file and then pops up an error message to the effect of "number of physical drives = 0, system configuration info. not valid" at which point BootVis closes. Any ideas?

I like using Messenger and such, so I'm not going for the fastest boot time in the world, but thought it beneficial to check out what's happening during my boot sequence which does drag on for a good bit of time (never timed it to say exactly how long, but would guess in the 3 minute range). I've also noticed for the last month or so that the cmd screen comes up during boot for brief period of time, it says nwiz.exe at the top, then a few seconds later "program too big to fit in memory", then it closes. Everything seems to work fine, so I haven't worried about it, but perhaps this related to the BootVis problem or the long boot time?

[Maier]

I have a problem with bootvis to, I don't get all the result. I have selected everything but I only see 3 or 4 after tracing. What am I doing wrong?

[®®®]

but I only see 3 or 4 after tracing

I don't understand :) what do you mean? 3 or 4 what?

[HexploR]

I have the same error regarding "...number of physical drives = 0 ...". Does anyone know how to fix it?

[Guest Guest]

Hii your link is broken

"MRBOSS page (XP Maintenance & Repair, Boot OS Swiftly)" I need your advice :) ) Where can I download MRBOSS to speed up the customization? Somebody says mrboss.bat and another batch process where is it.

Thank you

[®®®]

Haven#t updated page and batch, so nothing to download, Sorry.

[LSudlow]

If you haven't yet seen the Superfetch tweak, it's a Longhorn switch that's supposed to also work with XP SP2 to speed up firstboot and app loading. I'm attaching the registry tweak if you want to try it.

Superfetch_Tweak.reg