[Pie_Masta]

To make your computer start up on a dime, try the following technique:


1. Make sure your computer is on (duh?)
2. Start (or the windows icon button on your computer)
3. Click Run
4. Type in msconfig
5. A Dialog will come up with "System Configuration Utility"
6. Click the Tab that says BOOT.INI
7. There is a box on the right side that should say "Timeout: 30"
8. Change that value to 3
9. Restart your computer


And Wallah! You should have a faster start-up (at least for Window's Bios and loading)

Check for more in another Thread about a good program that will speed up your computer and get useless junk off of it!

Thanks,
Pie_Masta,
Newbie Technician - Doing All She Can For You

(sorry I accidently posted this in a wrong section)

[eyeCpc]

The lowout value for the edit can be "timeout=2" seconds. That is for the amount of time boot options are displayed when not dual booting with another version or edition of Windows.

Disabling unnecessary items in the startup group in the msconfig utility will free up memory as well as seeing Windows load smoother. The section here is titled "Windows, operating systems, and software".

Periodically running a good registry cleaner and checking the hard drive(s) for the level of fragmentation also helps as well as reducing startup items and the amount of seconds in the timeout setting.

[Mak213]

This is totally useless if you dual boot. IF you lower the timeout that low you will never catch it in time to switch OS's.

[krazyq]

Originally Posted by Makaveli213

This is totally useless if you dual boot. IF you lower the timeout that low you will never catch it in time to switch OS's.

i remember when i did dual boot, i forgot to change the timeout range and i was like wtf...i can never choose but later figured it out!

[eyeCpc]

Originally Posted by Makaveli213

This is totally useless if you dual boot. IF you lower the timeout that low you will never catch it in time to switch OS's.

As you will notice I mentioned "when not dual booting" you can set it that low for seeing a faster startup. Either in the msconfig utility or manually editing the boot.ini file you can always see that brought back up anyways if you decide to dual boot.

By then you will likely be reinstalling Windows seeing the defaults returned then. Currently it's set to 3 seconds here since Vista was intentionally made a stand alone install on a separate drive over the last build seeing a 3way boot of XP Home, Pro, and Vista there.

But when just running one OS it does actually help speed things up.

[Biker-Boy-Nay]

Dont see no increase in startup performance...

[Mak213]

eyeCpc i was not making that statement in regards to your post. My comment was directed toward the OP not you. I know you said the bit about dual booters.

The only thing is speeds up really is the time it takes to go from post to the profile log in screen. Which is only a few seconds anyways for me. I have a 5 second timeout. More than enough time for what i need to do.

[mikee]

I used easyBCD 1.5 to decrease the amount of time vista takes during that black screen time before it starts.

[Mak213]

Update to EasyBCD 1.7.1 and get more benefits.

But yes you can use things like EasyBCD to do this as well. Simple few clicks and done. No need for all the muss and fuss to edit the bot.ini plus you can make it system wide. Not jsut XP related.

[krazyq]

Originally Posted by Makaveli213

Update to EasyBCD 1.7.1 and get more benefits.

But yes you can use things like EasyBCD to do this as well. Simple few clicks and done. No need for all the muss and fuss to edit the bot.ini plus you can make it system wide. Not jsut XP related.

is there anysoftware for xp?
i know of bootvis and it works sometimes.