Don't use Bootoptimize to bootoptimize

[Leolo]

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms940847.aspx

The EnablePrefetcher key has the following values:

0 = Disabled

1 = Application launch prefetching enabled

2 = Boot prefetching enabled

3 = Application launch and boot enabled

To disable Prefetch, set the value to 0.

[jeroen]

Changing the EnablePrefetcher key to anything else than the default setting "3" is a bad idea and will make your computer slower. For more information see Wikipedia. The article also warns against deleting all the files in the prefetch folder.

[SledgeHammer]

I agree that disabling prefetch is a bad idea.

But on the other hand, simply taking over the contents of layout.ini might also be a bad idea. I tried jonib's layout.ini viewer out of this thread* and it revealed a whole bunch of files, that in my opinion do not belong into the fast zone (e.g. two 80+ MB zip files).

I think it's a good advice to apply at least partial Spacehog criteria to the imported list. (occupied space, file type).

__
*http://www.kessels.com/forum/index.php?topic=1743.msg10578#msg10578

[jeroen]

I don't know which 80+ MB zip files files you have, I don't know why they are accessed when booting, and I don't know why you think they are not accessed. Perhaps they are accessed by a virus scanner, or something like that. It may seem unnecessary to you that they are accessed when booting, and perhaps it is, but they are being accessed. They "layout.ini" file says so. I therefore think it is a bad idea to apply some kind of filter. They are accessed while booting so they should be placed in the same zone as all the other files that are accessed while booting.

That said, you are of course free to adapt the scripts and filter out anything you like. It's very easy to do, see the FileBoolean chapter in the manual.

[SledgeHammer]

I highly doubt those files are accessed during boot, as I have created them for backup purposes.
They are updated once or twice a week prior to burning them on a CD. The File-updating and cd-burning are called from a batch-file, which is started manually.

My script creates or updates 11 archives in total. Regarding the diskmap 7 of them are "optimized" by layout.ini.

And I don't have a on-access virus scanner.

I just wanted to add that the layout.ini cannot always be taken dead serious, sometimes it just brings a lot of junk with it. YMMV. 

[tonne]

Layout.ini isnt restricted to boot logging.
To reproduce I found a program not already in the prefetch folder (wavosaur) then dragged a file on the wavosaur.exe and closed the app.
To refresh the layout.ini I started %windir%\system32\rundll32.exe advapi32.dll,ProcessIdleTasks and the file was updated, now containing:
C:\PROGRAMMER\WAVOSAUR\WAVOSAUR.1.0.3.0.EXE
C:\PROGRAMMER\WAVOSAUR\WAVOSAUR.INI
C:\PROGRAMMER\WAVOSAUR\WAVOSAUR.CFG
C:\PROGRAMMER\WAVOSAUR\WAVOSAUR.LOG
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\OOBE\IMAGES\CLICKERX.WAV

Q.E.D.

[jeroen]

Layout.ini isnt restricted to boot logging.

I think what your experiment proves is that you should not run "ProcessIdleTasks" by hand. Layout.ini is built after 32 applications have started. It is also built sometimes (periodically) after booting, excluding the first boot which runs the out of box experience.

[tonne]

I studied the wiki article and cleared the prefetch folder except NTOSBOOT-B00DFAAD.pf and did a ProcessIdleTask.
The new layout.ini contains what I belive is the true list of files to be boot optimized.
The files and folders are listed in NTOSBOOT-B00DFAAD.pf (just as \DEVICE\HARDDISKVOLUME1\WINDOWS\...).

I think my system volume defragmentation will be these steps:
1. Make sure that HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Dfrg\BootOptimizeFunction\Enable is N (I dont want windows to mess with my files)
2. Move all files except NTOSBOOT-B00DFAAD.pf from c:\windows\prefetch to temp. storage
3. Update layout.ini with %windir%\system32\rundll32.exe advapi32.dll,ProcessIdleTasks
4. Move all files from temp. storage back to the prefetch folder (some files cannot be moved)
5. Empty temp. storage
6. Run ccleaner
7. Run MyDefrag

I will report back next week whether this i as 'stable' and fast solution for my system

[Leolo]

I agree with Jeroen that deleting the contents of the Prefetch folder is a bad idea and can degrade performance.

I think there's widespread misinformation about this, perhaps because Microsoft once recommended to delete the Prefetch folder in some specific cases where it could create problems with corrupt files.

See here:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/915163/en-us

However, for most people, and under normal circumstances, the Prefetch folder should be left alone.

Regards.

[HolyMan]

I just wanted to add that the layout.ini cannot always be taken dead serious, sometimes it just brings a lot of junk with it. YMMV. 

Of course layout.ini does not know what your priorities are. It only documents what actually happens on your computer.
I use the layout file now in combination with an exclude for files like your zip archives.
Example:

Code:

  FileSelect
    ImportListFromBootOptimize()
    and not (filename("*.zip"))
    # grootte ongeveer 950780 - 1124681 = 173901 = ca 680 MB
  FileActions
    SortByImportSequence(Ascending)
  FileEnd

I have not really checked, but I assume this works.

[HolyMan]

I agree with Jeroen that deleting the contents of the Prefetch folder is a bad idea and can degrade performance.

Well. At least emptying the prefetch folder a few days ago makes that I now have a usable layout.ini file. Deleting the file took out a lot of junk, and using my computer for a few days brought a lot of frequently used files back in.

So maybe I started this thread on a bit of a too negative stand. Nice discussion though.

[BloodySword]

Well, I think the layout.ini is a good idea. Windows keeps track of the files that are neccessary for booting and the files that are requested by your recently used applications. You can disable Superfetch and Prefetch if you want. But do not complain with MASSIVE performance decreasing, even if you try to optimize all this by yourself.

Additional information: Windows does update the layout.ini file every three days or perhaps after Windows Update installations or driver updates after one restart.

And with logfiles: Logfiles are not written directly to the HDD. A small buffer wich is big enough to prevend head jumping is used in memory before it will be fetched in the file.

[andublin]

"Never" and "Always" are two dangerous words.

In my experience, it IS useful to delete the contents of the Prefetch folder sometimes, IF you have just been doing a lot of software installs, uninstalls, and reboots. Then it contains a lot of references to files which will no longer be used much or ever. Probably after Microsoft's monthly Patch Tuesday is another good example.

Another example is if someone other than the "normal"/regular/frequent user booted up the machine and logged in. The Bootoptimize info seems to be based on a fixed time period after bootup. That includes login and applications started and data accessed,  not only anything to do with the bootup alone.

So delete it when it contains info unlikely to be useful. and reboot. After that leave it to do its thing, keep track of "normal" startup activity, and let it build up full fresh info. On a 32-bit system then use "rundll32.exe advapi32.dll,ProcessIdleTasks" to trigger a rebuild of the layout.ini . Then MyDefrag has real, current info to work with.
(Does anyone know what command should be used on a 64-bit system?)

[quanthero]

I agree with BloodySword. Using layout.ini improves application startup performance as well as boot speed.

[jeroen]

In my experience, it IS useful to delete the contents of the Prefetch folder sometimes, IF you have just been doing a lot of software installs, uninstalls, and reboots. Then it contains a lot of references to files which will no longer be used much or ever.

I am fairly sure that Windows automatically deletes old files in the prefetch folder.

Another example is if someone other than the "normal"/regular/frequent user booted up the machine and logged in.

I would argue that it doesn't matter who logs in. The other person also deserves a fast boot.

The Bootoptimize info seems to be based on a fixed time period after bootup. That includes login and applications started and data accessed,  not only anything to do with the bootup alone.

For me bootup is not just until the login screen, but all the way until the desktop and all background programs are running.