Don't use Bootoptimize to bootoptimize

[Henno]

We actually measure "boottime" from pressing the on/off button, logging on the domain, until we see letters typed in Word 2007....
This, because it is a reality check, users want a short time from turning a computer on until they can actually use an application.

regards, Henno.

[slender]

Hmm I just tested for fun and curiosity filtered (duplicates removed and only files & directories) Process Monitor Boot time log file (importlistfromfile) and (or) system32\config directory (directorypath) with files & subdirs in dailyoptimize script on zone 3. Windows bootup feels a bit faster but i need some hard evidences. Maby i should try to run some timer. Any good ideas?

btw. Does someone know when exactly process monitor starts to log? Would bootvis do the same job?

[BloodySword]

Bootvis is only intended for Win2k, but for some reason it does its job also in XP. But Bootvis can not be run on Vista, 7 or higher. I don't know if it meets youe exceptions. Simply trust the Windows mechanism fpr faster booting There are also files like BootTrace.fx and ReadyBoot.fx or something. Could be some more detailed logs about the boot. You can search in MSDN how to parse these logs.

[slender]

If i didn't made it already clear I don´t need bootvis to optimize bootup process. Only for logging purpose.

And about trusting. I trust only in my own experiments and results that i can repeat and verify somehow. As i said this was just for curiosity and idea for someone else to test.

[BloodySword]

Yes I understand what you meant. I don't know if there is a way to get a log out of Bootvis. And I wanted to point out that Bootvis might not run under Vista and Seven.

[RobL]

Quote from slender: "Does someone know when exactly process monitor starts to log?"

The Process Monitor starts logging at about the same time (using Enable Boot Logging) that Windows starts logging for the Layout.ini.  See the Readme in the attachment.

I have been experimenting with it for quite some time.  I have the intention of posting my utility in case someone can use it.  It began with writing a utility to just to create a list for a zone where files are arranged in descending order of frequency of use.  At that time I started Process Monitor logging while Windows is up and just before using it to gather file use statistics.  It then progressed to looking at access patterns to try to deduce inter-file dependencies and arrange them to minimize disk head movements.  Then I thought of starting Process Monitor logging at boot and change my utility to produce 2 lists: 1) for zone1 (boot zone) and 2) zone2 (most used, seek-minimized), where zone2 immediately follows zone1 in the disk.  I have a time parameter in the ini file to tell when to switch from zone1 to zone2.  Upon playing with it (with the time switchover set at 30 seconds), I noticed that after about 8 seconds into the boot (at least in my PC), many accesses became non-linear (by that I mean many files are accessed multiple times but not consecutively), whereas the first 8 seconds was mostly linear (one file after another and no repeats) so my thought was after 8 seconds, the disk head will have to move back to the spot where a file is stored whenever that file is accessed again.  So after 8 seconds, I think it is better to switch over to zone2 where the files are arranged according to the statistics.  I think after 8 seconds is when the services and other tasks start working.  You may say, what about from 8 sec to say 40 sec.  Well, those files that would have been in zone1 for 8-40 sec are now just in the adjacent zone2, probably not far from they would have been except arranged acording the the statistics.  That is how I use my system now (8 second switchover).

Well, I am now thinking of changing from a hard switchover point to having an overlap time period of say 8-40 seconds, so that the first 8 seconds goes to the linear zone1, after 40 sec goes to the non-linear zone2.  Within the overlap period, those that are accesed once only and never in zone2 will remain in zone1 and arranged linearly.  Those that are accesed more than once or also accessed after 40 sec, will go to zone2.  I have not done any of this yet, except in my mind, that is why I do not consider my utility finished but here it is anyhow.  When I find the time and feel like it, I will do it.  Any suggestions are welcome.

[RobL]

I forgot the attachment.

[cg]

I like what you're doing - great idea! 

[sbrads]

How to improve Windows 7 boot times http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/140262-how-to-speed-up-boot-process-under-windows-vista-or-windows-7/  .  This WORKS!

My XP/7 dual boot system that had had the 7 partition regularly MyDefragged was repeatedly taking 60 seconds to get from the XP/7 keypress choice after BIOS loading, up to where 7's network icon loses its busy sign.  After using xbootmgr as described above with 6 reboots to 'fine tune' the bootup process (via ReadyBoot, prefetch etc.) , this was reduced to 32 seconds and everything felt fast straight away after the network icon finished its stuff.

There's a sting to the tale though, I can't use the Monthly script as the bootup immediately returns to being 60 seconds.  I've been all through this process twice to make sure I wasn't dreaming.  Shame as I've recommended MyDefrag to a lot of people before realising this.  I don't think the Daily script does this, not sure as I've finished messing around now everything's fast, and will hopefully wait for more info or a fix for this.

[BloodySword]

I think ReadyBoot will place its layout into layout.ini as well. And the fastest part of the disk is the beginning of the disk. So MyDefrag does it right. It seems that it is slower, because the shit MS defragmentation turns on when the files are laid out on another position as the defragmentation von MS did. So this defragmentation while booting will make it slow.

[sbrads]

I think ReadyBoot will place its layout into layout.ini as well. And the fastest part of the disk is the beginning of the disk. So MyDefrag does it right. It seems that it is slower, because the shit MS defragmentation turns on when the files are laid out on another position as the defragmentation von MS did. So this defragmentation while booting will make it slow.

So does that mean that ReadyBoot needs disabling for MyDefrag to be able to do its stuff efficiently?

[BloodySword]

I don't use this ready boot. Because in XP BootVis corrupted the system. But: Just give it a try. I compressed the defrag system files in system32 dir to an 7z archive and copied this to an usb stick, then I deleted the system files. drfgntfs.exe, etc. On Windows 7 you only have to disable the Defragmentation service.

[Darlis]

When moving files with MyDefrag, you mess with the information in the prefetch files. You've seen this on the following restart. A second restart or executing "rundll32 advapi.dll, ProcessIdleTasks" will update the information and booting should be faster again.
But the latter method messes with the MyDefrag optimization, if the automatic layout of the files is still enabled (see D'Mod's post).
You can also disable this under XP/Vista with the following registry entry:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Dfrg\BootOptimizeFunction]
"Enable"="N"