How can I speed up my boot?

[scourge]

This is what my computer does:
Power On
Video Card Bios Screen
Award Bios Screen
Mem check like 4 times
Crunch, Crunch, Crunch (hdd, 5.1gig 5400 rpm)
Windows background
Computer does absolutely nothing for 10 seconds at least.
Crunch, Crunch, Crunch
Icons, startup programs, etc. popup

I'm mostly concerned with getting rid of the 10+ seconds where the computer just sits there and doesn't do a **** thing. No access of any peripherals as far as I can tell. It simply sits there for no apparent reason and then starts going again. Why?

[grandslammer]

First, go to bios, enable quick memory check. This will stop machine from running up to your memory all those times.

Now, go to start, find files. Type in msdos.sys. Look in "my computer" (actually, your computer, HA!)

when you find it, right click on it, then properties. UNcheck hidden and read only. Then click on okay.

Now, LEFT click on it and open with notepad.

Change the following lines to the values. Do not delete any lines, ESPECIALLY the xx's. The file has to be a certain length to operate properly!

Logo=0 (this removes startup logo)
DrvSpace=0 (unnecessary Drivers)
DblSpace=0 (same, same)
BootDelay=0 (well, no boot delay!)
DoubleBuffer=0 (more unnecessary "stuff")

If these lines exist, modify them. If they don't, then add them. Remember, capitalization count!

Then click on file and then "save."

If you have a problem finding msdos.sys, e-mail me and I'll tell you what you need to do to find it!

Good Luck Mr. Phelps!

Mike P.

[This message has been edited by grandslammer (edited 01-03-2000).]

[Strip]

For the first Crunch... you could set the BIOS to the HDD type you have instead of "Auto detect". This usually speed things up a bit.
All unused should be set to "None".

For the looong pause, give your network card a static IP for TCP/IP protocol. Be careful though, you don't want to change the dial up settings.

If you want to save even more time, change from Win98 to good ol' DOS http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif

[scourge]

Thanks ya'll,

The few suggestions you've made seem to have sped things up a little. I'm still having the long pause, but that's because I haven't tried giving my network card a static IP address as you suggested. Mainly because I don't know how. I'm not using the card right now and probably won't for a while. Will taking it out fix the long pause? I don't remember it causing the long pause, but it's been a long time since I put that card in.

[Strip]

Simply right-click on the Network icon and choose "Properties".
Then double-click on the "TCP/IP -> YourNetworkCard" in the list. NOT THE "TCP/IP -> Dialup adapter"!
Click the tab "IP-something" in the new window.
Type 192.168.0.X in the IP address field where "X" = any number 1-255.
Type 255.255.255.0 in the Netmask-field.

If you are connected to a network, make sure that you don't use an IP that is already taken by another computer.

Removing the Network card will »probably« do the trick too, but it will be quite boring to play Quake III all by yourself http://www.sysopt.com/forum/wink.gif

[Axel]

Two other things to check - one's pretty safe, the other is a little dangerous -

First - right click on a blank gray area of your task bar at the bottom - then <properties> <start menu programs> <advanced> <programs> <startup> - what's there - anything you don't use every time you turn on your system should be eliminated.

Second - this one is potentially dangerous to mess with -
<start> <run> <regedit>
then go and check what's in these two areas
hkey_local_machine
software
microsoft
windows
current version
run
<whats here??>
run services
<whats here??>

Anyway - some programs will load stuff here that don't show up in the startup menu and are very annoying to track down. Note that making changes in your registry can potentially disable your system and put you down the path of re-installing everything from scratch - so, if you aren't sure what it is - leave it alone.

[Dave_H]

I have a network card I only use for cable modem. I assigned the IP address and the subnet mask that I use on line to the
TC/IP properties and my modem wouldn't work.
Should I use a different number other than my IP address?

BTW, grandslammer- Thank-you http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif
every few seconds I can shave off the boot add up.

Dave

[grandslammer]

No prob, Dave. Also, try clicking on start, then run. Type in msconfig, then hit ok. This is your "system configuration" utility ha! Anyway, click on selective startup. Select the startup tab. You can select, or de-select anything in there. This won't remove anything from your registry, and saves you the trouble of hunting them down, especially if you've never done it before...

When you make your selections, you just hit apply, then okay.

By the way, you can tell it not to run your autoexec.bat. Windoze doesn't need it. This could also speed things up, because autoexec loads BEFORE windoze does...

See this way, you're not making any permanent changes to your system. If you don't like the results, go bak and undo them

Mike



[This message has been edited by grandslammer (edited 01-04-2000).]

[Pollux]

woohooo!!!
thanks a bundle to everybody who answered to this post even though it wasn't mine :P.

i had been noticing how much delay my computer had upon startup after i had installed my ethernet card. but after fiddling with the tcp/ip stuff and specifying an ip adress the bootup is 2 minutes faster! that's great.

my only question is this. when i go back to school and have my ethernet connection, am i going to have to change these settings and return to slow booting in order to use my connection? thanks again all
-pollux