How to speed up your system

[Guest]

[LeoniAquila]

I just ran JKdefrag's commandline using the -a 3 switch ("C:\Program Files\JkDefrag\JkDefragCmd.exe" -a 3), which took like an hour or so to finish, but that's because that one is for sorting files & directories by name.  Good thing it paid off because I could've sworn my boot-time was less than 20 seconds right after .

Isn't this done by default in the "normal" JkDefrag?

-a N              The action to perform. N is a number from 1 to 11, default is 3:
                    3 = Defragment and fast optimize [recommended].

LA

[Matty_R]

Im all for this speeding up of your system but make a note of any m$ sevices you stop and set to manual/disable.I read with joy the topic in another post between Morphos Rebol/Soya/Ragwing/LA et all about which services to ditch and which to keep.Just make a note of what you did as some are needed from time to time(like BITS is needed to get M$ updates) so you can reactivate them when needed.
I think ill give JKDefrag a whirl as it sounds like a descent tool to have,any suggestions on settings or should i just go with the default?

Top reading Nice 1 Matty

[LeoniAquila]

I think ill give JKDefrag a whirl as it sounds like a descent tool to have,any suggestions on settings or should i just go with the default?

I only run the default program (there are others too, like screen saver mode and the one Soya refers to, etc.). Then you won't have any option whatsoever - it'll just start the process and there's nothing you can do! Not even a "stop" or "pause" button. No big deal I think, but some people may miss it. Perhaps such features are included in those GUI:s mentioned earlier?

LA

[Matty_R]

Cheers LA,think ill just go for default for now and see what its like.

Nice 1 Matty

[Soyabeaner]

Isn't this done by default in the "normal" JkDefrag?

-a N              The action to perform. N is a number from 1 to 11, default is 3:
                    3 = Defragment and fast optimize [recommended].

Oops.  I copied the wrong shortcut for my regular JKDefrag operation.  It should be the -a 7 switch for name sort, which the site recommends to only do once, and then from thereon to auto-run the -a 3 one daily.  I don't defrag everyday as I find it's not necessary for me.  Remember: excessive defragging can shorten the hard driver's life span.  One must seek the correct balance.

Im all for this speeding up of your system but make a note of any m$ sevices you stop and set to manual/disable.I read with joy the topic in another post between Morphos Rebol/Soya/Ragwing/LA et all about which services to ditch and which to keep.Just make a note of what you did as some are needed from time to time(like BITS is needed to get M$ updates) so you can reactivate them when needed.
I think ill give JKDefrag a whirl as it sounds like a descent tool to have,any suggestions on settings or should i just go with the default?

I have a simple .bat script file that can handle those pesky "needed" services so that it can be run on-demand:

Code:

wuaucpl.cpl
sc config wuauserv start= disabled
sc stop wuauserv
sc config BITS start= disabled
sc stop BITS

That can be pasted into a text file with Notepad and then saved as .bat (I find it must be saved as ANSI encoding format to run batch files).  This basically opens the XP's System Properties at the Automatic Updates tab, which from there you can click Notify me but don't automatically download or install them and then click Apply.  Once business is done, click Turn off Automatic Updates and click Apply and OK to close everything including the script.  It also stops and disables the BITS & Auto Updates services.  This should only be needed once a month.  It's not much of a shorcut because it involves at least 4 clicks, but at the same time it gives the user full awareness and control.

[Japo]

I only run the default program (there are others too, like screen saver mode and the one Soya refers to, etc.). Then you won't have any option whatsoever - it'll just start the process and there's nothing you can do! Not even a "stop" or "pause" button. No big deal I think, but some people may miss it. Perhaps such features are included in those GUI:s mentioned earlier?

If you read the info in JkDefrag's website, it's perfectly safe to close it at any time, and it will even finish the current operation in the background. I only run it as default as well. I usually don't defrag in weeks and then when I do there uses to be not much fragmentation and the process takes like 15 minutes. If you just use your computer without installing new stuff you're not creating fragmentation so there's no use in defragmenting often.

Another tool:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897426.aspx

This one is for defragmenting system files that normal defragmenters aren't supposedly able to defrag because they're at all times open for exclusive access. It configures the system temporarily to run at the next boot before these files are opened. However I've never needed it, it always shows that all my system files aren't fragmented.

[Yuriy]

Another tool:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897426.aspx

This one is for defragmenting system files that normal defragmenters aren't supposedly able to defrag...

I noticed that JkDefrag is capable to defragment registry hives on running system without the need to use PageDefrag (but of course, it can't defragment pagefile on running system).

At least it does so on my XP X32 system.

[Matty_R]

Many thanks guys,have just ran JKDefrag and it was lovely jubely,sorted everything so it is all nice and neat.
Thanks for the .bat script file bit soya but im sorry but that is a bit over my head at the present,maybe in the future who knows.

Nice 1 Matty

[Japo]

I forgot the obvious. The following applies to XP, not sure about Vista but may have the same options at least elsewhere:

Right-click on "my computer", select "properties > advanced > performance settings". You can disable as much as you want, my advice is disabling everything and then decide what you're missing and re-enable it, no need to use some aesthetic effect you don't even notice --or you think it's dumb like I do about the pointer's shadow. I myself have enabled only the minimize/restore animation and the skins.

Also if you don't have to search heavily, or if you use a third-party desktop search tool, the built-in Windows file indexing service isn't worth it. Right-click on your hard discs, choose "properties" and disable indexing there. You then can also disable the corresponding service.

From here:

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/SupportCD/OptimizeXP.html

I think that site is more or less trustworthy and won't encourage to tweak your system until actually it no longer works.

I noticed that JkDefrag is capable to defragment registry hives on running system without the need to use PageDefrag (but of course, it can't defragment pagefile on running system).

Yes that must be why I haven't had to use PageDefrag. Actually once it reported one of the files was fragmented in two but after running just JkDefrag it was defragmented again.

[Ragwing]

Oh, might also want to add this:
If you have a lot of RAM, you might want to disable the virtual memory (pagefile).
To do so, do what Japo wrote above, but click Advanced and then find Virtual Memory and disable it.
RAM works much faster than the HDD, and I think Windows will use the virtual memory even if there's RAM available.
Remember that the pagefile size should be around RAM x1.5

[Yuriy]

Oh, might also want to add this:
If you have a lot of RAM, you might want to disable the virtual memory (pagefile).

I have XP SP2 x32, 1 GB of RAM. Once i disabled pagefile in properties of "my computer" as i wanted windows to use RAM only (as i noticed that always have 65% of RAM free). But windows created new pagefile upon reboot with default size (RAM x1.5). I go to properties to check and it shows that pagefile is disabled (windows is cheating...).

Then i set pagefile 100mb to 100mb. Result: windows complains (message in syslog something like "you are running out of virtual memory").
Now i have pagefile set to 200mb, no complains from windows so far and no problems with system's perfomance either.

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/SupportCD/OptimizeXP.html

Japo thanks for the link. Useful information.

[gordon]

Do NOT turn off the page-file, both windows and applications expect it to be there .
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;555223
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/SupportCD/XPMyths.html

[LeoniAquila]

I know there's more for me to discover when it comes to JkDefrag, this far I have only run the standard JkDefrag.exe.

I'm also thinking of the page file size, I've read that it should be 1.5 times your RAM, even though if you increase your physical RAM. Makes no sense to me. I guess there's an explanation, right now I just don't want to google for it.

LA

[hbobeck]

I've heard that Vista is not so flexible in performing an on-demand defrag as defrag is somehow generally done...

Anyone feedback on the Vista-thing?

Harry

[Soyabeaner]

I have XP SP2 x32, 1 GB of RAM. Once i disabled pagefile in properties of "my computer" as i wanted windows to use RAM only (as i noticed that always have 65% of RAM free). But windows created new pagefile upon reboot with default size (RAM x1.5). I go to properties to check and it shows that pagefile is disabled (windows is cheating...).

Then i set pagefile 100mb to 100mb. Result: windows complains (message in syslog something like "you are running out of virtual memory").
Now i have pagefile set to 200mb, no complains from windows so far and no problems with system's perfomance either.

It's true.  Ever wondered why the XP defragmenter runs slower in Safe Mode?  Disabling Virtual Memory is a bad idea.

My PC had that message before when I set the pagefile to a fixed size that was around 300MB, and didn't get that message until I ran a game, which obviously requires a lot of memory.  Mine is set to 400 MB, but I reckon I can re-size it down.  The trick is to monitor the Task Manger - there is one particular value that shows the peak memory used during on session.  If you open all the programs you think you'll ever need at the same time, that might be a good indication of the "right" pagefile size.

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