Windows 7: How to make windows 7 boot faster

My laptop takes longer to finish booting (60-70 seconds) than my slower desktop that boots up in about 35-45 seconds.

My laptops CPU is a Core i5 vs my desktop which is an old Pentium 4 HT. I've disabled the same amount of programs to start up on both so I don't know why the laptop is taking longer. Any ideas why its like this? or how to improve the boot time?

First thing I'd try, assuming the laptop HD just isn't way slower than the desktop, is enable boot logging:

Advanced Boot Options

Look through the log and see if it is waiting for drivers that don't exist. Sometimes if you pull off stuff like Norton av without using the Norton removal tool, it leaves references to the drivers to load in the registry. The machine can time out waiting for driver files that have been deleted, to load.

Could be something else too. It may give some clue. When you are done just turn logging back off.

Hi,

Another option is to install and run free Soluto. This program gathers information about each component that loads during bootup, as well as how long each component takes. It presents the results in an easily understood graphic that will help you work out your bootup times.

The program is a beta version, but I have found it to be stable and rock solid. Post back here if you need more help with that.

Regards,
Golden

I tried Soluto just now. It just gave me options to disable programs that I can disable myself with CCleaner. Used Norton Removal tool to clear up registry settings but still the same. Any other ideas?

Generally the boot bottleneck is the disk, not the CPU or RAM (especially considering Windows 7 does pretty much everything in parallel once the kernel and base supporting structure are bootstrapped). If you can get an xbootmgr trace (you only need to install the tools and run the boot trace command - I can do the analysis of the resulting .etl) I can tell you what's happening, but you may simply be running into the laws of physics if you're not using an SSD in your laptop.

Hi,

I find the value in Soluto is not so much the ability to disable items (which as you point out can be disabled by other means) but its ability to show you exactly what is loading, and how long it takes.

Once you know what is loading and how long it takes, you have a base from which to work on things.

Regards,
Golden

Removing Norton bloatware should help a lot. Use MSE or Avast 5 with Windows Firewall for best performance.

I only allow AV and gadgets/stickies to start with computer - the others are freeloaders at all times on startup, RAM, CPU and can spy on you.

Watch the logs closely and do standard troubleshooting and maintenance.

If the problem persists use the tool which the pro's use to trace boot hangs, which is adminstered by our own Cluberti who may be the top expert in the world on this: Trace Windows 7 boot/shutdown/hibernate/standby/resume issues - MSFN Forum

The idea is to look at the log and see if the system is timing out while trying to load drivers because the driver files have been removed. Norton av is just one example.

+1. Cluberti knows his stuff and helped me work out and fix a problems withmy bootup times.

I am assuming this is the system you are referring to....

LIFEBOOK AH Series - Notebooks - Product Catalog - Fujitsu

1.) Don't install a bunch of garbage that wants to start at boot, or disable the Start at login/boot/whatever function of that software.

2.) Defrag

3.) Make sure there is no bloatware running, and disable/uninstall any power management software (ACER has a horrible power management software they install that causes all kinds of issues) don't know if Fujitsu has something similar. (And it appears they do)

4.) If the Hard Drive speed is only 5400RPM (which it probably is), there isn't anything you can do other than replace the Hard Drive with a faster one. Your desktop is more than likely a 7200RPM drive. I repeat, you will not be able to do anything other than replace the drive.

https://globalsp.ts.fujitsu.com/dmsp...book-ah530.pdf

5.) read GregRockers post, if there are any issues with Drivers, or OS install, then that could cause slowness issues.

6.) Other Hardware could also be an issue, if it's bad. See Here for the System Diags