Optimizing my SSD install.

I just re-installed Windows 7 on my machine and I want to maximize my boot speed. Everything else is blazing fast its just taking a long time (about 50 seconds) to boot, from and SSD mind you. Maybe some services I can disable safely for a faster boot that would be great. I dunno anyway if I haven't provided enough info please let me know so I can post it.

Thank you all. :)

I've got an i-5 2500 that boots in about 25 seconds from an Intel SSD.

I didn't go to any great lengths to optimize anything.

You should check alignment and minimize stuff that tries to load at startup.

What do you show with a checkmark on the startup tab of msconfig?

How many non-Microsoft services do you have running a couple of minutes after booting? 8? 28?

How many total processes do you have running a couple of minutes after booting? 45? 75?

Maybe post some screenshots of what you see.

Are you using RAID?

ignatzatsonic said:

You should check alignment and minimize stuff that tries to load at startup.

>How do I check alignment?

What do you show with a checkmark on the startup tab of msconfig?

1 Brother control center (printer software)
2 Catalyst Control Center
3 Keyboard macro program
4 intel delayed launcher (RST)
5 ESET (AV)
6 Install Shield update service-isuspm.exe
7 Install Shield update service-issch.exe
8 intel(R)common user interface-igfxtray.exe
9i ntel(R)common user interface-hkcmd.exe
10 intel(R)common user interface-igfxpers.exe
11 Malwarebytes
12 Virtu Control Panel

How many non-Microsoft services do you have running a couple of minutes after booting? 8? 28?

>23

How many total processes do you have running a couple of minutes after booting? 45? 75?
>~75

Maybe post some screenshots of what you see.

Will do

Are you using RAID?

Yes and no. There are no disks in an array but the primary storage controller is the RAID controller not AHCI. The AHCI makes the boot longer though.

EDIT: I've got it to 45 now.

Just for your comparison purposes:

I have 7 non-Microsoft services running and 54 total processes.

And I have 7 things checked in the startup tab of msconfig. You've got 12 things checked. Do a test--uncheck all but your anti-virus and see if that affects boot speed.

When you boot, do you see a series of dots progressing across a black screen for 20 to 30 seconds before Windows actually shows your desktop?

Right before windows logo it says "Loading Operating System...".

43 seconds now. Shaved off 5 seconds, nothing much.

See my post # 5.

No the dots extend from the "Loading OS" message and that takes up some of the least amount of time, the most its been is maybe 10 seconds.

This is my boot from start to finish:
1 Restarted PC Windows takes about 5-7 seconds to shut down.
2 POST starts BIOS starts trying to detecting IDE drives that aren't there.
3 AHCI BIOS starts and detects SATA devices connected or not.
4. "Loading Operating System..." about 5 seconds or less.
5. Windows Logo for about 5 seconds.
6. Welcome Screen Flashes and desktop is loaded and I can start any applications I need right off.

Thanks for your help so far, you've been a great help.

OK.

I'm not sure what else to tell you, but circa 45 is faster than nearly all standard HDD boot times.

You could investigate a more sophisticated product than Task Manager to take a look at what happens during your boot process in depth.

And maybe do some mild experimentation with BIOS settings. I asked about those dots because if you have your DVD drive set to boot first, Gigabyte boards will often search for a disc in the DVD drive and show about 25 seconds of dots--even when the DVD drive is empty. So there may be some oddball BIOS setting that has some effect. Most people can get an SSD down to a 30 second boot.

Did you check your SSD's alignment?

ignatzatsonic said:

OK.

I'm not sure what else to tell you, but circa 45 is faster than nearly all standard HDD boot times.

You could investigate a more sophisticated product than Task Manager to take a look at what happens during your boot process in depth.

And maybe do some mild experimentation with BIOS settings. I asked about those dots because if you have your DVD drive set to boot first, Gigabyte boards will often search for a disc in the DVD drive and show about 25 seconds of dots--even when the DVD drive is empty. So there may be some oddball BIOS setting that has some effect. Most people can get an SSD down to a 30 second boot.

Did you check your SSD's alignment?

I've been trying to fiddle with the BIOS settings but the documentation on some of the things for this board is cryptic or missing completely, typical Gigabyte crap.

SSD1: Partition Starting Offset 105,906,176 bytes (OS)
SSD2: Partition Starting Offset 1,048,576 bytes (data)