Windows XP Startup

[Guest]

Is there any way to keep the Windows XP desktop from appearing until all of
the programs and services have loaded?

I can't stand it how when I boot Windows XP the desktop appears but I'm not
able to use it yet 'cause it's still loading my programs and services. I've
already done the config stuff or whatever to remove services from my startup
but it's still slow. I've also defragmented the disk and compressed old
files to save on disk space. Whenever I've used Mac OS X it's been
completely ready to use when the desktop showed up, but for some reason this
never happens with Windows. Does anyone know a way to delay the display of
the desktop until it's completely loaded? Maybe there's a setting or some
program? I don't know... Thanks for your help.

-peaviner

 

[Terry R.]

On 8/30/2007 9:28 AM On a whim, peaviner pounded out on the keyboard

Is there any way to keep the Windows XP desktop from appearing until all of
the programs and services have loaded?

I can't stand it how when I boot Windows XP the desktop appears but I'm not
able to use it yet 'cause it's still loading my programs and services. I've
already done the config stuff or whatever to remove services from my startup
but it's still slow. I've also defragmented the disk and compressed old
files to save on disk space. Whenever I've used Mac OS X it's been
completely ready to use when the desktop showed up, but for some reason this
never happens with Windows. Does anyone know a way to delay the display of
the desktop until it's completely loaded? Maybe there's a setting or some
program? I don't know... Thanks for your help.

-peaviner

Sounds like you've done everything you can do. Strange how the computer
I'm using today doesn't make me any more productive than the ones I used
back in 1988 with a memory manager and DeskView (386-20 with 2 meg of
RAM). The big difference being when the old machine showed the Desktop,
it was READY to go. Windows wants to run 50 things after giving us the
impression it's ready to go, but just try to access the Start Menu or
anything else until all that junk has been processed. Mind you this
isn't quite the way my machine reacts, but I work on computers all the
time that I sit and wait before I can do anything.

Other than install more RAM, faster hard drive, and graphics card
(assuming you already have a fast CPU), there isn't much left to do, if
you've already removed unnecessary items from the Startup Menu, etc.
Are you using an efficient AV program (not Norton)? AV Suites tend to
put way too many items running all the time.



--
Terry R.

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[Guest]

I've got a laptop so I don't think I can change the processor (AMD Athlon
XP-M 2400+) and the ram is maxed out (1Gb). I guess I should upgrade my hard
drive (40Gb @ 4200rpm), it's kind of slow. I'm not using Norton, and since
I'm at work right now I can't check to see which one I am using, but it is
one that is highly recomended by Consumer Report magazine.

Thanks for your input,
peaviner

 

[Unknown]

Obvious something running after you boot up and get the desktop. Shut down
your virus program and try.

 

[Terry R.]

On 8/30/2007 10:06 AM On a whim, peaviner pounded out on the keyboard

I've got a laptop so I don't think I can change the processor (AMD Athlon
XP-M 2400+) and the ram is maxed out (1Gb). I guess I should upgrade my hard
drive (40Gb @ 4200rpm), it's kind of slow. I'm not using Norton, and since
I'm at work right now I can't check to see which one I am using, but it is
one that is highly recomended by Consumer Report magazine.

Thanks for your input,
peaviner

4200 RPM drives are very slow now days.

I got a defunct Compaq 2800 with a P4 Mobile 1.8 GHz in it a client gave
to me after the hard drive died for a 2nd time and they replaced it. I
replaced the hard drive (4200 also) with a 7200 RPM Hitachi and upped
the RAM to 1 gig from 256 meg and it flies now. Boots to the Desktop in
35 seconds. I use Antivir for AV and it doesn't bog the CPU at all.
It's one of the fastest laptops I've used, even comparing it to the
newer Dells a lot of clients have, in fact it runs as quickly as one of
the core 2 Dells, so cpu isn't everything.

--
Terry R.

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[Guest]

Yeah, I should probably go with a 7200rpm drive. I too had the hard drive go
out on me (first day of school a year or so ago; screen said, "Operating
system could not be found." I was so bummed) and it was replaced with a
similar drive but was unfortunately still a 4200rpm drive. As of right now
it seems like getting a faster hard drive is going to be my best bet for
decreasing the startup time.

Thanks

 

[Terry R.]

On 8/30/2007 2:42 PM On a whim, peaviner pounded out on the keyboard

Yeah, I should probably go with a 7200rpm drive. I too had the hard drive go
out on me (first day of school a year or so ago; screen said, "Operating
system could not be found." I was so bummed) and it was replaced with a
similar drive but was unfortunately still a 4200rpm drive. As of right now
it seems like getting a faster hard drive is going to be my best bet for
decreasing the startup time.

Thanks

You're welcome and good luck. Just a note about 7200 RPM drives. They
tend to run hotter, so make sure you don't smother the bottom of the
laptop on a pillow or something similar.

--
Terry R.

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