Boot speed/Windows XP install log

[polobunny]

I'm currently re-installing Windows XP Professional SP2 and each time I'm connecting hardware or installing a driver/software I reboot my system a few times to see how it affects boot speed.
This is my log, decided to publish it here since it could be useful for some people I guess.
Those are my results, calculated in additional "loading bars" (bars at XP loading screen).
They don't take into account loading times for your Windows session but I try to list processes that get added.

Windows XP is installed on WD3200KS.
Current boot speed: Half a bar.


HARDWARE

Connecting Seagate 1TB drive adds half a bar.
Connecting Western Digital 250GB drive adds 5-6 bars.

Solution for faster boot: Disable "WDC WD2500KS-00MJB0" under "Disk Drives" in Device Manager.

Connecting Sony USB card reader doesn't seem to impact performance.



DRIVERS

Installing Intel INF Update Utility (iata78_enu.exe) doesn't seem to impact performance.
Installing Asus ATK0110 (ACPI_1043400.rar) using Device Manager doesn't seem to impact performance.
Installing Realtek RTL8187 (ASUS_WiFi-AP_V5123002006_XP.zip) using Device Manager doesn't seem to impact performance.
Installing JMicron JMB36X Controller (JMB36X_WinDrv_WHQL_R1.17.32WHQL.zip) using Device Manager doesn't seem to impact performance.
Installing Marvell Yukon 88E8056 (setup_v10.55.3.3.zip) using provided setup.exe doesn't seem to impact performance.
Installing Creative X-Fi drivers (SBXF_PCDRV_LB_2_15_0006.exe) adds 1 bar.

Installation of drivers created a new service named "Creative Audio Service" (CTAudSvc.exe) and added 2 registry run entries (CTHELPER.EXE, CTXFIHLP.EXE).

Solution for faster boot: Disable "Creative SB X-Fi" under "Sound, video and game controllers" in Device Manager.

Installing eVGA Geforce 8800GT (174.74_geforce_winxp_32bit_english_beta.exe) doesn't seem to impact performance.

Installation of drivers created a new service named "NVIDIA Display Driver Service" (nvsvc32.exe) and added 3 registry run entries (NvCplDaemon, nwiz, NvMediaCenter).

While it doesn't seem to impact performance, loading screen now freezes then flashes for a split second (likely when display driver starts).

Installing Hauppauge HVR-1800 (hcw85bda_1_27_26017_whql.zip) using Device Manager adds 3 bars.

Solution for faster boot: Disable "Happauge WinTV HVR-1800" under "Sound, video and game controllers" in Device Manager.

Current boot speed: A bar.

Devices disabled: WDC WD2500KS-00MJB0, Creative SB X-Fi, Hauppauge WinTV HVR-1800.

Processes and services disabled: CTAudSvc.exe, CTHELPER.EXE, CTXFIHLP.EXE, nwiz, NvMediaCenter.

SOFTWARE

Installing Daemon Tool Lite (daemon4123-lite.exe) (without adware) adds a fourth of a bar.

Solution for faster boot: None apparent. Disabling newly created device or uninstalling leaves system slower to boot. Possibility that the STPD driver is to blame.

Installing Logitech G15 Gaming Keyboard software (lgps202.exe) doesn't seem to impact performance.

Installation of software adds 2 registry run entries (Launch LCDMon, Launch LGDCore), the first able to trigger more processes to spawn on the G15 LCD.

Installing Windows Install 3.1 adds less than a fourth of a bar.
Installing Logitech Quickcam Pro 5000 (qc1150.exe) (both applications and drivers) added a fourth of a bar.

Installation of software and drivers created new services named "LVSrvLauncher" (SrvLnch.exe), "Process Monitor" (LVPrcSrv.exe), "LVCOMSer (LVComSer.exe)" and added 2 registry run entries (Communications_Helper.exe, Quickcam.exe).

Solution for faster boot: Disabling services and removing registry entries seem to help but not my much. Disabling Logitech Quickcam Pro 5000 in Device Manager changes nothing.

Installing Razer DeathAdder software/driver (DeathAdder (EN) Driver1.08_FW1.25.zip) doesn't seem to impact performance.

Installation of software adds 1 registry run entry (razerhid.exe) which is able to spawn a processs for On-fly sensitivity adjustement named "razerofa.exe" and a second one for tray icon named "razertra.exe"

Current boot speed: A bar and a half.

Devices disabled: WDC WD2500KS-00MJB0, Creative SB X-Fi, Hauppauge WinTV HVR-1800.

Processes and services disabled: CTAudSvc.exe, CTHELPER.EXE, CTXFIHLP.EXE, nwiz, NvMediaCenter, Launch LGDCore, unticked LCD applications in LCDMon, LVSrvLauncher, Process Monitor, LVCOMSer, Communications_Helper.exe, Quickcam.exe, razertra.exe (using Razer Driver).

MISC

Activating AHCI SATA instead of IDE "compatibility mode" using this trick (here) and iata78_enu.exe removed one fourth of a bar.

Installation of Intel Matrix Storage Manager created 1 service named "Intel(R) Matrix Storage Event Monitor" (Iaantmon.exe) and added 1 registry run entry (Iaanotif.exe).

Current boot speed: A bar and a fourth.

Devices disabled: WDC WD2500KS-00MJB0, Creative SB X-Fi, Hauppauge WinTV HVR-1800.

Processes and services disabled: CTAudSvc.exe, CTHELPER.EXE, CTXFIHLP.EXE, nwiz, NvMediaCenter, Launch LGDCore, unticked LCD applications in LCDMon, LVSrvLauncher, Process Monitor, LVCOMSer, Communications_Helper.exe, Quickcam.exe, razertra.exe (using Razer Driver), Iaantmon.exe, Iaanotif.exe.

Installed Windows Updates (everything except Internet Explorer 7) and so far it didn't slow anything down.
Re-enabled X-Fi and WD2500KS. After 2 reboots WD2500KS weird behavior was back to normal, I guess it just had to be detected and all the crap.

Current boot speed: 2 bars and a half.



OPTIMIZING

Since I wanted to really get the fastest boot speed I could without hampering my Windows experience, I had to re-enable my sound card and TV tuner.
However, it added 4 lines to the loading process, line which I could live with... or wait for it later... while I'm under Windows!

Here's what I did for my sound card (try to keep up with me, same process for TV tuner by the way):

• Created a batch script to enable Creative SB X-Fi using devcon
• Created a scheduled task at computer boot and impersonated NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM account so the task would run seamlessly (no black DOS window showing)
• Created a batch script to disable Creative SB X-Fi
• Added a computer shutdown script using gpedit.msc pointing to X-Fi disable batch

Now, I wait a second longer at shutdown for the scripts to run (who cares, surely not me?!) but shave a few at boot since I enable the devices from inside Windows instead. I don't need my TV tuner directly when I boot obviously but it's still available nonetheless, without the exaggerated loading time it would take if I always let it enabled.
Only downside to disabling and enabling sound card at computer start (logon/logoff) is that I don't get to hear Welcome sound and if I start a process needing audio in the ~5 seconds following my logging in I will get a no sound card error.


Current boot speed: 1 bar and a half.


Still need to clean up this chunk of data up there, or make a condensed version.