How can I reduce Windows 7 boot times?

I have a Sony VAIO laptop that has an i7 processor, 6 GB of RAM and a 7200 RPM 500 GB 2.5 inch drive.

I work in .NET, so I have SQL Server Developer, Visual Studio and a lot of other tools like that.

The machine takes nearly 4 minutes to boot up. I actually timed it this morning and it is 2:45 seconds, although it is still isn't really responsive at that point. It's clear things are still loading, in other words.

I have ReadyBoost but that doesn't seem to help. Most of the boot up occurs before ReadyBoost even comes online, which is a shame because the flash memory for it is quite fast.

Is there a way to speed up the boot time and/or make ReadyBoost more effective?

Solution 1:

There is a freeware program called Soluto which is claimed to speed up Windows boot time. It works for Windows 7. I haven't experienced it but I think it is worth trying in your case.

Solution 2:

Have you tried running "Autoruns"?

You could start with entries under "Logon".

This utility, which has the most comprehensive knowledge of auto-starting locations of any startup monitor, shows you what programs are configured to run during system bootup or login, and shows you the entries in the order Windows processes them. These programs include ones in your startup folder, Run, RunOnce, and other Registry keys. You can configure Autoruns to show other locations, including Explorer shell extensions, toolbars, browser helper objects, Winlogon notifications, auto-start services, and much more. Autoruns goes way beyond the MSConfig utility bundled with Windows Me and XP.

Solution 3:

4 minutes of boot time with those specs, means something is very wrong with your laptop. Has it always been that slow?

I strongly suggest making Sony take a good look at it just to make sure there are no hardware issues, if it is still covered by the warranty.

If there aren't any hardware issues, then try to format the hard drive and reinstall everything.

Upgrading to a SSD hard drive will give you the best possible speed boost, but at a cost. Alternatively, a hybrid drive such as a Seagate Momentus XT will give you some extra speed without breaking the bank.

Solution 4:

You can use Windows Performance Tools Kit to analyse your leak of boot performance. This tool give you detailed information about the Windows boot process. Take a look on google for it.... To understand the boot phases i recommend you look too for the "Windows On/Off Transictions". In this document Microsoft provides on them knowledge base descriptions about all phases and processes that needs to be booted on your system. I know a way to improve your system boot time using the Windows Performance Tool Kit, you can type the command: "xbootmgr -trace boot -prepSystem". It will boot up your computer for six times genarating prefetches for the boot process....