XP/Windows Setup, System Optimizing and Drivers

[stevehookem]

Nick,

I am about to change my motherboard so I can OC my Q6600. I already have 4gb of 800 DDR2 RAM. I have been using Vista 32 so I haven't been getting the full RAM as I should. I had planned to use Vista 64 when I change the MB.

Are you saying I should go to XP instead? Will my RAM be wasted? I'm not using DX10 now anyway in Vista.

What do you suggest?

Also, do you have the complete optimization in PDF form? I'd like to print it. I don't know which version of the guide to use.

[NickN]

You can get acces to the full RAM amount (up to 4GB) on Vista or XP x32 by applying the cache edit listed on the first page of this thread

The list is what it is.. copy/paste works and no I do not have a PDF version. Vista optimizing is listed at the end of the 2nd post and I do not use Vista so there is nothing else I have for its setup

You can not use the prefetch tweak I listed for XP in Vista.. it wont work or have any effect

You can use O&O v8.6 as I laid out which will help

[macca22au]

Nick:  great to see that you are still with us.  I thought you had gone for good.  Keep up the suggestions.

But I will say this.  Vista 64bit accesses the whole 4 gigs, and lets FSX use as much as available.

With DDR3 and the new chips to come soon, then FSX will hum on Vista - its doing pretty darn good for me already.

It would be great if you could loosen up and dive into the Vista OS.  We need you there.  Remember many of us have chosen the latest system- some with no choice, and we'd really like to know how to cut out the unnecessary processes and cosmetics.

Nevertheless, my warmest regards,

[NickN]

author=macca22au link=1208959973/90#92 date=1220210849]Nick: great to see that you are still with us. I thought you had gone for good. Keep up the suggestions.

But I will say this. Vista 64bit accesses the whole 4 gigs, and lets FSX use as much as available.

With DDR3 and the new chips to come soon, then FSX will hum on Vista - its doing pretty darn good for me already.

It would be great if you could loosen up and dive into the Vista OS. We need you there. Remember many of us have chosen the latest system- some with no choice, and we'd really like to know how to cut out the unnecessary processes and cosmetics.

Nevertheless, my warmest regards,

LOL! "Loosen up"

My time is on GEX europe right now so Vista tweaking is not a priority

As I have mentioned in the past I may dive into it but not until I see a real benefit. If the next gen platforms are better perf with Vista I may go at it then

[macca22au]

Yes it was a LOL, and thanks for taking it that way.

But sometimes you're a bit like the preachers I remember from my youth, stern and disciplined and unyielding in the face of developments they think will corrupt the young.

Good to read you again.

[NickN]

ROFL

Well

being my Grandfather and several Uncles were southern Baptist ministers and my father was also involved the church I guess some of that rubbed off

It was: learn it, live it and don

[GabethePilot]

Nick,  I see that Disktrix has a new Ultimate Defrag version 8 that seems to be new.  I've heard that this product allows some manipulation of the MFT for better performance.  What do you think?

-Jim

If it ain't broke, dont fix it

Defragging regularly is a good idea.....I use Ultimate Defrag.....Folder Name Consolidation and it does make a difference.

[NickN]

author=GabethePilot link=1208959973/90#96 date=1221041908][quote author=NickN link=1208959973/0#8 date=1209759682][quote author=raptorx link=1208959973/0#7 date=1209697444]Nick, I see that Disktrix has a new Ultimate Defrag version 8 that seems to be new. I've heard that this product allows some manipulation of the MFT for better performance. What do you think?

-Jim

If it ain't broke, dont fix it

Defragging regularly is a good idea.....I use Ultimate Defrag.....Folder Name Consolidation and it does make a difference.

UD will not make use of the list I posted. That list has strict dependencies on the O&O settings I listed. Without O&O set up and used as specified, several reg changes that list makes will not apply any benefit to the system, at all

[macca22au]

Thanks Nick,  It took me a little while to see that they were testing an over-clocked GTS, which doesn't seem all that fair, in that the GTX can be overclocked substantially too (though I haven't done so) and it would no doubt race ahead on the testbed.

Until the next gen cards come out the GTX 768 will do me fine.  Obviously like many I would look forward to your comments when the new 'tock' CPUs and videocards arrive in a few months.

[macca22au]

Cardinal Nick Needham

Your Excellency:  O&O have come out with their version 11.   Are we permitted without fear of punishment, excommunication or burning to use this new version.

All ponderous jokes aside, has O&O resolved the problems that you found with version 10.

[Mobayrasta1]

Nick I have gone through your setup at the beggining of this post using Vista 32. My system is pretty weak. Athlon 64 3400, Nvidia 7800GS. 2 gigs of ram. I have not had a chance to check out my performance in FSX since it is still doing the Full name defrag for the first time in O&O 10. ( my system shut downs and restarts have been 1000 times faster) Now here is my question.

I have all ready owned version 10 of O&O for about 2 months before trying your settings in this thread. I have only done the full system defrag and have probably done it 6 times. I had never used space defrag from the drop down menu or an offline defrag. I went ahead and did the space defrag twice like your post said (never do more than 2 space defrag passes with version 10) Should I have done that even though I had all ready used Version 10 before for defragging? What exactly is the space defrag problem in O&O 10. Did I do something wrong or was this still the correct order?

I started the full name defrag last night around mid-night and it was telling me I still had 5 hours to go when I left for work this morning (7am) . Does that seem like an excessive amount of time are is this normal for my first run after doing 2 space defrags and a defrag before bootup ( I believe when it came up to the blue defrag screen before startup it said Stealth).

Sorry for the questions but I am worried that I did something wrong by doing the 2 space defrags even though I had used the program before. I am jumping the gun because I havn't even had a chance to touch the computer to check performance but the little nagging voice in my head is saying I should have asked before doing the space defrags.



Thanks for everything you are an awesome man for putting the time in to help everybody out. Your paitence amazes me.



Chris




Now I read the post above me and version 11 is out. I am sure since I just bough 10 that I can upgrade ( at least I hope) should I and should I start the whole procedure again from the beggining?

[NickN]

8.6 is OK for both XP and Vista, 8.5 is OK for XP



I am tied up with GEXeu right now so testing software is out of the question but as soon as I can I will check into it.

When it comes to defrag software, I cant see it giving you any boost assuming it fixed the issue v10 had. Their method of defrag in v8.5-8.6 was spot on and nothing I can think of is going to change that

I mean, think about it.. you are defragging in alphanumerical order with a Name Defrag.. the alphabet and a number line does not change

That is what makes the process work so nothing they may have done is going to change how that works

The problem with v10 was it left freespace between the clusters in a Name Defrag. Assuming they fixed that its still going to defrag using the same method as 8.5 and 8.6


If you are already on Version 10 just do not use the SPACE defrag after you run it the first 2 times.. after that the option is off limits for any maintenance runs later because it will destroy the NAME defrag job requiring the NAME defrag to run longer to fix what the SPACE defrag did. In 8.5 and 8.6 that is not an issue

[Mobayrasta1]

8.6 is OK for both XP and Vista, 8.5 is OK for XP



I am tied up with GEXeu right now so testing software is out of the question but as soon as I can I will check into it.

When it comes to defrag software, I cant see it giving you any boost assuming it fixed the issue v10 had. Their method of defrag in v8.5-8.6 was spot on and nothing I can think of is going to change that

I mean, think about it.. you are defragging in alphanumerical order with a Name Defrag.. the alphabet and a number line does not change

That is what makes the process work so nothing they may have done is going to change how that works

The problem with v10 was it left freespace between the clusters in a Name Defrag. Assuming they fixed that its still going to defrag using the same method as 8.5 and 8.6


If you are already on Version 10 just do not use the SPACE defrag after you run it the first 2 times.. after that the option is off limits for any maintenance runs later because it will destroy the NAME defrag job requiring the NAME defrag to run longer to fix what the SPACE defrag did. In 8.5 and 8.6 that is not an issue

Nick thanks for the quick reply.

I noticed when I got home and the first Complete-name defragging had finished, that there was now alot of space between the clusters as stated in your post. After my first 2 space defrags it looked so nice an tidy, LOL. I rebooted and it is now doing its second Complete-name defrag, it says it will take 3 hours. After that your post says to do one more offline defrag. Will that fix the spaces between my clusters? Should I keep doing name defrag until my clusters go back to having 0 space between them?  Any further help is greatly appreciated. I know you have a TON of stuff on your plate right now so if you don't have time to further explain I would totally understand.


Thanks again.


Chris

[diga]

Dear Nick,

Thanks lot for the information Regarding O&O Defrag and now they say they have Version 11 and some times ago I bought V10 and now use V8.6 for Vista( they gave free).
Is V11 is good for Vista?

[Deviant]

8.6 is OK for both XP and Vista, 8.5 is OK for XP



I am tied up with GEXeu right now so testing software is out of the question but as soon as I can I will check into it.

When it comes to defrag software, I cant see it giving you any boost assuming it fixed the issue v10 had. Their method of defrag in v8.5-8.6 was spot on and nothing I can think of is going to change that

I mean, think about it.. you are defragging in alphanumerical order with a Name Defrag.. the alphabet and a number line does not change

That is what makes the process work so nothing they may have done is going to change how that works

The problem with v10 was it left freespace between the clusters in a Name Defrag. Assuming they fixed that its still going to defrag using the same method as 8.5 and 8.6


If you are already on Version 10 just do not use the SPACE defrag after you run it the first 2 times.. after that the option is off limits for any maintenance runs later because it will destroy the NAME defrag job requiring the NAME defrag to run longer to fix what the SPACE defrag did. In 8.5 and 8.6 that is not an issue

Nick thanks for the quick reply.

I noticed when I got home and the first Complete-name defragging had finished, that there was now alot of space between the clusters as stated in your post. After my first 2 space defrags it looked so nice an tidy, LOL. I rebooted and it is now doing its second Complete-name defrag, it says it will take 3 hours. After that your post says to do one more offline defrag. Will that fix the spaces between my clusters? Should I keep doing name defrag until my clusters go back to having 0 space between them?