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Main Area and Open Discussion => General Software Discussion => Topic started by: cmpm on January 29, 2008, 12:21 PM
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http://www.thoosje.com/Tools.html
Has anyone else tried this little program?
I installed and ran it on my test machine and it made a good difference.
I couldn't find out what it does exactly.
But I'm out of time today.
Will check it out some more after work or tomorrow.
This explains it a little.
http://www.thoosje.com/Windows-XP-Optimizer-Help.html
And I found it through this site.
http://www.freecommander.com/
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This explains it a little.
http://www.thoosje.com/Windows-XP-Optimizer-Help.html-cmpm
none of the "more info" links on that page work :-\
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none of the "more info" links on that page work -tomos
- you already were at the "more info" page. ;)
Edit: But I need to know if one can choose which features to activate, or if they all are implemented at once?? I really don't want my XP to look like some Win 95 just in order to make it faster...
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GUI looks spiffy but i'd rather have more control on what is being optimised.. :)
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Yeah, I'd like to know what it's doing to my computer right now....lol...
When I get back home I'll check it out some more.
See if I can find any changes with my limited abilities.
I'll check process' and services and run some scans.
I have two machines that are about the same.
So I can compare pretty easily.
They both have similar things on them.
There is a forum about the program but I didn't have time to read any of it yet.
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I, for one, will be anxious for your report and findings on this.
BTW: He has some other interesting looking stuff and a lot of nice wallpaper/screen save images on his site, too.
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I really should have looked more carefully - the answer was of course given at the homepage (http://www.thoosje.com/Windows-XP-Optimizer.html):
[ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
[ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
- and with option to restore. :up:
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another optimizer that i found: XP-Config (http://64.233.179.104/translate_c?hl=de&langpair=de%7Cen&u=http://www.gaijin.at/dlxpconfig.php). the website is in German but the author uses Google to auto-translate into english. haven't tried it, though but do check out the website, there's some good-looking tools.
[ You are not allowed to view attachments ]
• http://www.gaijin.at/dlxpconfig.php
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Hrm, I'm not very fond of "black magic" apps that don't explain what they're doing. Of course you can always check with sysinternals' regmon, but still...
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f0dder, you're echoing my thoughts a few posts above.. :)
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Well, I've looked at 'process monitor' and don't really know what I'm seeing except when there's an icon, like my AV icon.
But anyways-
No changes in services and processes that I can see using sysinternals process explorer.
Full/Complete scans of-
AVG
A-Squared
Super Anti Spyware
Nothing turned up.
When I ran the optimizer, it took about 1 second and then you had to reboot. I'm going to browse the forums here in a bit, as I get some more coffee going here.
Going to run Ccleaner and Gladys Utilities in a bit too.
O and I have old Scotty on Patrol too.
No Barks....yet.
I don't know how to go much deeper to find things, hence the reason for this thread asking if anyone else has used this program.
-edit- I mean 'Glary Utilities' , for some reason Gladys is stuck in my brain for that set of programs...brain glitch....
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Toohsje has left the building
- because it crashed both itself, my startup manager, and XP. Bye bye!
:down: >:(
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Oh dear! (https://www.donationcoder.com/forum/esmileys/gen3/1Small/char067.gif)
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If you don't have some kind of way to test unknown software safely, then I wouldn't.
I have one computer I use for that purpose.
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Really, stay away of these auto optimizers. They never say what they change to achieve these magic results, and always fail. Plus, they could be using one of those optimizing myths that do exactly the opposite.
If they don't say what they do, or lack a open backup system (based on .reg files, even if they're ZIP compressed), give them a thumbs down.
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Really, stay away of these auto optimizers. -Lashiec
Maybe it would be appropriate to distinct between this, these and some.
I installed and ran it on my test machine and it made a good difference.-cmpm
BTW:
- and with option to restore.-Curt
:up:
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Will check it out some more after work or tomorrow.-cmpm
I, for one, will be anxious for your report and findings on this.-BigJim
- me too, cmpm.
How big a difference do you think it made? How many and which options did you activate?
:tellme:
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Curt,
I think everything it can do, it did.
I don't think it tweaked much considering the time it took-1 second.
Everything loads faster on reboot, once you are past the logon screen.
In fact it was so fast that Firefox loaded before the rest of the icons in my tray could load.
I have 12 programs loading at startup.
The thing I saw was that I did not get the icons of all the programs that are supposed to be running on startup, but they are running when I checked task manager.
All I had to do was log off and log back on to get all the icons in the tray.
But that has been a problem off and on with XP anyway.
And fodder, I don't think you know everything that runs in XP do you?
What every .dll is for, every file does?
I'm not trying to sell this damn program.
It's free anyway.
I wanted to know if anyone else has used it.
And I didn't check the obvious things like page file settings and performance settings yet.
I forgot to check those.
It will probably be this weekend or the next before I can see more. And I want to go through their forums and see what is being said.
I don't have a lot of time to play, that's why I limited my question to 'has anyone used or heard of it' or whatever I said up there.
ok?!
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Maybe it would be appropriate to distinct between this, these and some.
-Curt
These, as referring the program that titles the thread. Why? It gives you a set of options and says "Click here to optimize x", "Click here to optimize y", then press "Apply", and your computer will go faster. Whoo, and the program did, what? Optimize hard disk -> Disable registering last access (I guess), that it's a good thing for performance, but if you use temp files cleaners, we have a problem. Optimize processor -> Set the size of the L2 cache in the registry (a classic), that does absolutely nothing. Oh, and it prevents from getting miselanious cookies, great.
Perhaps I'm being a bit harsh, but I know these programs since a long time, at the turn of the millennium, tweaking Windows was the coolest thing ever, and the net was blooming with these apps, that did absolutely nothing, or totally obscured what they did, something that pissed me off. Of course, there are apps that gives you access to system tweaking, but without using empty tricks and telling you what are they going to do, and they're highly useful for various things, not only for making Windows run "faster". A good example? TweakUI or the same XPConfig that lanux mentions.
I understand cmpm concerns and we're not criticising you, but only giving some warning about possible problems that such software could inflict on Windows. I mean, in Curt's case, it brought the whole system down ;D
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i remember an old tweaker program called X-Setup that showed you what are the changes it is going to make to your system and also had a "recorder" function to revert the settings. i think the program has now changed from freeware to shareware.
you can check out this web-site for useful tweaks (but a bit dated): http://www.mdgx.com/wxp.htm.
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I just realized I used version 1.0.
And there is a 2.0.
Curt, you must have used 2.0.
I don't know the diff but I will try 2.0 sometime.
In 1.0 there is only one option, one optimize button.
2.0 has more options.
Here's a google search for it.
Some had problems, others didn't.
I think if you already have some optimizer then they would conflict possibly.
The top one is 2.0, then there are some reviews.
And of course we are in there too :).
http://www.google.com/search?q=Thoosje+Quick+XP+Optimizer&sourceid=navclient-ff&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1B3GGGL_enUS255US257
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- yes, I was trying version 2.0, and I only clicked the two options, Optimize Harddisk and Processor ("By removing limits and disable useless checks to make full use of your harddisk and your processor") and Optimize Applications ("By removing limits and disable useless checks to make full use of your harddisk and your applications").
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also check out today's app at GAOTD: Background optimizer (http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/background-optimizer/).
automatically optimizes computer while it’s idle.
Once it’s installed the program optimize your computer in the background without interfering with your normal work on your PC – it does its Background Optimizer whenever you take a break. One of the most valuable tools for your computer!
With this application you divide these 2 hours of computer tuning into free 5 minute periods and don’t even think about it! -website
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And fodder, I don't think you know everything that runs in XP do you?
What every .dll is for, every file does?
-cmpm
I stopped that little exercise when moving to win2000, as it's pretty futile and pointless. It's not very interesting, either, what's important is knowing what used and running modules are used for.
That said, I do have the debugging and disassembly skills to figure out what just about any file is used for, if I need to.
What it all boils down to is that I don't like snake oil. I don't like software authors that try to present their thing as magic. Especially not if the author is making money from it (yes, this particular app is freeware, but the author has banners on his site).
Lashiec: "disable last access" is a nice thing indeed, and most people don't really last-access timestamp anyway. Remember that turning of last-access timestamp doesn't turn off last-modify timestamp, only "I have to update filesystem metadata because the user looked at this file."
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also check out today's app at GAOTD: Background optimizer (http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/background-optimizer/).
-lanux128
OMG lanux128, that sounds like "rubbing salt into someone's wounds".
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also check out today's app at GAOTD: Background optimizer (http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/background-optimizer/).
-lanux128
OMG lanux128, that sounds like "rubbing salt into someone's wounds".
-PhilB66
oh! no harm is intended.. it is just my nature to group similar programs so that it is easier for comparison. ok, i'll refrain myself until further notice. :)
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I'm not wounded, if that's what you mean.
People can think and say what they want.
The only mind I can take care of is mine.
Heck, list as many optimizers as you want to.
I am interested, perhaps others are also.
Though I don't like gaotd,
except for the comments where there are some sound ones.
With good info and other places with other software.
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I prefer this site-
http://www.freedownloadaday.com/
The programs here stay free and available for more then a day.
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In System Properties-Advanced-Performance-Settings-
Advanced Tab, Under Process scheduling-
TQ Opt. changed it to having the processor to -
Adjust for best performance-*Background services*.
I had it on Programs
The Memory is still set to Programs.
My paging file is still set to the same settings I had it on.
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i remember an old tweaker program called X-Setup that showed you what are the changes it is going to make to your system and also had a "recorder" function to revert the settings. i think the program has now changed from freeware to shareware.
you can check out this web-site for useful tweaks (but a bit dated): http://www.mdgx.com/wxp.htm.
-lanux128
Yes, X-Setup Pro is what I've been using for years, precisely because it's very safe and it specifies what it's going to do. What's more, the code for every plugin is available at the click of a button.
MDGx is also an old friend, was very useful back in the 9x days, not only for tips, but also for information, software, troubleshooting, etc.
Lashiec: "disable last access" is a nice thing indeed, and most people don't really last-access timestamp anyway. Remember that turning of last-access timestamp doesn't turn off last-modify timestamp, only "I have to update filesystem metadata because the user looked at this file."
-f0dder
Yep, but it registers the last timestamp for everything, whether is an user peeking at the file, or a program accessing it. Programs like jv16 PowerTools or TuneUp Utilities use that timestamp to decide if they should delete a temp file or not, so that's why I don't use it. Of course, all files residing in the TEMP directory are mostly safe to delete, but those programs search for files in other parts of the filesystem.
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Adjust for best performance-*Background services*.-cmpm
- this helped! Things are happening a little faster now! :) :up:
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Thanks Curt,
It didn't change any Visual Effects, but I only have 5 of them checked.
So for someone that may have them all checked, it could change that.
And I'm staying with version 1.0 for now.
Just to see what else I can find.
If anything.
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Run this Curt, if you are familiar with this kind diagnostic stuff.
And still having problems with your computer.
It has a beginner, intermediate and advanced modes.
http://runscanner.net/
Discussed here a little bit.
I've been using it for a while and it works well.
https://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=9683.0
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Yep, but it registers the last timestamp for everything, whether is an user peeking at the file, or a program accessing it. Programs like jv16 PowerTools or TuneUp Utilities use that timestamp to decide if they should delete a temp file or not, so that's why I don't use it. Of course, all files residing in the TEMP directory are mostly safe to delete, but those programs search for files in other parts of the filesystem.
-Lashiec
If wiping out %TEMP% breaks an applicaiton, it's time to fill a bug report to the developers (the exception is if you've just installed something and haven't rebooted yet).
Leaving "last accessed" timestamp on just to be able to clean up a few files? Not a chance in hell, too much of a performance hit.
In System Properties-Advanced-Performance-Settings-
Advanced Tab, Under Process scheduling-
TQ Opt. changed it to having the processor to -
Adjust for best performance-*Background services*.
I had it on Programs
The Memory is still set to Programs.
My paging file is still set to the same settings I had it on.
-cmpm
Humm, setting the scheduling to "Background services" should actually make your system a bit less responsive... what it does is controlling the "quantum" (or timeslice) that programs are allowed to run before they're pre-empted. Background Services = longer timeslice = worse for most people.
Setting memory usage to "System Cache" is a good thing if you have at least a gigabyte of RAM and don't use an ATI graphics card (or rather, their buggy drivers).
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@f0dder
Any experience with "ConservativeSwapfileUsage=1" tweak? Does it really improve perfomance?
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Yes, X-Setup Pro is what I've been using for years, precisely because it's very safe and it specifies what it's going to do. What's more, the code for every plugin is available at the click of a button.-Lashiec
+1 for XSetup Pro :Thmbsup: I've been using since long before it became shareware and it's the only tweaking tool I use (other than TweakUIXP), for the exact reasons Lashiec states (though having the code available at the click of a button is completely lost on me :-[).
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@f0dder
Any experience with "ConservativeSwapfileUsage=1" tweak? Does it really improve perfomance?
-PhilB66
On Win9x, yes, I believe it did - made the kernel less likely to page things out to disk. Win9x was designed to run on pretty low-memory systems, when you moved to "enough" memory (64megs or above), it was often paging out stuff when not necessary.
On NT, ConservativeSwapfileUsage=1 has no effect at all.
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On NT, ConservativeSwapfileUsage=1 has no effect at all.
-f0dder
Thanks for clarifying this.
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To the page file usage tweaks on XP et al. I found this:
http://www.opentechsupport.net/forums/archive/topic/7124-1.html (see the last post)
and
http://technet2.microsoft.com/windowsserver/en/library/3d3b3c16-c901-46de-8485-166a819af3ad1033.mspx?mfr=true
So far I didn't dare to experiment with this. Anyone more brave?
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[/b]DisablePagingExecutive=1[/b] is a win even with relatively small (by today's standards) amounts of memory. I think I used it even back when I had less than 512 megabytes of memory? (but still not enough memory to disable paging completely). Paging drivers and kernel components to disk should sound pretty self-explanatory bad to everybody, I think. The reason it's being done at all is that NT was designed when systems had very little memory.
And windows tends to page things out to disk a bit aggressively, or so it would seem to me. DisablePagingExecutive=1 helped my system "recover" back to a usable stage (ie., stop disk thrashing from pagefile read/write) sooner, on the low memory systems, when I had exited something very resource intensive like a game/whatever, it was definitely measurable. Sure thing, turning that setting on meant that games/apps had slightly less RAM available for their use, but I was happy to sacrifice that to avoid the "thrashing recovery" after running intensive stuff.
I still have the setting on, but have been running without paging file ever since I got a gigabyte of memory, so I don't feel it's effects at all. This box has 2 gigabytes of memory, and it has never been a problem running without paging file. As soon as I can get my act together and transplant harddrives + graphics card, I will be running from a quadcore with 8 gigabytes of ram (there goes my savings...) and hopefully I'll never ever need to even consider using pagefile again :)
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Hey, send one or two GB this way! A couple of cores would be welcomed as well :D
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/me hoards his goodies