Vista default all processes launches into all processors (virtual or physical) and set the priority to "Normal", as a result taking too much resources and cause deadlock between start up software. If you can reschedule all processes into proper priority and processor(s), you should be able to accelerate the boot up time and make application launching smoother and faster.
The Magical Command
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Below is a command that you can use in your shortcut (icon), or registry => HKEYLOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run.
C:\Windows\ System32\ cmd. exe /c start "title" /MIN {/LOW|/BELOWNORMAL|/NORMAL|/ABOVENORMAL|/HIGH|/ REALTIME} /AFFINITY {1,2,4,8 or Add Up} "directory\program. exe" program_parameters
For example, I had an Anti Spyware life update in my startup registry, 'C:\Program Files\SpywareDetector\LiveUpdateSD. exe'.
I can change it to 'C:\Windows\ System32\ cmd. exe /c START "LiveUpdateSD. exe" /MIN /LOW /AFFINITY 2 "C:\Program Files\SpywareDetector\LiveUpdateSD. exe" -AUTO'. In this command I set the process to "Low" priority, and assign it to second processor "2". Please take note that the process number should be interpreted as belows:
1 - CPU 1
2 - CPU 2
4 - CPU 3
8 - CPU 4
To Assign to CPU 2 + CPU 4, then number will be 2+8=10. So you need to specify /AFFINITY 10 in the parameters.
Use this command and lower all your messenger software and any programs that run at background. This will not only accelerate your boot up time, it also free up more CPU resources for application software.
Process Tamer
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This is a software to assign priority on each of your software, it will try to monitor and lower the priority of your background services, including Windows services. You can download it at DonationCoder. Just types "Process Tamer DonationCoder" and you should be able to download it.
To use this software properly, you can try to lower each process priority, set the software higher priority to speed up the process, normally just need to lower priority of the specific process or services. Try to maintain a "Normal" for most of my application, because "High" priority will always freeze your Windows but not necessary faster.
After properly reassign and reschedule the start up programs and frequent use application, you should feel faster and smoother, or you need to re-test your tuning again.
(C) Copyright 2008 Kok Choon - Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety as long as all links and author resources box in place.
Do you want to learn more tricks? You can find 58 step by step instruction with detail picture in this : Unleash Vista Power Advance Guide