What's up with Bootvis they ask???

I imagine most of you have used bootvis at some point. For those who haven't, you can find info about it all over the web and, most readily, at MIcrosoft as they built the tool. It's for analyzing boot times and processes and (until recently) was also said optimize boot times in WinXP.

I read about it, found it, ran it and must say that I saw an improvement... particularly in shut DOWN times. Anyway... The app. was stated to help boot times all over the web. I don't know if this is EXACTLY what Microsoft said, but they're saying quite the contrary now....

From MS: "Please note that Bootvis.exe is not a tool that will improve boot/resume performance for end users. Contrary to some published reports, Bootvis.exe cannot reduce or alter a system's boot or resume performance. The boot optimization routines invoked by Bootvis.exe are built into Windows XP. These routines run automatically at pre-determined times as part of the normal operation of the operating system."

About 4 moths ago, I was cleaning up this very system (the 4 month ago version) and decided to run Bootvis again. I looked closely at the readme file (as I often do not do well enough on first runs - my bad) and it stated that you should create x directory on your C drive and run it from there. Well... I just moved the standalone app. to that new directory and fired it up. Some of you are going "ouch," I can hear it. Anyway, long story short, the app. had already run in my Downloads directory and apparently installed a few files for future reference. When I tried to run it from this new directory, I got stuck in a boot/crash loop that ultimately was only solved by booting to safe mode, backing up my things and reformatting. It is possible I could have fixed this, of course, but I didn't realize that bootvis was the culprit, at the time.

After all was said and done, I managed to put 2 and 2 together and wrote to the MS rep in the readme file. He was very cool and, after a few emails, also made the connection and explained to me what I had surmised. Moving the app. to a new directory after it had run once in another folder was a BIG problem.

So, I dunno if this has anything to do with the recent announcement re: this litle app., but just something I wanted you all to know.

I still use it... and even if it doesn't REALLY help, it sure seems to... and often that's plenty to make me happy.

sp/\z

 

Thanks for posting, very clear and well written.
Unfortunatly Windows will never have a "drag and drop" installation where a program or OS has all its files in its own folder. Other OS's do this and program install/removal is intuitive and flawless. The registry is one of MS's controls over us so we have to play the MS game. Renaming a folder or moving an app can cause it not to function unless the registry is edited. Even then the program may not run. Editing the registry takes time and a lot of studying. Having the boot programs in a text file like the old autoexec.bat and config.sys was too easy, no $$ in training for MS. Now we have "improvements" in Windows and need many hours of training to do the same thing.

I use Bootvis on every computer I make for myself to see what is going on and usually save 10 to 20 seconds over the original boot times.

Bootvis is an OEM tool, we are supposed to buy computers that are all set up by "professionals" (someone who took all the MS courses). MS hates the end users, they want to deal only with OEM and IT departments. End users are not cost effective.

Good thing we have Major Geeks to turn to for free, quality help.

 

The've actually removed bootvis to be downloaded from the whole website, which I think is a right pain I was doing a tune up on a work laptop and went to download it and couldnt, ra!

 

Its on this site though

 

Much to their dismay... the end user is now the MCSE student, the web programmer, the designer, the MajorGeek, the hardware freak... we're all catching up with them and it's a mighty fear to think that your customers might "catch on" one day. Fortunately for them, there will always been legions of loyal folks who trust in them to provide a quality product.

Amen to that, my friend.

sp/\z