Vista Tutorial - Superfetch - Change Preload Data

The answer to your question is left as an exercise for the reader.

If I set Superfetch to only preload boot files, does it disable preloading other program files when I login (startup programs)? Or does this only pertain to Superfetch being used during boot time?

Hello Frank,

The preload Boot files are the startup programs, system files, and drivers loaded only during the startup (boot) of Vista.

The Program files are the programs you or Vista open and close while running in Vista.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Hi all.. Only just discovered this page while trying to find ways to improve my vista boot time. have been on here for about 6 hours before finally signing up. Jus looking through and disabled prefetch for testing.. using vista, typing prefetch showed a prefetch folder.. Inside are several files. Mostly .pf and some .ini. Is it safe to delete all of these files, then restart prefetch like you would with say cookies, or Temp folder? Or clearing your browser history? Or is there another way to reset it from scratch? I have been running vista for over 2 years, and lately am getting upwords of 30 secons just on the screen with the scrolling bar. Have spent several hours now clearing it up and am not seeing much luck yet. Hoping this Prefetch might asist with this, or i might be looking in the wrong place altogether. Thanks.

EDIT: Sorry, forgot to mention the folder is located:
C:\Windows\prefetch

Thanks again.

Hello Widget, and welcome to Vista Forums.

I would recommend to not delete these files. They are handled by Vista and well automatically be deleted if not needed by the system when the cache runs low. Having Superfetch fully enabled should normally help improve your computer's performance over time though.

If you have not already seen it, the tutorial below can help improve your boot time.

Boot Up

Hope this helps,
Shawn

Hi and thanks for the welcome.. I am currently going through each step.. Carefully and learning as i go. After every 2 changes i reboot and still havnt seen an improvement. About to double check all cpu's (quad core) are being used at bootup. At the same time just made the VBS script to time it. Normally i count those annoying little window bar runs. It always stops right at the end of the second one and my 2 dvd roms go crazy spinning up, then i cop another 12 to 16 bars before the TMM(TTM?) and then i get a quick desktop load.. Its the bars that are frustrating me to no end.. After a fresh install (Have done 5 now in last 2 months) i get about 4 bars, 6 after Mboard and Vid card drivers.. Then after a day im at 14+. Sigh.. Ok due for another reboot. Thanks heaps for all the info though, this site has saved me visiting google a few thousand times over the weekend.

Widget21

Hi Shawn, 2 quick questions for you?
If i allow superfetch for Boot files,
1: Will it reduce my boot time?
2: Will it cause Programs to run slow?

Hello Kavita,

Superfetch is designed to speed up the loading of both of these items by preloading what it thinks you will need into RAM to have there ready to go. It will learn your patterns better over time, and thus improve performance by being more accurate on what it preloads into RAM.

Q1) No. If enabled, it can actually improve your boot time performance by having these preloaded in RAM.

Q2) If disabled, it may cause your programs to not load as quickly than if Superfetch would have had the data for the program preloaded into RAM.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

I'd rather allow both Programs and Boot Files to get into superfetch.
Wonderful tutorial. Thanks alot.

You're welcome Kavita.