Hi, here's my specs: Athlon XP 2800+ Barton Core No OC Processor Gigabyte 7N-400 Pro Motherboard 2x 512MB DDR333 CL 2.5 Dual-DDR Mode WD1200BB Primary HDD S.M.A.R.T. Mode UDMA5 WD300AB Secondary HDD S.M.A.R.T. Mode UDMA5 LTR-52246S CD-RW Primary CD/DVD UDMA2 DRIDE1648 DVD/CD-ROM Secondary CD/DVD UDMA2 GeForce4 Ti4200 64MB in AGP 8X Mode Windows XP Corporate w/ SP1 My problem is, whenever I try to run Bootvis, my system hangs on the Windows loading screen (ie the bar freezes) and I'm forced to reboot. At this point I started messing around in the BIOS and found if I changed my FSB to 100MHz it will boot, but then Windows freezes. I HIGHLY doubt it's the processor or the motherboard, the only time I ever have problems is when I try running Bootvis to Trace + Driver Delays. I haven't seen if this happens when I just use the Optimize function, but I think it's safe to assume so. After the BootVis deal I sometimes manage to go into Safe Mode and baically stop it from completing it's task, but the problem persists regardless, until I reinstall Windows, upon which everything is fine. I've searched for some solution to this or even a similar experience but to no luck. Any ideas what is causing the problem, or maybe an alternative to Bootvis even? Thanks, Jager

Don't know exactly why bootvis not working for you but I do know it requires the use of Task Schedular service (temporarily), so make sure its set to automatic. Alternatives to bootvis would be to tweak the services(do NOT disable but a few obvious security risk ones, but instead manualize the ones that do not need auto) and make sure nothing in your startup run regs and defrag often, also disabling prefetcher works well, every machine I've installed XP pro on boots up quick with no use of bootvis, although I have used it before many times but found out it not needed cause of the other tweaks.

Yeah, disabling services is always my first task when I reinstall. I know I had all the services enabled that BootVis requires (both Com+ services, Task Scheduler, etc) but it still didn't want to cooperate. I've also ran it the very first thing after a clean install, no tweaks or nothing, and it still fouls up. Black Viper has the most comprehensive guide to services I've seen, check it out here for those curious: http://blackviper.com/WinXP/servicecfg.htm I usually disable all the ones he says, plus ones that I know I don't need. Usually placing a service in manual is a bad idea, I've only found one service that actually starts and stops when needed if in manual, and that's IMAPI CD Burning. I don't NEED the extra boot decrease, after applying my usual tweaks to XP I can average a 20+/- second boot time, sometimes even 15! I'm just the type that needs to sqeeze every last bit out of his box, whether he needs it or not. lol Thanks for the response. Jager336

Hi again, sorry that you believe disabling services is a good thing, it's not!, trust me and let me explain, IMAPI can be stopped from starting at bootime in the subdirs here for your CD-RW drive/s: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\IDE\ can delete LowerFilters = Imapi and under parameters you can put enableimapi = 0 Nero uses IMAPI if you leave it on manual reguardless then stops after closing nero, probably some other apps use it also like WMP, wouldn't you rather know that these type of apps would not hang there waiting for IMAPI? leaves you wondering if the program is buggy. Too many things in XP rely on services at one time or another, lets say you disable Help and Support service, well then your start > help dont work obviosly, I personally dont use it much but if im installing for somebody else I leave it Auto. Have you looked at your event viewer lately? i'm sure theres lots of Reds/Yellows, the event logging is slowing your machine down just to report that the services failed to start. I've seen this Viper page once and laughed only cause when I first started messing with XP while back I did the same kinda things and found out later on something or another in XP didnt work right and left me pondering wtf... then I reinstalled XP yet another time and eventually learned my lesson. Anyhow, this is the recommend for services be set so that everything just plain works in XP and your event log viewer will be clean from them Reds/Yellows, your mileage may vary depending on your hardware/addon software and if your using dialup/wifi...etc Disabled: -Human Interface Device Access (Auto for USB keyboards if you want use of your buttons) -Remote Access Connection Manager -Remote Registry -Telnet Automatic: -COM+ Event System -Cryptographic Services -DHCP Client -Event Log -Logical Disk Manager -Network Connections -Plug and Play -Print Spooler -Protected Storage -Remote Procedure Call (RPC) -Security Accounts Manager -Server -Shell Hardware Detectiom -System Event Notification -WebClient (if disabled causes unable to load registry event issue from my experience). -Windows Audio -Windows Management Instrumentation -Firewall services Manual: -NVidia Service helper -Everything else.

A very informative post Joe, stuff i didnt know, but at the end of the day, if something doesn't work, then the first thing i check is the services i've disabled, common sense really. And people with small amounts of RAM should definately look into disabling services to free up memory, just make sure you take a note of any changes you make. Having said that, i agree with you in this case. Why the hell is he disabling services when he has 1 gig of RAM??? NO NEED!

I'll say it once again, MANUAL, not disabled. free's up RAM with no conflicts in XP. I have 512 of RAM: before service tweaks = 410 avail after = 444 avail using MANUAL instead of disabled on all but 4 mentioned above. Cheers, from joeschmo on the first day of summer :)

Joe: Good post, but there are a few points I'd like to make. Like Hooner13 said, if I find something doesn't work I check the services first thing. In that case, I just start the service and leave it be until I'm done. I've very rarely had something not work from stopping the services that I do. I just use Black Viper's page as a reference for what they do, and then decide for myself if I need it. Help and Support will still work even if you stop and disable the service, it will just start itself and put it back to automatic. I never use Help and Support. Also, when working on a PC for someone else I never touch the services unless it's to fix a problem, different configurations need different services and I don't want them complaining when something doesn't work because of a service I disabled. You do make good points though, and I will keep them in mind. Hooner13: To free up CPU cycles. I'm not positive of how much they use, if at all, but until I am I'd rather disable them. Jager