Step 1.
Clear the prefetch cache located at C:\Windows\Prefetch
Step 2.
[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Registry Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management\PrefetchParameters
Modify/Create the Value Data Type(s) and Value Name(s) as detailed below.
Data Type: DWORD Value // Value Name: EnablePrefetcher
Setting for Value Data: [0 = Disabled / 1 = Application Launch Prefetch / 2 = Boot Prefetch / 3 = Prefetch All]
Exit Registry and Reboot
My prefetch registry entry was set to 3.? I cleaned the c:\windows\prefetch directory out and set the registry entry to 0 to disable and I am much happier with my system performance.
Another tool that I find very useful is Mike Lin’s Startup Control Panel, which allows simple management of autostart applications.?
Happy optimizing!
-RJB
Great tip, txs Rich!
The Prefetch Folder is not a cache, cleaning it and setting the enableprefetcher value to 0 will REDUCE Windows and Application load times. If you think this is improving performance then you have never actually timed it. Cleaning the Prefetch Folder and Setting the Value to 0 are both Myths:
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/SupportCD/XPMyths.html
^ You moron, he didn’t say it would improve overall performance. It speeds up boot time, slows down application boot time. Simple as that.
You are not only a moron but an obvious fool. Setting enable prefetcher to 0 will disable it for boot and application loads. It will slow EVERYTHING down! So will cleaning the folder. That is right windows will boot slower and your applications will load slower!
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/SupportCD/XPMyths.html
If you want maximum performance LEAVE IT ALONE or if you changed it make sure the value is 3 and DO NOT CLEAN THE FOLDER!
OK, relax. No one needs to YELL and we for sure don’t need to call each other morons. Originally I merely stated that the changes that were made to the prefetch parameter appeared to make my system boot quicker (I have since rebuilt my system). I have no empirical data to prove this one way or the other but maybe I could suggest that someone could either prove or disprove this with some real data? To this point I have seen a lot of conjecture but no real measurement of the effects of this change in a controlled environment. I may take this challenge on myself.
Can anybody tell me if i change the value to 6, then what will happen?
thanks