Archive for November, 2009:
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Using MSCONFIG (4)
Exercising Startup Options
The Startup tab might be the most important tab the MSCONFIG provides because it shows all of the applications that get started when you log into Windows XP. Figure 7.16 shows a typical view of this tab.
You should know every entry on this tab because somewhere along the way, you installed every item on this list. When you don’t know an entry, clear its entry, reboot the machine, and see if anything is missing. Sometimes, you’ll encounter spyware, adware, or even viruses using this simple tab because it draws information from every startup location on your system.
The Startup tab includes three important pieces of information. First, it provides the human readable form of the application name. This isn’t the name that appears on the application title bar, in many cases, but the name that appears when you view the application’s properties. Second, it shows the location of the application on your hard drive, which is especially important to know when you want to remove the application. Third, you’ll see the location of the startup entry—even when it appears in the registry. This information helps you disable the startup application permanently, rather than the temporary fix that MSCONFIG provides.
If you accidentally disable a startup application you need because you don’t recognize its name, simply check the entry in MSCONFIG again and reboot your system. That’s one of the best parts about using MSCONFIG—any change you make is fixable because the entry is only disabled, not removed.
Taken From : Microsoft Windows XP Power Optimization
Using MSCONFIG (4)
NOTE Windows XP always checks for new entries in both WIN.INI and SYSTEM.INI. It automatically adds any new entries that it finds to the appropriate section of the registry. This is the reason why you can get rid of these two files if you have a stable system and none of the 16-bit applications that used to rely on them.
You have to exercise care when working with WIN.INI. Microsoft has decided to change course yet again and is trying to get developers to use external storage files again so their application settings aren’t in the registry. This technique allows for what Microsoft calls XCOPY compatibility—someone can copy an application from one machine to another using the XCOPY utility (described in the “Using XCopy” section of Chapter 3). Consequently, I recently found settings for the scientific calculator that comes with Windows XP in WIN.INI, along with settings for WinSize (a program I used for sizing application dialogs precisely) and my hexadecimal (programmer’s) editor. I have no doubt that INI (initialization) files will become popular again, so you need to work with them carefully.
Avoiding BOOT.INI
The BOOT.INI tab might look like it contains interesting settings, and it does for diagnostics, but you should probably avoid it when optimizing your system. This tab shows the basic startup process for Windows XP and contains some special check boxes for performing diagnostic tasks. For example, you can check /BOOTLOG and Windows XP will record every event during the startup process. The only problem with the resulting boot log is that it’s huge and very hard to understand. You can even select the /SAFEBOOT option, but these features are available using other, less intrusive techniques, such as pressing F8 when you start your machine.
Selecting Services
Windows services are normally very stable and you won’t have any trouble with them. However, it’s possible that you’ll run into services that you really don’t want or need. You can’t remove a service using MSCONFIG, but you can disable it, reboot the machine, and discover how the machine will operate without that service. The “Clearing Unnecessary Services” section of the chapter tells you a better way to work with services on your machine. In general, the features on the Services tab are nice and you can use them for experimentation, but it’s better to work with the services directly. To remove a service temporarily, clear its entry. Check the entry again when you want to
enable the service.
Taken From : Microsoft Windows XP Power Optimization
Using MSCONFIG (3)
TIP Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) enhances security to the point of strangulation in many cases. Microsoft purposely ignored backward compatibility when creating SP2 because the cries of people suffering from the poor security of previous Windows versions were so loud. The worst thing you can do for your system is install SP2 if you need to run any 16-bit applications. When you see entries in SYSTEM.INI other than those displayed in Figure 7.15, watch out, SP2 isn’t for you.
You don’t really need to remove the font entries from the list. They do consume a small amount of system memory, but you need them in some cases. The important issue is that you want these fonts available in case you do have a 16-bit application that needs them. The application can then tell you that any drivers you disabled are missing. It’s not a perfect optimization technique, but it works.
Understanding WIN.INI
Windows XP can theoretically get along just fine without WIN.INI. However, before you get rid of your file, you might want to check it out first. A few applications, especially screen savers, load themselves by using the LOAD= or RUN= lines of this file. You can get around this limitation by adding the filenames to your Startup folder and changing the application settings as needed. (You may want to get rid of a screen saver that uses these WIN.INI entries if it’s a 16-bit application. A 32-bit screen saver will be more responsive and less likely to crash your system.)
Many applications also store their file-association information in WIN.INI. Windows XP applications don’t need these entries because they already appear in the registry. Any new 32-bit applications will know to look in the registry for file association information, but some older 16-bit applications won’t. You might want to check for problems by disabling the [Extensions] section using MSCONFIG and rebooting the system. If all your applications seem to work properly, you might be able to remove this section for good.
Taken From : Microsoft Windows XP Power Optimization
How Depression Causes Memory Loss
Joan complained about memory loss even though her symptoms were caused by depression. In other words, memory loss masked her clinical depression, for which treatment was successful. Therefore, if you have begun to experience memory loss and you also feel down or blue (or lack all feelings) most of the time, depression may be the source of your memory problems. Depression itself may be related to stresses and traumatic events in your life, but sometimes depressive illness can strike for no apparent reason. This type of depression is likely to be due to abnormal chemical neurotransmission in the brain, which can be treated successfully with medications, as Joan Marciano discovered.
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Using MSCONFIG (1)
The Microsoft Configuration (MSCONFIG) utility lets you look at how Windows boots and optionally changes the features that it automatically loads during the boot process. This configuration utility can help you locate applications and low-level services you don’t need without any potential for damage. In addition, it helps you look in areas that none of the utilities discussed so far cover.
Understanding the MSCONFIG Basics
You might find it interesting that some Windows XP machines are still running older Windows 9x applications, some of which are 16-bit and require entries in two special configuration files: WIN.INI and SYSTEM.INI. One major hint here, 16-bit applications are excessively slow and you should do everything possible to get rid of them. These two files were the original receptacles for system information before the registry took center stage. The WIN.INI file concentrates mainly on user settings, while the SYSTEM.INI file concentrates mainly on system settings. Windows XP supports, but doesn’t need either WIN.INI or SYSTEM.INI. However, it’s important to know that these two files exist
because some applications hide there hoping you won’t find them.
It’s also possible to use MSCONFIG to view and configure other startup options. For example, all of the services appear here, as well as the startup applications your system runs. MSCONFIG retrieves information from several sources to provide you with a complete picture of your startup situation. That’s why this utility is so important; it helps you overcome configuration problems in a safe environment.
When you want to check for potential problems in these two files or monitor how Windows XP uses other boot options, run the MSCONFIG utility. Select Start Run to display the Run dialog box. Type MSCONFIG in the Open field and click OK. You’ll see the System Configuration Utility dialog box shown in Figure 7.14.
Taken From : Microsoft Windows XP Power Optimization
Using the TypePerf Utility (4)
/SI [[Hours:]Minutes:]Seconds Use this command line switch to change the interval between samples. You must provide the number of seconds, but can optionally provide the number of minutes and even hours between samples. The default setting is 1 sample per second, which
is too fast for many measurements. You might only need to sample a particular counter once an hour to ensure it remains within a specific range of values.
/O Filename Use this command line switch to redirect output from the screen to a file. When using the /F SQL option, you can also supply the name of a SQL Server database as an output. The output appears in whatever format you choose using the /F option.
/SC Samples Normally, TypePerf continues gathering samples until you press Ctrl+C to stop it. However, you can use this command line switch to define the number of samples to collect. You should always use this option when working in an automated setup to ensure TypePerf doesn’t
continue to use resources any longer than necessary to collect the required information.
/CONFIG Filename Use this option to specify the name of a file that contains all of the required configuration options. This is a good option to use when you rely on Task Scheduler to start TypePerf. All you need to do to change TypePerf behavior is modify the configuration file. The
Task Scheduler entry remains the same.
/S Computer Name This option lets you monitor a computer other than the local computer. To use this option, you must have the required rights on the remote computer. /Y Tells TypePerf to answer yes to any questions it might ask.
TIP You can monitor several computers at once by specifying the name of the computer as part of the performance counter declaration. For example, “\\Main\Process(_Total)\% Processor Time”, would tell TypePerf to monitor the _Total instance of the % Processor Time counter of the Process object on a server named Main. To change monitoring to a different machine, you simply change the name of the server. This technique lets you monitor several machines for the same statistic at one time.
Taken From : Microsoft Windows XP Power Optimization
Following the Flow of Registry Entries
Every registry entry is important. The keys and the values work together to define the settings for applications, components, device drivers, services, and hardware. In some cases, the registry defines
more than just settings. The registry creates a sequence of events that define how Windows reacts to a particular user action. For example, have you ever considered what happens when you right-click or double-click a file? The registry tells Windows how to react. By following this well-known sequence of events, you can discover more about how the registry works and begin solving complex
registry problems.
Looking for Simple Files
The example in this section discusses the flow of the TXT file extension. You can use this same technique to discover the events behind any file extension. More importantly, you can use the techniques you discover here to learn more about any complex registry entry. Obviously, the place to start is looking for the .TXT extension in the registry (note that the period before the TXT extension is important, but the capitalization isn’t). Highlight My Computer, found at the very top of the registry, to ensure you search the whole registry. Choose the Edit Find command to display the Find dialog box. Type .TXT in the Find What field and click Find Next. The Registry Editor will take you to the .txt entry shown in Figure 6.12.
The .txt key contains three values. The first tells you the registry file type, so that’s the one you’dfollow in this case. The second entry, Content Type, tells you the Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME) type, which is how Internet Explorer views the file. The third entry, PerceivedType, tells you how Windows sees the file. In some cases, this entry tells Windows to use a special add-in
application. For example, when you right-click on a MID file, Windows perceives it as audio and offers additional context menu entries for using the Windows Media Player. Likewise, some graphics files will include context menu entries for previewing the image in the Windows Picture and Fax Viewer. This key contains a number of subkeys, all of which are important, but aren’t necessary for this discussion.
TIP Notice that the .txt key includes a ShellNew subkey. This subkey tells Windows to place this kind of file on the New context menu entry you see when you right-click an open area in Windows Explorer. You use these entries to create new files using Windows Explorer. Unfortunately, this menu can get clogged with a bunch of entries you don’t want and it often seems like some of the entries you do want are missing. To remove a file from the menu, highlight the ShellNew key and press Delete. To add a new entry to the menu, right-click the file extension key and choose New Key from the context menu. Name the key ShellNew. Select the new ShellNew key and right-click in the right pane. Choose New String Value from the context menu. Name the new value NullFile. Close and reopen Windows Explorer to see the new entries or delete old ones.
Figure 6.12
Always search from the top of the registry down, unless you know a search term lies in a particular hive or branch.
From the current location, choose the Edit Find command to display the Find dialog box. Type TXTFILE in the Find What field and click Find Next. You might have to press F3 several times to locate
the txtfile key shown in Figure 6.13.
This registry key defines the file type information. You can assign this file type to more than one file extension. For example, I use Paint Shop Pro for editing graphics images, so many of the image
file extensions on my system are of type PSP.Image. The file extension entry defines what to do with a particular file extension, while the file type entry provides details about a particular kind of file. As you can see, the txtfile file type defines which application to use to open the file, the default icon to display for these files, and the actions someone can perform on the file type, which includes open, print, and printing to a nonstandard location.
Taken From : Microsoft Windows XP Power Optimization
Using the TypePerf Utility (2)
/Q [Performance Object] Use this command line switch to list just the counters provided by an object without the instances. Note that you can use this switch by itself to retrieve a list of all of the objects and counters supported on the current machine. This switch works best when you need to research an object for use with System Monitor and already have a good idea of which instances the object supports. The output from this option is also shorter than using the more complete /QX
switch. Consequently, you can often display the counters on screen, rather than send the output to a file.
/QX [Performance Object] Use this command line switch to retrieve both the counters and the instances for the requested performance object. When you use this switch by itself, you receive a list of every instance of every counter of every object on your machine—the list is immense, so only use this option when you have time to wait. Always use this command line switch with the /O option to output the data to a file. This option works best when you want to obtain the full syntax for tracking performance with TypePerf or you want to research objects used with System Monitor fully.
/O Filename Use this command line switch to redirect output from the screen to a file. The output remains the same listing format as you see on screen.
To use TypePerf to list objects, you need to decide on an object name, which might means using the /Q command line switch by itself. Once you do decide on a TypePerf object, use it along with the listing option you want to use. For example, when you choose the Job Object performance object, you type TypePerf /Q “Job Object” or TypePerf /QX “Job Object”. Always place quotes around objects that have spaces in their name. Figure 7.13 shows the results of using both commands.
Taken From : Microsoft Windows XP Power Optimization
Using the TypePerf Utility (1)
The TypePerf utility is a kind of System Monitor in text, rather than graphic format. Both of these utilities let you monitor system performance in real time and you can discover counters using either utility. Although the TypePerf utility doesn’t display data in graphic format as System Monitor does, you can use it to produce text output suitable for a database or other archiving application. In short, both
utilities perform essentially the same task using a different output technique.
NOTE You never use the TypePerf utility by itself—you always include command line switches or other information with it. When you attempt to use TypePerf by itself, the application displays an error message.
To use the TypePerf utility, you need to decide on which task you want to perform: list the counters and instances for a particular performance object or to track performance. The two tasks are mutually exclusive and you use the utility in different ways to perform each task. The following sections describe how to perform each task.
Listing Performance Object Counters with TypePerf
You might initially think that you can’t use System Monitor and TypePerf together, but listing object counters is one place where TypePerf excels and makes it easier to work with System Monitor. When working with System Monitor, you have to spend time looking through the various counters andinstances that a particular object provides. Using TypePerf, you get comprehensive list that you can scan quickly for the information you need. Here are the TypePerf command line switches you need to perform this task.
Taken From : Microsoft Windows XP Power Optimization