Any good prefetch optimizers?

I already tried Disktrix SystemBooster v2 to this end, but I'm not sure if it boosted anything. (I should give it another try if anyone can suggest a good way to measure its contribution?)

I'm currently using MyDefrag v4.2.9 (formerly JkDefrag) as my defragger. Its algorithm refers to layout.ini in the C:\Windows\Prefetch folder for choosing optimal file placement. I assume that's how many defraggers work. Therefore prefetch optimization is doubly important.

Is there anything that does a better job of prefetch management than Windows (XP) itself?

 

Read this: https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=262062

 

I always disable it, and then delete ALL that wasted space junk PF folder.

I switch off my comp when not using it, or go out, so reboot several times a day. Havn't noticed any significant slowdowns in boot time Ever

 

Please, do some Google search for "snake oil"... Best "optimizer" is none at all. Leave the prefetch stuff as is, it's optimized and maintained by the operating system as required and as designed. No third party utility brings any optimization to this department, exactly as "useful" as the RAM optimizers/cleaners referred to above.

 

deleting prefect folders to optimize system is a myth :<

 

Since v. 4.2.8 MyDefrag also optimizes, not only 'layout.ini' file based, but C:\Prefetch\*.pf files itself.

• These files are "a logfile for every program that is started, containing (amongst other things) a list of items (files, directories, streams, etc.) that are accessed during the first 10 seconds of program startup. The logfiles are called "hint" files and are used by the Windows prefetcher to optimize disk access. MyDefrag can analyze the hint files and create a zone that contains all the referenced files."

 

About prefetch with a couple of possibly informative links.

 

@Konata Izumi

Why do you say that, after what i said in Post 3 ? You mean prefetch not prefect i presume.

No it's not, and i've proved it for several years by actually doing it. The comp i'm using now to post this has prefetch DISABLED, and NO prefetch folder as i always delete it after disabling PF on installing the OS.



If you only empty the prefetch folder, then i agree that won't work as windows just replaces them. But as i said before, and again today, if you disable prefetch from running and delete the folder, then NO prefetch files EVER get saved.

I am aware of myth advice such as in here Prefetch - Folder Cleaning http://home.comcast.net/~SupportCD/XPMyths.html but that does NOT apply in my case, due to what i've already stated.

 

Eh... prefetch is not exactly supposed to [just] speed up boot, it's supposed to speed up launch of most used applications.

Windows Prefetch Optimisation Myth Busted

Enough said. Placebo effect.

 

+1 this does'nt work as advertised.

 

ok, i take it no one has found anything better than windows own prefetch management or simply disabling prefetching.

as for ram utilities, i only use CleanMem and eBoostr 4. the latter is to make use of the 4th GB of ram which 32-bit windows cannot use and i also let it cache on a secure digital (memory card) drive that i otherwise would never use for anything.

 

I used this when I was a kid.
http://www.outertech.com/index.php?_charisma_page=product&id=2

 

I was actually just looking for prefetch optimizers. i commented on memory optimizers because others brought those up. That said, thanks for the suggestion, but I've already tried outertech's cacheman, as well as O&O's clevercache and maybe some others, but didn't observe any boost with them. i've also considered creating a ramdisk on the 4th GB of ram and putting a page file on it, but I decided to use it for eBoostr instead.

 

I don't bother using the layout.ini option with my defragger since my system partition is on the first 30GB of a 640Gb drive, not to mention the questionable choices the system adds to layout.ini. It looks like someone took a random selection of filenames and pasted them in.

 

Thank you for being some kind of voice of reason, this reminds me of the old "best RAM optimizer" posts.

 

Recreate a new optimized layout.ini file.

Go to tools - folder options - show extensions then navigate to the Prefetch folder and rename layout.ini to layout.old then run the below command:

Rundll32.exe advapi32.dll,ProcessIdleTasks

Wait for a bit till hd activity stops and a new layout.ini should be created.

This worked fine in XP and I've just tried it on Win 7 and a new layout.ini was created.

You can also right click desktop - New - Shortcut - Rundll32.exe advapi32.dll,ProcessIdleTasks and name it something like Tasks, give it an icon to suit and tuck it away somewhere like My Documents.

Saves trying to remember the command then run it whenever ya reckon and up to you if you wanna try it out.