Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

General discussion

How long does it take for your computer to boot up?

Jun 15, 2007 4:14AM PDT

Get out your stopwatches. How long does it take for your computer to boot up?

* Less than a minute (What's your secret sauce?)
* 1 to 2 minutes (Not bad. Any tips?)
* 3 to 4 minutes
* 5 to 6 minutes
* I can mow my lawn and return, and it will still be loading.
* Other (Please specify.)

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
ghost usage
Jun 17, 2007 7:02AM PDT

you probably didn't set up the partition right, or you made it too small

- Collapse -
ghost
Jun 17, 2007 7:39AM PDT

I used partition magic. on both hd's.
brand new hd's. created exact same to the byte, size partitions
on both hd's
the 'properties', also show to the byte, the same.
tried reruning it - same prob
looked at every tab to see if ghost needed some click or info
zip
so... back in the box
ted
Happy)

- Collapse -
everyday
Jun 17, 2007 6:02AM PDT

I use mine everyday. maybe it could be classed close to a high
end gamer - but that was not what I was going for on this last build
I am on this about 5 to 8 hours a day - not necessarily all in one
sitting hahahaha even at 62 I do have a life (sort of haha)
my time was from on switch to clicking to run IE6.
ted
Happy

- Collapse -
Boot Up for XP
Jun 17, 2007 2:43AM PDT

When I first purchased my Sony Vaio it took less than a minute to boot. Now a number of years later it was taking up to five minutes to get to the log on screen and another 10 to 15 minutes before you could actually launch any programs. I bit the bullet and reformatted the hard drive and reinstalled XP. After loading over 90 service packs and patches, it still boots in about 30 seconds and less than a minute after logging on you can perform work.

- Collapse -
3-5min
Jun 17, 2007 7:17AM PDT

I had this Sony VAIO laptop for about 2yrs. when I go it first, it loads around 1min. From time to time, it slows down and i formated it. Then, something strange is happening in the background. Like my system busy light goes on anytime and system lags and after 3min{whenever light goes off}, system goes back to normal. I tried to scan with several programs{spyware, antivirus}, it did not detect any unusal thing. So, i re-formated agian and it runs fine but it took me 3 hrs to complete the whole because I have tons of programs and those XP updates to install. Now, my laptop has the system busy light again. I really don't want to re-foramt...i guess i am running out of choice to make my pc start up faster{at least no slower than regular speed}.

- Collapse -
45 to 50 seconds
Jun 17, 2007 12:13PM PDT

Three yr. old P4, home built.
Win XP pro

Shut down any unecessary programs in startup. Keep it clean of adware and spyware, and run ccleaner before shut down daily.
If it takes more than one minute to boot, I look for the cause.

- Collapse -
Less than a minute.......finally!!!
Jun 17, 2007 3:30PM PDT

well my previous computer needed like 90 seconds to boot winxp sp2 but after i upgraded the whole system to a dual core and used the maximum capable amount of ram the motherboard let me use (4gb)!!!

plus you should avoid to make the programs as you start windows cause they will may overload your system on the way up and that includes:

messenger, media players, itunes services, any p2p programs (did i just said that?) and any other not critical program that is just a memory-eater

- Collapse -
45 Seconds
Jun 17, 2007 8:27PM PDT

My MacBook Pro only takes 45 seconds to boot Mac OS X from power-on to everything is fully loaded. My PC takes about a day and a half to boot Windows XP.

Hmmmm...which do you think I'm going to use more often? The problem with PC software is that most of the time software is configured to load at startup by default. Fortunately, I know what I'm doing, and I know how to disable the default startup. But most people don't.

Microsoft really screwed up by creating the system tray. It just encourages software manufacturers to have their software load at startup, just so they can have their icon always visible.

- Collapse -
45 seconds
Jun 18, 2007 1:15PM PDT

If you want your pc to boot as quickly as you MAC, just shut down all the junk in the systray.

- Collapse -
Time to boot up my PC
Jun 18, 2007 12:10AM PDT

I can make a coffe and finish a crossword before I get the irritating 'welcome' tune. it became slower after PC World did a 'Health Check' which took 3 days. I continued with payments to PC World's for these checks since I bought the PC. I am cancelling the Standing Order asap, and so is my wife with her pc for the same reasons. The present check, which has taken another 3 days after taking it back to them again because the first bout resulted n further malfunctions. Also, I got it back with over 55 processes running and indescribable faults. I did, however, receive a unprovoked bonus of impudence from the staff, presumably becausr i returned the PC the day after the first check because it was unsable and I couldnt send a draft of an article I was preparing for a magazine I write for.

My PC is a Gateway e machine model 4200 UK which has been upgraded to 1.024 GB of RAM and power unit of 450w.

- Collapse -
Gateway?
Jan 16, 2011 12:36PM PST

Yeah, that happens when you buy junk. You're much better off to find a local computer shop where they build "white boxes". Get to know the people there and get them to sell you something with just a fresh install of your o/s on it. Get lots of memory. You should be happy with a system like that.

- Collapse -
Was able to mow lawn, but PC finally gave up the ghost
Jun 18, 2007 5:21AM PDT

I was able to go out to mow the lawn, shovel snow, watch the tulips bloom, and start mowing all over again. Now, my computer has finally given up the ghost. It's about 5 years old with Win98SE. My computer geek friend custom built it for me. I think I had been downloading too many games and one must have had something nasty going on with it.

- Collapse -
less than 45 seconds
Jun 18, 2007 5:47AM PDT

Mac os x, one year of usage

- Collapse -
Funny thing I clock only 1 minute and half
Jun 18, 2007 9:47PM PDT

It takes me about 1 minute and 30 seconds.
System Specs:
Windows Vista Home Premium
Intel Centrino Duo
2GB ram
1GB readyboost flash drive (I have a feeling it has a lot to do with my booth speed)
160Gb Flash Drive.

About 73 processes are loaded at startup.

- Collapse -
blazing speed
Jun 19, 2007 2:14AM PDT

My results probably aren't in keeping with the spirit of the competition but my Intel iMac just booted from a cold start in 56 seconds. I was aware that it generally booted fast-faster than it shuts down-but had never timed it before. I'm even more impressed with that result when I compare it to most of the Windows/Vista times.

- Collapse -
Less than a minute
Jun 19, 2007 4:00AM PDT

start-> run -> type msconfig into the screen

go over to the startup and services tabs

de-select anything you don't want.
The only thing I keep is my networking, printer, firewall, and video card services. Most services are either unnecessary or spyware. This brings startup on my 3 year old custom made computer up in less than a minute. It also increases preformance during runtime.

- Collapse -
Firewall
Jan 16, 2011 12:38PM PST

If you have a router with a hardware firewall you can disable the Windows firewall too.

- Collapse -
Less than a minute !!!
Jun 21, 2007 12:35AM PDT

I have a MAC.

- Collapse -
Gone in 60 seconds... no wait my watch died.
Jun 29, 2007 3:22AM PDT

15-25 second boot on Slackware Linux. (Outperforming any M$ windows every step of the way.)
It would be faster if I had a newer system like everyone else here.

:^P

- Collapse -
Less than a minute...
Aug 31, 2008 11:38AM PDT

and runs Windows Vista!

- Collapse -
Under 40 sec.
Sep 3, 2008 3:51AM PDT

I've got a white 2 years+ 1st. Gen. MacBook with Intel Core Duo chip and Mac OS X Leopard 10.5.4; and it boots completely (plus account-choosing and password) under 40 sec.

When it's asleep, it wakes up instantaneously! Even if I was playing Vice City (with Crossover [ http://www.codeweavers.com/products/cxmac/ ]) or Spore! The game just continues instantaneously as well!

Saludos!
Carlos Gonz

- Collapse -
Well, mine takes 45 seconds
Sep 18, 2008 9:56AM PDT

I got a Toshiba P305-S8832 (Intel Core 2 Duo T5750, 3Gb ram 667)running Vista Home Premium, then I replace Norton with AVG, I took out a lot of "free" preloaded software and shut down dozens of Vista services and now my machine boots in 45 seconds. Once running, 2GB of memory are free for applications. I run MS Office 2003 and it comes up in one or two seconds. BibleWorks 7 takes four to five seconds.

- Collapse -
How long to restart my pc
Aug 7, 2010 10:19AM PDT

From Restart window to fully expand the desktop icons taskbar etc...Less than a min.

- Collapse -
A question of 'boot-up' .vs. "really ready"....
Aug 8, 2010 1:56PM PDT

I don't consider my system RTU (Ready-To_Use) until
that damn HDD light goes QUIET. Which, on my Vista
Home Basic takes about 6-8 minutes. Hard drive thrashing
seems to be the norm these days. People who think the
system is really "ready-to-use' just because the desktop
comes up are sadly mistaken....and awakening from 'sleep'
mode is no real indicator here....

(2GHz Pentium cpu, 2GB memory.)

- Collapse -
Try triming the fat
Jan 16, 2011 12:41PM PST

The people with the fast boot times know what they are doing.

The people with the slow boot times have little memory, too many windows services and way too much crapware running. Don't blame the o/s for what's installed on your computer.

- Collapse -
40 to 50 seconds
Sep 13, 2010 7:31PM PDT

It takes about 40 to 50 seconds to boot up. By the way, I'm on Windows XP SP2. I disable many programs that launch as the system boots up.

- Collapse -
Very quickly.
Dec 23, 2010 6:48AM PST

I have a new Asus G73JH Best Buy model and I'd say less than 10 or 15 seconds.

- Collapse -
Windows 7 with SSD under 30 seconds
Jan 16, 2011 12:00PM PST

I just installed a Patriot Inferno SSD in my system, reinstalled windows 7 and all the software I was using before the reinstall.

From the press of the power button to the desktop being fully loaded is about 25 seconds.

If you discount POST and only count from the time the hard drive (SSD) starts to be accessed, it's about 15-20 seconds.

- Collapse -
Depends on what you consider RTU "ready-to-use"....
May 15, 2011 3:56PM PDT

Saw this post about a year ago, but the meaning of "booted up"
is vastly different. I have a dual-booted Vista/Ubuntu 9.10 machine.
It loads with the GRUB loader as a front-end. So, I timed it from the
time I told it to boot...either from Windows Vista or Ubuntu.....
passwords same length, so time not much of a factor..

Vista - Sure, showed me the desktop in 55 secs....but after that,
when I tried to actually DO something, like just opening my
Documents folder...there were delays...why ? Because it went off
in the weeds doing file indexing, doing Windows Defender things,
etc. And then of course checking for updates. I had nothing in
startup at all....(just boot the damn thing!). Trying to actually USE
the machine resulted in delays on mouse-clicks, etc. In my
experience, the time to ACTUAL being ready was 4:55.

Linux/Ubuntu - 1:05 from start to actual RTU - No HDD thrashing,
no delays on what I wanted to do. I wondered why the HDD was so
quiet under Linux....but I am grateful for it, and I think my HDD
will last longer without all that extra thrashing that Windows
puts it thru....

Which begs another question....I would like to see failure rates
of HDDs for systems running Windows-based systems .vs. systems
running Linux systems....in the future....might take 8-10 years to
compile data, but I think I already know the results....

Linux - sooner or later, thou shalt come to know it's name....

- Collapse -
Hey Tosh, got a Toshiba?
Dec 15, 2011 9:04PM PST

I have a Toshiba C660. Not an expensive machine yet it takes only 49 seconds from pressing start to becoming useable. In past 2 years I have had three laptops, this being third. One went to son, other to daughter. Only on loan,ha!. never to be seen again.

First thing I do with a new machine is disable User thingy? UAC I think, it`s a pain in rear. I stop all updates and also stop the reminders coming in. Microsoft do not do updates for your benefit, why would they spend extra dosh to help the consumer? They do it for their ends. All bloatware is removed and registry cleaned. Often in the 250 items region. I then have a quick machine.

My daughter has the 2 year old Samsung, that takes less than a minute to become useable. I am NOT computer literate, I tend to work by logic, works sometimes not others. My sons Acer takes just over 80 seconds, not surprised as he rarely has drive left as full of songs. I learned hard way re-updates. Three years ago my Vista Acer was running well, no probs at all. Then I shut down one day and was told to wait as doing updates. I could not get into some websites, youtube videos would not play etc etc. Took ages to boot up and shut down. I could only think of the updates, Did a full install to new and problems vanished. Stuff the updates from then on in. I do not know much about computers and not trying to make out I do but just give it a go, see what difference it makes. As long as you have decent antivirus and anti malware stuff, no problem.