Decrease Application Loading Times

[Karoline]

By default, Microsoft includes the /prefetch:1 switch to speed up it's Windows Media Player application start time. This can be used for other Windows applications and also many third party programs.

Example #1

1, Go to the Start button/All Programs/Accessories/System Tools

2. Right click on System Restore and select properties from the menu that appears. Add the /prefetch:1 to the Target Path entry so it looks like this %ystemRoot%\System32\restore\rstrui.exe /prefetch:1 and click ok.

Now System Restore will start immediately when executed.


Example #2

You have AOL 8.0 installed on the computer.

1. Right click on the AOL shortcut and select properties from the menu.

2. In the Target: Field add the /prefetch:1 switch to the very end of the path, like this: "C:\Program Files\America Online 8.0\aol.exe" /prefetch:1 and then click ok.

Now start AOL. It WILL start quicker.



Note: This switch will only work with some programs. Others will return a message saying the program in the target box is invalid. Just remove the /prefetch:1 and try with another program.



Hope this helps some people

[Shambles]

Well Karolina, to be honest I do the exact opposite.

I know prefetch is built into WinXP and intended to do what you suggested it would do, but I find it makes no difference and it would appear many others agree. The concensus is that prefetch isn't properly implemented (unless SP2 has fixed that) but certainly at SP1 "them in the know" slated it, saying the only thing it did was increase the amount of time it takes a typical PC to load from boot.

I clear out my prefetch folder regularly, based on advice I read some 12 months ago (apart from the boot prefetch which I leave alone).

I'd be interested to read other members experience with prefetch.