OP V7 Boot Up Mod Fix -Machine.Ini- for PerfectDisk or Other type Disk Util Programs

[1GA_OP]

I was having some Multiple Boot/Restart (took about 3-7x) to get to an Active Desktop (WinXp Sp3 -Fat32) problems with OP Pro V7 and

with Agnitums's help was able to Fix the Problem and thought I would share the Solution we found.

We finally were able to identify PerfectDisk (V7 in my case) BootUp System Drivers as the culprit. Here is the Solution for the Editing to the Machine.INI (With OP Self Protection Off and then OP Exited before the Edits took place).

In Machine.Ini we added these Additions:

; Self-Protection Settings; -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[B] [AntileakExclusions] [/B]
; This section contains applications that are not monitored by Anti-leak.

;PerfectDisk (I added this Inactionable Note to Identify the Program for the Files below)
C:\WINDOWS\system32\pdboot.exe
C:\program files\RAXCO\PerfectDisk\Pdengine.exe
C:\program files\RAXCO\PerfectDisk\pdsched.exe

[SelfProtectionExclusions]
; This section contains self-protection exclusions.

;PerfectDisk
C:\WINDOWS\system32\pdboot.exe
C:\program files\RAXCO\PerfectDisk\Pdengine.exe
C:\program files\RAXCO\PerfectDisk\pdsched.exe

[AppGuardExclusions]
; This section contains App Guard exclusions.

;PerfectDisk
C:\WINDOWS\system32\pdboot.exe
C:\program files\RAXCO\PerfectDisk\Pdengine.exe
C:\program files\RAXCO\PerfectDisk\pdsched.exe

Then you would Save the Machini.Ini File, Start OP Pro and Enable Self Protection.

It took me awhile to realize I had a problem because this Desktop with WinXp Sp3 stays on 24/7 unless OS Patches are needed or an Offline Defrag in needed with PerfectDisk.

Hope this helps if you may have some Disk Boot Utilities with your system that may cause some problems.

[KronckeW]

thanx, 1ga_op

i've also added the pd12.5 ones to mine (win7 paths)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
; Self-Protection Settings
; -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[AntileakExclusions]
; This section contains applications that are not monitored by Anti-leak.

;PerfectDisk
C:\WINDOWS\system32\pdboot.exe
C:\program files\RAXCO\PerfectDisk\Pdengine.exe
C:\program files\RAXCO\PerfectDisk\pdsched.exe
C:\Program Files\Raxco\PerfectDisk\PDAgent.exe
C:\Program Files\Raxco\PerfectDisk\PDAgentS1.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Raxco\Shared\PDEngine.exe

[SelfProtectionExclusions]
; This section contains self-protection exclusions.

;PerfectDisk
C:\WINDOWS\system32\pdboot.exe
C:\program files\RAXCO\PerfectDisk\Pdengine.exe
C:\program files\RAXCO\PerfectDisk\pdsched.exe
C:\Program Files\Raxco\PerfectDisk\PDAgent.exe
C:\Program Files\Raxco\PerfectDisk\PDAgentS1.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Raxco\Shared\PDEngine.exe

[AppGuardExclusions]
; This section contains App Guard exclusions.

;PerfectDisk
C:\WINDOWS\system32\pdboot.exe
C:\program files\RAXCO\PerfectDisk\Pdengine.exe
C:\program files\RAXCO\PerfectDisk\pdsched.exe
C:\Program Files\Raxco\PerfectDisk\PDAgent.exe
C:\Program Files\Raxco\PerfectDisk\PDAgentS1.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Raxco\Shared\PDEngine.exe

[license]
Reseller=agnitum

i left yours in for example, i've now taken out the 1st pdengine & pdsched which no longer exist there in 12.5

[1GA_OP]

thanx, 1ga_op

i've also added the pd12.5 ones to mine (win7 paths)



i left yours in for example, i've now taken out the 1st pdengine & pdsched which no longer exist there in 12.5

You're welcome and Thanks for Sharing PerfectDisk V12.5 additions. I may need it later on.


Now I can't get the PerfectDisk OFFLINE Defrag to work Normally.... but it does in SafeMode in Background.

This is even with these Files added to the Exlusions in Machine.Ini:
C:\WINDOWS\Prefetch\PDENGINE.EXE-01EC0714.pf
C:\WINDOWS\Prefetch\DEFRAG.EXE-2858C7E2.pf

C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\defrag32b.sys
C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\defrag32.sys


So now I may have to add Acronis TrueImage Boot Files (which could be in Clonflict with PerfectDisk or Outpost) to this Machine.Ini modification as well.

[KronckeW]

pd 12.5 and pd11's boot defrag works/worked for me w/o any problems or machine.ini setting. macrium reflect's service doesn't interfere with my boot at all, acronis i suspect is similar. can't hurt to add it tho. (i had acronis at one point, got fed up when the fix for the broken disk space management was always delayed past my current license period. when i then bought the upgrade, it wasn't fixed there either. hopefully it works now, but i've come to prefer macrium.)

[1GA_OP]

pd 12.5 and pd11's boot defrag works/worked for me w/o any problems or machine.ini setting. macrium reflect's service doesn't interfere with my boot at all, acronis i suspect is similar. can't hurt to add it tho. (i had acronis at one point, got fed up when the fix for the broken disk space management was always delayed past my current license period. when i then bought the upgrade, it wasn't fixed there either. hopefully it works now, but i've come to prefer macrium.)

Thanks for letting me know about Macrium...may look into this this later. I am sorry to hear you had a bad experience with Acronis... the newer versions are not as simplistic as my older Version 8 that does a great job and is much more svelte.

[1GA_OP]

I found some other XP Repair/Defrag the Prefetch Folder/Files Process' that has helped greatly with my Stalled Boots/Restarts to Active Desktop. I may need this more than others since I have about 100+ programs on my WinXp Sp3 Fat32 Computer and here it is from this Link:

http://members.rushmore.com/~jsky/id14.html

-Repairing the Prefetch Folder:
4 easy steps how you can rebuild the “layout.ini” file again.
1. Make sure that the task scheduler is enabled. If you are un-sure, go to Start/Control
Panel/Administrative Tools/ Click on Services/ Then in the list of services make sure
the Task Scheduler is enabled & restart the service by clicking on Start. Close the
Services Folder & go back to desktop.
2. Then go to START/RUN/ and TYPE IN ”cmd” (without the quotes) CLICK OK. This will
bring up the DOS Command screen.
3. You will need to copy and paste this entry in at the flashing cursor
” rundll32.exe advapi32.dll,ProcessIdleTasks “(without quotes & Case Sensitive) and press ENTER.
4. Now reboot three times and your Prefetch folder will be rebuilt. (It takes 3 reboots
for the prefetch folder to work out what it needs)

The other part is:

-Defragging the Prefetch File:
Go to run, and then type in “cmd”, (without the quotes). And a black window will pop up
with the c:\ prompt. On that line just type in “defrag c: -b” (without the quotes) and it will
defrag the prefetch file for you. When it is done just type exit and the window will close
and you are done. If the file was really fragmented you will notice a difference in the time it takes to boot up
Windows, usually faster.

I never knew this before and it is working marvelous. Before I had to Boot/Restart about 3-7 times before getting to an Active Desktop. Now it is on the First or Second time with much better Start Up and Shut Down Speeds.

So if you are experiencing these problems this may be helpful since Windows seems to grow more files (Bloating) than it needs.

[1GA_OP]

pd 12.5 and pd11's boot defrag works/worked for me w/o any problems or machine.ini setting. ...

Well... my fix worked for about 3 boots then back to stalls.... so I Updated to PerfectDisk V12.5 and have had 3 Good Consecutive Boots with NO Stalls to Desktop! Thanks for mentioning this to me.

I do have one question for you with PerfectDisk V12.5... in Global Settings there is an Option for PerfectDisk to Manage Boot & PREFETCH Files... have you used this Option, and if so, does it make any difference?

My Current Setting is for PD to Manage Boot Files Only and just wanted your opinion.

Thanks for you assistance...

[KronckeW]

i've got a 32gb ssd (sata6gb)/500gb (sata 3gb) hdd linked via a pcie sata 6gb controller card so the ssd caches the system hdd, and a secondary hybrid 8gb/500gb ssd/hdd on the MB's sata controller, so the prefetch is turned off & i don't have any prefetch files. it defrags the drives in 'ssd' mode. so mine is set to only do the boot items.

[1GA_OP]

Thanks for your reply! I see SSD offers some nice options....appreciate your input.

[1GA_OP]

pd 12.5 and pd11's boot defrag works/worked for me w/o any problems ....)

Well PerfectDisk V12.5 worked for about 2 Boots and then back to Boot/Desktop Stalls.

What I found out from PerfectDisk Tech Support is that V12.5 Does Not Support Fat32 OffLine Directory Defragging and was told that Version 10 was the Last Version to Support Fat32 Fully...they could not Offer me a Link to their Older Fat32 Programs and gave me a Refund (Nice of them).


So I installed my older PerfectDisk V6 Bld34... and it works blazingly fast with no background processes running to load the system down.

Changed the Prefetch Setting to 2 (Boot Only) ...to slim down the Size the the Boot Files for more efficiency.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\Session
Manager\Memory Management\PrefetchParameters
Name: EnablePrefetcher
Type: REG_DWORD
Value: 3
0 = Prefetching Disabled; 1 = Application Prefetching Only; 2 = Boot
Prefetching Only; 3 = Both Boot & Application Prefetching Enabled

Just in case for those with Fat32 systems would like to know.

[KronckeW]

ah, well, you'll need to upgrade to ntfs sometime. xp, even sp3, is past it's sell-by date & is only still supported by MS due to IT managers dragging their feet. at least it would support ntfs & the conversion, last time i did it a few years back when i was on xp was painless. if you do try to convert to ntfs, make a backup 1st with a good imaging tool like acronis or macrium (my preferred). ntfs is more secure and a tad faster & less prone to performance issues with fragmented files. it does of course still allow fragmentation. which is why we still defrag ntfs volumes occasionally. (ssd ones rarely)

[1GA_OP]

ah, well, you'll need to upgrade to ntfs sometime. xp, even sp3, is past it's sell-by date & is only still supported by MS due to IT managers dragging their feet. at least it would support ntfs & the conversion, last time i did it a few years back when i was on xp was painless... )

Thanks for the response. I may later on, do a Test Disk/NTFS conversion on a TrueImage Dupped Disk and see if it will work with all my 100 or so programs, some dating back to 1999.

[1GA_OP]

Well my Multi Boot to Desktop problems came back. So I found a fix for my Fat32 System (may be a memory stall with a large prefetch load-up problem):

1- Kept Prefetch Settings to "Boot Only" (REG_DWORD Value: 2)
in Registry here: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\Session
Manager\Memory Management\PrefetchParameters

2- Only kept 2 Files in the Windows/Prefetch folder:
Layout.Ini &
NTOSBOOT-B00DFAAD.pf
(Deleted the Others)

Now it does Not Stall to Desktop from Boot (1st Time/No Restarts needed) but Desktop is a little Slower to reach a Full Active Desktop... but I'll take it.

[1GA_OP]

Just a note to those who have modified their Machine.Ini....

Once you have Upgraded to a Newer OP Version, you have to ADD Back IN the Modifications you have made to the Machine.Ini since they are NOT Transferred.

I keep this List (Outpost Program Exception List) along with the Copies of the ID Block Exceptions, IP Blacklist, Clean.Exe, and a Copy of the Active/Current Machine.Ini in a Special Folder/File outside the Agnitum Folder in Program Files.

[KronckeW]

thanks for the reminder