Frequent HDD Access

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denten
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Joined: Mon Jan 22, 2007 5:47 pm
Location: Cambridge, MA

Frequent HDD Access

#1 Post by denten » Sat Sep 01, 2007 6:25 pm

I just got my X61s: 64bit Vista Business, 1.6ghz Core 2 Duo, 2 Gig memory.

Playing with it for a few days now, I have noticed an annoying tendency: on boot up the hard drive is getting accessed for 3-4 minutes slowing the system down. Afterwards, when running just Firefox there HDD is accessed once every 2-3 seconds.

I ran a virus check, removed all nonessential software, stopped unnecessary services, and disabled indexing. This has improved things somewhat, but not by much.

The culprits seems to be:

- Pagefile.sys
- $logfile (NTFS Volume Log)
- System Volume Information Folder


Why are these files accessed so frequently? Why is the pagefile being accessed when RAM is available? Does anybody else have this problem? Solution?

Thank you!

draco2527
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#2 Post by draco2527 » Sat Sep 01, 2007 8:13 pm

As you might have noticed there is no "easy" way to bring up programs under "All Programs" like in XP...it lists a TON of junk!! (IMHO)

Vista is more tailored towards the "search" functionality; if you start typing on the search bar; you will be AMAZED at how fast everything comes up!!! BUT of course this comes at a price... your system is "indexing" everything you touch.

You can turn indexing off...

EDIT: http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=48552
X220T Multi-touch
T410
X61T (pen)
X61T X2 (pen/touch) 1-WIN7 1-WIN8
T61

denten
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Location: Cambridge, MA

indexing is off

#3 Post by denten » Sat Sep 01, 2007 9:01 pm

Thanks, Draco, but unfortunately I already turned off indexing.

I pretty much went through most optimization advice out there.

I would be interested in hearing from other x61s owners on whether they have or were able to solve this problem.

LasseFJ
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Location: Denmark, Viborg

Same problem here

#4 Post by LasseFJ » Mon Sep 03, 2007 10:40 am

I've got exactly the same problem - http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=48944

If you ever find out how to solve the issue please let me know!

I hope everyone who has this issue will post a 'yes' here so we can determine the reach of this problem. Please post how many RPM your hard drive is and relevant specs.

--------------------------------

YES - SPECS:
1.66mhz Core2 Duo CPU
2048mb 667mhz ram
5400Rpm 80gb harddrive

denten
Posts: 13
Joined: Mon Jan 22, 2007 5:47 pm
Location: Cambridge, MA

Re: Same problem here

#5 Post by denten » Mon Sep 03, 2007 12:50 pm

LasseFJ,

I read your post in the other forum. I have a 100GB ,7200RPM HDD, so I am not sure the problem will go away with the faster hard drive.

This seems to be an issue with Vista being overly aggressive in using the pagefile and accessing the volume meta data.

I am going to try to go from 2 to 4 gigs of memory to see if that will improve the issue. After that: i am downgrading to XP.

Hard drive access during routine web browsing is unacceptable--you hear that Microsoft?

LasseFJ
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#6 Post by LasseFJ » Mon Sep 03, 2007 2:17 pm

I don't know if it's microsoft - I just know that the hard drive activity is killing me!! Sometimes I have to wait like 40++ seconds due to hard disk overloading.. just did a clean install but i fear when i've installed the office pack, antivirus, nero, daemon tools it'll make my computer hopeless again.

Does anyone know any links to optimizing vista turning off all that background junk??

ryengineer
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#7 Post by ryengineer » Mon Sep 03, 2007 2:32 pm

Lenovo published some tips to enhance Windows Vista performance. Please refer to this thread.
"I've come a long, long way," she said, "and I will go as far,
With the man who takes me from my horse, and leads me to a bar."
The man who took her off her steed, and stood her to a beer,
Were a bleary-eyed Surveyor and a DRUNKEN ENGINEER.

LasseFJ
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got a possible solution

#8 Post by LasseFJ » Tue Sep 04, 2007 4:42 am

I've done some research in the issue. My system feels new again - http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=48943

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