Copyright: © 1994-2000 Symantec Corporation. All rights reserved.
Citation: © 1994-2000 Symantec Corporation. All rights reserved.


Introducing Norton Optimization Wizard

Norton Optimization Wizard improves computer performance by optimizing several critical elements of Windows:

Swap File [image] The Windows swap file is used for temporary data storage to increase the effective size of your computer's physical memory (RAM). By default, Windows changes the size of the swap file dynamically, to meet changing system conditions. An unfortunate side effect is increased disk fragmentation, which can hurt computer performance. Setting a minimum size for the swap file can reduce or eliminate swap file fragmentation, and, secondarily, slow the normal disk fragmentation process. Norton Optimization Wizard examines your system and sets an efficient minimum swap file size. It also moves the swap file to your fastest drive.

SpeedStart [image] Many computer applications in use today are large and complicated. Consequently, you can spend a significant amount of time just waiting for your applications to start. Norton SpeedStart tracks how applications load into memory, and optimizes the loading process. Subsequently, many of your applications will load noticeably faster.

NOTE: Because functionality similar to Speed Start is built in to recent versions of Windows, SpeedStart is only enabled on Windows 95.

Registry Files [image] The registry is a database used by Windows and other applications to store hardware and software configuration information. The registry is vital to Windows, and the efficiency of data storage in the registry can have an impact on computer performance. Norton Optimization Wizard reorganizes registry data for efficient storage and retrieval, improving the performance of Windows and your software applications.

To optimize your system now, click here  [image]  to open Norton Optimization Wizard.

  Related Topics


Introducing Norton SpeedStart

Many computer applications in use today are large and complicated. Consequently, you can spend a significant amount of time waiting for your applications to start. Norton SpeedStart, which is enabled from Norton Optimization Wizard, tracks how applications load into memory, and optimizes the loading process. Subsequently, many of your applications will load noticeably faster.

SpeedStart starts automatically after you install Norton Utilities. When it is enabled, the  [image] icon appears in the taskbar. SpeedStart’s application loading optimization is completely automatic, and requires no further action on your part. The taskbar icon provides you with visual clues to let you know what is going on behind the scenes of your computer.

Whenever a program is launched for the first time, the taskbar icon turns green  [image] and flashes. This indicates SpeedStart is analyzing the program startup to determine the optimum way to load the program in the future. After a program's startup has been analyzed once, the taskbar icon flashes whenever the program is subsequently started, indicating the program startup is being accelerated.

When Norton SpeedStart is accelerating and analyzing more than one program at a time, the [image] icon also flashes. If SpeedStart is disabled, the  [image] displays in the taskbar. If no icon appears, SpeedStart has been closed.

To disable Norton SpeedStart without closing it, right-click the task bar icon and choose Disable from the menu. If you close SpeedStart from this menu you must run Norton Optimization Wizard to re-enable it.

NOTE: Because functionality similar to Speed Start is built in to recent versions of Windows, SpeedStart is only enabled on Windows 95.

  Related Topics


About optimizing the registry

The registry is a large database used by Windows and other applications to store hardware and software configuration information. Information is continually written to and deleted from the registry during the course of everyday computer use.

When data is deleted from the registry, the space that was occupied by the data is not always immediately reused. Such leftover space in the registry can prevent data from being stored efficiently, and can cause the registry to take up more space in memory and on disk than is absolutely necessary.

Norton Optimization Wizard can rearrange the data in the registry for efficient information storage and retrieval, improving the performance of Windows and other applications. By packing registry data more efficiently, Norton Optimization Wizard can also reduce the size of registry files on the disk, making more disk space available for other data storage.

  Related Topics


About optimizing the swap file

In order to run a program, the computer must first load portions of that program into physical memory (RAM). The number of programs that can be run simultaneously, and the size of those programs, is limited by the amount of RAM installed on your computer.

To increase the effective size of RAM, Windows employs "virtual memory." Virtual memory lets the computer treat a portion of the hard disk as if it were an extension of RAM. This part of the disk is called the "swap file." Data that is not immediately needed in RAM can be temporarily moved ("swapped") to the swap file, freeing RAM for other data. By using a swap file, Windows can run more programs simultaneously than the RAM would otherwise allow.

By default, Windows manages the size of the swap file, changing it dynamically to meet changing system conditions. Because the file is continually changing size, it can become fragmented very quickly. Swap file fragmentation can contribute to fragmentation of other files on the disk. When the disk is fragmented, computer performance suffers.

Setting an efficient minimum size for the swap file can dramatically reduce disk fragmentation by preventing or eliminating frequent swap file resizing. It is important that the minimum size be large enough to accommodate most virtual memory requirements, but not be so large that it occupies a significant proportion of the hard disk. Norton Optimization Wizard examines your system and sets an efficient minimum size for the swap file. This helps minimize disk fragmentation and improves overall computer performance.

To get the full benefit of swap file optimization, Norton Optimization Wizard also moves the swap file to your fastest drive.

Run Speed Disk after Norton Optimization Wizard has optimized the swap file minimum size and moved it to your fastest disk. Subsequently, the swap file will remain permanently unfragmented.

  Related Topics


How application loading optimization works

Whenever you launch a program, Norton SpeedStart steps in and monitors the disk accesses required by the operating system to bring the program up on the screen. After analyzing this information, Norton SpeedStart instructs Windows how to load the program optimally the next time you launch it to ensure the program starts up as quickly as possible.

Many factors can affect the startup time of an application. Two of the most significant factors are the speed of the processor and the amount of memory available. Other factors include the speed of the disk where the program is stored, and the degree of fragmentation on that disk. However, the single most important factor is often the application itself.

While it is true that you can always get a faster, more powerful system, the application itself remains the final bottleneck to obtaining the most optimal startup performance. Large, complex programs require a great deal of assistance from the operating system to get started.

With the powerful acceleration technology used by Norton SpeedStart, you are guaranteed the best possible performance at all times. Enable SpeedStart to enjoy an immediate performance boost every time you start an application.

To get the full benefit of swap file optimization, run Speed Disk after Norton Optimization Wizard has set the swap file minimum size and moved the swap file to the fastest drive. The swap file will then remain permanently unfragmented.

NOTE: Because functionality similar to Speed Start is built in to recent versions of Windows, SpeedStart is only enabled on Windows 95.

  Related Topics


Welcome

The Norton Optimization Wizard improves your computer’s performance by optimizing several critical elements of Windows: the swap file, the application loading process and the Windows registry.

Optimizing swap file [image] The Windows swap file is used for temporary data storage to increase the effective size of your computer's physical memory (RAM). By default, Windows changes the size of the swap file dynamically, to meet changing system conditions. An unfortunate side effect is increased disk fragmentation which can hurt computer performance.
Setting a minimum size for the swap file can reduce or eliminate swap file fragmentation, and, secondarily, slow the normal disk fragmentation process. Norton Optimization Wizard examines your system and sets an efficient minimum swap file size. If you have multiple drives, and they have been benchmarked to determine the fastest, Norton Optimization Wizard also moves the swap file to the fastest drive.

Enabling Norton SpeedStart [image] Many computer applications are large and complicated. Consequently, you can spend a significant amount of time just waiting for your applications to start. Norton SpeedStart tracks how applications load into memory and optimizes the loading process. Subsequently, many of your applications will load noticeably faster.

NOTE: Because functionality similar to Speed Start is built in to recent versions of Windows, SpeedStart is only enabled on Windows 95.

Optimizing the registry [image] The registry is a database used by Windows and other applications to store hardware and software configuration information. The registry is vital to Windows, and the efficiency of data storage in the registry can have an impact on computer performance. Norton Optimization Wizard reorganizes registry data for efficient storage and retrieval, improving the performance of Windows and your software applications.


Optimize your swap file

Norton Optimization Wizard can optimize your swap file to improve your computer’s performance. It examines your system and sets an efficient minimum swap file size. If you have multiple drives, and they have been benchmarked to determine which is the fastest, Norton Optimization Wizard also moves the swap file to the fastest drive.

To optimize your swap file, check Configure Swap File for Optimal Performance. To have Windows manage your swap file, uncheck this option. Then, click Next to continue.

If Norton Optimization Wizard tells you that your swap file is already optimized, leave the option checked. Norton Optimization Wizard will not re-optimize the swap file.


Norton SpeedStart

Norton SpeedStart gives you an immediate performance boost every time you start an application. Whenever you launch a program, it monitors the disk accesses required by the operating system to display the program on the screen. It then instructs Windows how to load the program as quickly as possible. Subsequently, you will spend less time waiting for your applications to start.

After you install Norton Utilities, Norton SpeedStart is enabled automatically when you start Windows. If it is already running, the Enable SpeedStart checkbox on this screen is checked by default. To keep SpeedStart running, leave the choice checked.

If you ever close SpeedStart, it can be re-enabled, or turned on, from here.

1	To have Norton SpeedStart run each time you start Windows, check Enable Norton SpeedStart. To disable the program, uncheck the option.

2	To show the Norton SpeedStart icon  [image]  in the Windows task bar, check Show Icon in Task Bar. To hide the icon, uncheck this option.

It is a good idea to display the taskbar icon because it gives you access to the right-click menu. To disable Norton SpeedStart without closing it, right-click the icon and choose Disable. If you close SpeedStart from the menu, or turn off the icon, you must run Norton Optimization Wizard to re-enable SpeedStart.

NOTE: Because functionality similar to Speed Start is built in to recent versions of Windows, SpeedStart is only enabled on Windows 95.


Optimize your registry

Norton Optimization Wizard can optimize your Windows registry. It rearranges registry data for efficient information storage and retrieval, thereby improving the performance of Windows and your software applications. By packing registry data more efficiently, Norton Optimization Wizard also reduces the size of registry files on the disk, making more disk space available for other data storage.

To optimize your registry, check Optimize my Registry. To leave your registry unchanged, uncheck this option. Then, click Next to continue.


Finish

Norton Optimization Wizard lists the options you have selected on this screen. Review the options to verify they are the ones you selected.

To accept your selections and have Norton Optimization Wizard begin optimizing your system, click Reboot. When the optimization process is finished, Norton Optimization Wizard will reboot your system.

Warning: We strongly recommend that you close all other applications before clicking Reboot.


Benchmark your drives

Norton Optimization Wizard benchmarks each of your drives to determine which is the fastest. The benchmark duplicates how a drive operates during normal computer operations by writing various amounts of data to a temporary file on the drive and then reading the data back.

Once it knows which drive is the fastest, Norton Optimization Wizard moves the swap file to that drive to get the full benefit of swap file optimization.

To benchmark your drives, check Test My Drives For Speed. If you don’t want Norton Optimization Wizard to benchmark your drives, uncheck this option. Then, click Next to continue.

Norton Optimization Wizard benchmarks one drive at a time. This process has no adverse on the drives or the data they contain.


To open Norton Optimization Wizard

You can open any of the Norton Utilities programs from Norton Utilities Integrator.

To open Norton Optimization Wizard:

1	Double-click Norton Utilities Integrator on the Windows desktop.

2	Click Optimize Performance in the left pane of the Integrator.

3	Click Norton Optimization Wizard in the right pane.

Or click here  [image]  to open Norton Optimization Wizard now.

  Related Topics