Its software acceleration compensates for sub-optimal disk performance to make extensions, control panel, the Finder and startup applications load faster. Startup your powerbook faster at airports (and everywhere else!), zap through all those startup icons! Save time each time you startup your Mac! Those seconds spent waiting really add up: Startup Doubler usually makes startups 20% to 50% faster, depending on the performance of your startup disk and the number of Extensions, Control Panels and Startup Items in your System!
There is no upgrade cost for registered users of earlier versions, just install Startup Doubler 2.5 over your current version and enjoy even faster startups! In certain conditions you may be asked to re-enter your registration code in the Startup Doubler control panel.
The latest changes to this document are found on the Startup Doubler web page at http://marcmoini.com. Please see the web page for new information (known problems or issues with newly released software, new versions, etc)!
Installing Startup Doubler
1 Run the Startup Doubler Installer
2 The SECOND restart will be accelerated, as well as the next ones. The first restart is used to build Startup Doubler’s data.
3 Please see http://marcmoini.com for the latest version!
Startup Doubler works on any Mac introduced since 1990, running System 7.0 through Mac OS 9.0.
Note: Restart with Extensions Off (by holding down the Shift key at startup) or turn off any anti-virus software while running the Startup Doubler installer (use the anti-virus software to scan the installer beforehand if needed).
Removing Startup Doubler
Please use the Startup Doubler installer’s Remove button if you wish to un-install Startup Doubler from your system. Likewise, if you need to install Startup Doubler on a new System, please use the Installer. Using the installer ensures Startup Doubler is installed or removed properly.
Startup Doubler 2.5 Features
After restarting, you may enter your preferences in the control panel.
Checking the Startup Acceleration box enables Startup Doubler’s unique acceleration technology, which is the fastest available today. This transparently affects Extensions, Control Panels, the Finder and applications in the Startup Items folder and makes them load faster.
Startup Doubler now also speeds up the display of Finder windows opened during startup, for windows displaying items on the startup volume. This is because Startup Doubler adds the contents of these windows to its cache along with the rest of the startup data.
Multiple extension sets are now actively supported. After the first restart, an extension named ‘*Startup Doubler Extension’ will appear in the Extensions Folder. Just include that file in your startup set, and Startup Doubler will know to accelerate the items in that set. Whenever you switch startup sets, a new ‘*Startup Doubler Extension’ will be created in the Extensions Folder if a set doesn’t already have one.
This feature allows Startup Doubler to provide the best acceleration for each set, each time a set is used. When you add items to a set Startup Doubler will accelerate them at the next startup with this set. When an item is removed from a set, its data is kept for the next 2 startups so you may change your mind and put it back without any speed loss. This trade-off means it takes 2 startup for the set to be back at optimal speed, but the difference is very small and seems worth the added convenience.
You may rename a ‘*Startup Doubler Extension’ file to any name, as long as it still starts with a * (a star, or asterisk, shift-8 key).
Another way of speeding startups is by disabling Startup Memory Tests. These tests ensure the memory chips in your Mac are in working order, but if they are found to be fine right after they’re installed then they’ll likely remain good for years and re-testing at every startup may be overkill. Apple provides the option of turning these tests off on some Mac models: Just hold down the command and option keys while opening the Memory control panel in Mac OS 8.5 or later and the settings will appear if your Mac model allows it.
• While the Memory control panel is open, it is recommended you set the disk cache size to at least 1024K (or better: 2048K) on a 32 meg machine, at least 512K on a 16 meg machine, to make startups even faster. Clicking the Default button should set this correctly.
• Disk checks after a crash aren’t accelerated by Startup Doubler. Apple has made these checks faster since System 7.6.1. However, Startup Doubler will now accelerate the rest of the startup sequence even if the crash happened before reaching the Finder (extension developers will find this most useful).
• Hold down the Shift key at startup to bypass Startup Doubler if needed. This will also bypass loading all other extensions, control panels and startup items.
Support
A lot of time goes into making Startup Doubler work as intended. If you find a problem not described on the Startup Doubler web page, please send a short email to marc@kagi.com. Time spent on correspondence is taken away from software development, so please check the documentation and the web page’s Frequently Asked Questions before writing in.
Emails with questions already answered in the documentation or on the web page will be replied to last. You will not receive a reply if your return email address is wrong: send a copy of the email to yourself to make sure the return address is correct! The volume of mail received often prevents the author from replying, but all e-mails are carefully read.
Shareware Notice
Startup Doubler is shareware. You may evaluate it freely for up to 15 days, then to continue using it you are expected to pay a $20 registration fee. You may register on-line with a credit card at :
http://order.kagi.com/?MM&S
Or use the attached Register application to register by e-mail (send to shareware@Kagi.com) or by fax with a credit card, or through postal mail. Please run the Register application for more information (and turn on Balloon Help!). If you received Startup Doubler without the Register application, please download the complete package from www.marcmoini.com.
Registrations are handled by the Kagi shareware service. After you register, Kagi will send you a receipt and a code to disable the registration reminders. Please remember to include your e-mail address (or postal address, but it takes much longer) so Kagi knows where to send the code! If you don't receive your code within a week, let me know by sending an email to Marc@Kagi.com.
A person or family using the program on several computers need only pay for one copy. Site licenses are available. The Kagi Shareware address and fax number are for registrations only, please. Kagi is a payment processing service and does not provide support for Startup Doubler or any other program.
Please distribute Startup Doubler as a complete package, with this document and the Register application. It is OK to upload the unmodified package to BBSs, the Internet and online services, and to put it on a CD-ROM provided Startup Doubler is not sold.
Acknowledgments
Many thanks to Bill Goodman, Vils Legrand, the fine people at Kagi, Christopher Li, Fl.M, Marc Menschenfreund, Alessandro Levi Montalcini, Mark Nagata, Michel Pollet and Mark Shirley!
Disclaimer
The author makes no warranties, either express or implied, regarding the fitness of Startup Doubler for any particular purpose. Use Startup Doubler at your own risk. The author claims no liability for data loss or any other problems caused directly or indirectly by Startup Doubler.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do I measure exactly how much time Startup Doubler saves?
A: Start the timer when you see Welcome to Macintosh appear in the center of the screen, then stop it as soon as all startup applications have been opened and the Mac is ready to accept user input. Compare with same when Startup Doubler is off (uncheck ‘Startup Acceleration in the control panel).
Q: My Mac freezes unless I hold down the Shift key to startup with Extensions Off! What can I do?
A: If the problem is with Startup Doubler, it should go away when you restart after dragging Startup Doubler's icon out of the Control Panels folder. Once you've confirmed Startup Doubler is involved, please try this:
Install the latest version if you're running a previous one.
Drag the *Startup Doubler Extension file to the Trash in case it's damaged. A new one will be created at the next startup.
If the problem continues with Startup Doubler disabled, then it might be due to some other extension (try to disable recently installed ones), or perhaps there's an underlying problem with your disk. Run Apple's Disk First Aid or a similar utility to repair any disk damages.
Another main crash cause is a bad Finder Preferences file: Drag this file to the Trash so a new one is created at the next startup.
Q: Why is there sometimes a pause in the startup sequence?
A: Because some extensions perform lengthy tasks before displaying their icon, such as doing a network scan, looking for removable disks, or opening a large number of files. Startup Doubler speeds the parts of these processes that involve the startup disk.
Q: Startup Doubler’s icon used to be the first icon to appear at startup, but not anymore. Does that impact Startup Doubler’s performance?
A: No, because Startup Doubler is still actived during the early stages of the startup sequence. The icon however is now displayed by the new ‘* Startup Doubler Extension’, which is used to support multiple startup sets, so one can tell whether that set is accelerated or not.
Q: Startup Doubler makes my system start up only 5 seconds faster. Why not more?
A: First it depends on the speed of your hard disk : very fast disks can't be accelerated much, but slower ones will see more dramatic savings. Also, the more extensions and startup items there are to load, the more you'll notice Startup Doubler's acceleration. Finally, acceleration is only applied to files on the startup volume: any startup files located on other volumes (such as a partitions on the same disks) will not be accelerated unless you can move them to the startup volume.
Q: Which versions of Speed Doubler is it compatible with?
A: At the time of this writing Startup Doubler is compatible with Speed Doubler 8.0 through 8.1.2.
Q: Why is the Startup Doubler icon at startup sometimes displayed with 3 dots and sometimes with an orange ‘rocket’ on it?
A: The 3 dots are shown whenever Startup Doubler rebuilds its cache (this should happen very rarely). The ‘rocket’ icon indicates Startup Doubler is accelerating the startup process.
Q: Is Startup Doubler similar to FWB TurboBoot?
A: No, and unfortunately they're incompatible. Startup Doubler should save much more time, though!
Q: Is Startup Doubler similar to Casady and Greene’s Speed Startup?
A: No, they use different acceleration methods. But they are compatible (on a Mac with at least 64MB of RAM), and sometimes running the two together will save an extra 4 or 5 seconds over running Startup Doubler alone. Startup Doubler is usually faster by about 10% to 20%.
Q: How is the acceleration achieved?
A: I guess you could say it adds a second level to the disk cache.
Q: Do the savings from Startup Doubler and Speed Doubler add up?
A: Yes. Running either one alone will make your system faster: Startup Doubler accelerates the startup, and Speed Doubler's Faster Disk Performance accelerates most after startup. So running the two together is fastest!
Q: After installing Startup Doubler, TechTool reports that my System file is damaged. Is it?
A: No. Some versions of TechTool are triggered by a small change the Startup Doubler installer makes to the System file.
Other programs by the author
Smart Scroll resizes the indicator thumb in regular scroll bars to show how much of a document is displayed in a window: If a window is displaying half of a document, the thumb will be half the scrollbar size. This gives you an idea of how large the document is, without having to scroll the window to find out!
Smart Scroll also adds Live Scrolling, which updates the display as you drag the scrollbar thumb. Just release the thumb when you see the part of the document you want: no more guessing where you'll end up!
Until these features are added to all applications (as Apple has done for the Finder in Mac OS 8.5 and later), Smart Scroll remains the only way to benefit from them now in popular apps such as Netscape, Emailer, etc.
Download from www.marcmoini.com
Clean-Install Assistant makes it easier to migrate third-party and personal items to a new Clean-Installed System Folder, and it may also be used to save space and backup your valuable additions and preference files only, instead of the whole System Folder; Install the same set of additions on multiple Macs; Remove extra files and folders from your System Folder to restore it to a previous state: you can take a ‘snapshot’ of the System Folder and have Clean-Install Assistant extract any items added since. Clean-Install Assistant is free for personal and educational use. Download from www.marcmoini.com
Custom/TearOff Menus lets you tear-off any menu and float it above the desktop for quick and easy access at any time (this is a feature Apple reportedly plans for Mac OS X, but you can have it now!). Build your own menus from items in any menu. Rename any item ! Choose your own Font, Size and colors for the menus and the menu bar. Pop-Up the menu bar under the mouse : fast access to menus with less mouse travel! Download from www.marcmoini.com
Version History
Download the latest version from http://wwwmarcmoini.com or http://www.kagi.com/authors/marc/ or an Info-Mac mirror or the MIT HyperArchive at http://hyperarchive.lcs.mit.edu/HyperArchive.html. Also available on the MacOS forum (control panels) on CompuServe, and the Mac Utilities forum on AOL.
2.5.1 9nov99
• Supports Mac OS 9.0
• Improved acceleration on Macs with a large number of extensions or startup items.
• Self-adjusting now extended to all areas of the program.
• Fixes a startup freeze introduced with the short-lived version 2.5
• Misc changes and fixes.
2.1 7sep99
• Now works even when antivirus software scans disks at startup.
• Fixed an obscure startup crash bug (many thanks to Mirko Kranenburg, Anders Eklöf, Gerald Tenenbaum, Lance Smith, Larry Fliegelman and everyone who helped to pin down this bug!)
• Misc. changes and fixes.
2.0 5jun99
• Supports Mac OS 8.6.
• New acceleration method is 10% to 30% faster than previous version.
• Now also speeds loading applications in the Startup Items folder.
• Actively supports multiple Extension Sets, through the new *Startup Doubler Extension.
• Almost every startup is now accelerated, even after switching startup disks or other conditions which forced previous versions to rebuild the cache.
• Data files are gone, saving over 1MB of disk space.
• Virtual Memory times are much improved, now almost same as non-VM times.
• Fixed a startup crash bug on 68K Macs running System 7.x.
• Fixed a bug causing spurious displays of the registration reminder for some registered users.
• Fixed a bug which asked registered users to re-enter their info.
• Fixed garbled registration reminder message
• Fixed a crash bug when running alongside RAM Doubler 8.
• Misc. changes and fixes.
1.2.1 8dec98
• Supports Mac OS 8.5.1
1.2 3oct98
• Supports Mac OS 8.5.
• Fixed a bug that was causing a freeze at startup, often when running alongside Norton CrashGuard.
• Misc. changes and fixes.
1.1 5jan98
• Accelerates even after a crash (with a few exceptions, such as if cmd-power is pressed).
• Supports Mac OS 8.1.
• Supports Mac OS Extended Disk Format (HFS+).
• Fixed a crash bug with Speed Doubler 8 if disk cache size was more than 2 megs.
• Misc. changes and fixes.
1.0 20oct97
• Added compatibility with Speed Doubler 8.0
• Fixed bug that was causing random crashes in the Finder on some systems.
• Fixed some low memory situation slowdowns.
• Fixed bug that caused Startup Doubler to not run at all on some machines (the icon would not appear at startup)
