Looking for freeware "instant on" program just to watch DVDs on?

KatanaDV20 · 24 Oct 2010 at 18:51

Hey guys could you help me out?

I like to watch movies on my PC but its a royal pain in the ass booting into Windows 7 just to watch a DVD :rolleyes:

Some laptops come with an "instant on" feature that starts up a basic interface for the sole purpose of watchin a movie or listening to MP3s.

Is there something similar for Windows PCs? So when you press the power button you have the choice of booting into full-blown Windows or to select the other "Media Player" OS.

Is there any freeware I can get that can do this? I have Win 7 Home Premium 64 bit. Thanks

Philtor · 24 Oct 2010 at 19:00

You could look at one of the many linux distributions and dual boot your PC with one of them. Linux mint or Ubuntu perhaps. Your not going to get a totally instant boot mind you but probably a lot quicker starting up than Windows. Just a thought...

rpstewart · 24 Oct 2010 at 19:05

Why are you shutting it down in the first place? Just use sleep mode and the system will fire up in a couple of seconds.

Nikumba · 24 Oct 2010 at 19:06

Or just leave your PC in standby or hibernate it

asim18 · 24 Oct 2010 at 19:12

You make it sound as if Windows takes several hours to boot up

Is one minute really a PITA?

Anyway, maybe this is what you're looking for: http://www.geexbox.org/

KatanaDV20 · 24 Oct 2010 at 19:19

Windows 7 takes about 4-5mins to boot from pressing power-button---->desktop with no HD activity

I hear ya on setting it to sleep/standby/hibernate etc but that gives me an odd problem. As soon as I take the computer out of sleep the cooling fans on my graphics card go to max power - and stay there. Even if no game is running...sounds like a jet engine haha.

So far the only way around this is to shut the computer down...mleh.

Thanks for the info on the Linux stuff will check it out...thanks asim for that link as well. Time to read!

asim18 · 25 Oct 2010 at 00:27

KatanaDV20 said:
Windows 7 takes about 4-5mins to boot from pressing power-button---->desktop with no HD activity

Why are you timing until the HD light goes off :confused:

Windows 7 needs to fill up superfetch and other caches and things after booting up, which will keep the HDD busy.

Takes about 45 seconds from power button to usable desktop for me.

KatanaDV20 said:
I hear ya on setting it to sleep/standby/hibernate etc but that gives me an odd problem. As soon as I take the computer out of sleep the cooling fans on my graphics card go to max power - and stay there. Even if no game is running...sounds like a jet engine haha.

This may be fixed with a driver update.

Margaret · 25 Oct 2010 at 10:08

4-5 mins from power on? Wow something is wrong there.

Neolink · 25 Oct 2010 at 19:43

Indeed, grab Soluto and/or go nuts with Autoruns, something is seriously wrong with that boot time :l

Infam0us · 25 Oct 2010 at 19:57

5 minutes? My PC takes 1 minute to boot and its fairly old :eek:

KatanaDV20 · 25 Oct 2010 at 22:51

I know, I have done everything to find out why it boots so slow. If I try and use the computer (like pressing start button) while the HD light is still reading...nothing happens. When the drive stops reading 4-5mins later the start button expands!....delayed reaction! Annoying. So I have to wait for it to quit read/write.

Microsoft Security Essentials
Comodo Firewall
ATI Catalyst

These are the only 3 programs set to auto-start and its what I see enabled in msconfig.

Infam0us · 26 Oct 2010 at 00:03

Sounds like a program is slowing down your startup terribly. Have you checked to see what processes are running on your system?