Startup Doubler Frequently Asked Questions


I moved Startup Doubler to my new System Folder and it won't work anymore!
Please use the Startup Doubler Installer to install it again in your new System Folder.
 
I don't see Startup Doubler's icon at startup.What's wrong?
Most likely it wasn't installed correctly: please turn off anti-virus software while installing Startup Doubler. You should see the Startup Doubler icon as one of the first icons displayed on the screen at startup.
 
Startup Doubler doesn't make much of a difference. Why is that?
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.
Startup Doubler accelerates startup volume activity. If network, processor tasks, hardware tasks or file accesses to another volume consume the major part of your startup, not much will change.
For best results with multiple volumes, move all files accessed during startup to the startup volume.
Finally, consider setting your Antivirus to check files only when they are used, as scanning whole disks for viruses is usually a waste of time.
 
My Mac freezes/crashes! What now?
Hold down the Shift key at startup to bypass all extensions: this brings you back to the Desktop from where you can apply these fixes:
1. Run Apple's Disk First Aid or a similar utility to repair any small disk damages. These are often the cause of crashes.
2. If the problem involves Startup Doubler, it should go away when you use the Startup Doubler Installer to Remove the program. Once you've confirmed Startup Doubler is involved, please try this:
3. Drag the *Startup Doubler Extension file to the Trash in case it's damaged. A new one will be created at the next startup. Install the latest version if you're running a previous one, or re-install to ensure the program is in working order.
4. If the Mac freezes at the very beginning of startup , do the steps above then restart with extensions off, turn off Virtual Memory from the Memory control panel and restart. Startup Doubler should then run correctly and you can turn Virtual Memory back on.
5. Drag the Finder Preferences file to the Trash so a new one is created at the next startup. This is another frequent cause of crashes.
If you find or suspect a conflict with another extension or control panel, please email Marc (address on support page).
 
Why is there sometimes a pause in the startup sequence?
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.
Tip: turn off AppleTalk in the Chooser if your Mac is not networked, it helps a lot with startup times.
Tip: delete the contents of the Recent Servers folder if you notice a long pause just as Finder is starting up (after all extensions have loaded).
 
How is the acceleration achieved?
By adding a second level to the disk cache.
 
How do I measure exactly how much time Startup Doubler saves?
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).
 
Is there a Japanese version of Startup Doubler ?
Yes, here.
 
Which versions of Speed Doubler is Startup Doubler compatible with?
Startup Doubler is compatible with Speed Doubler 2.03 and 8.0 through 8.1.2.