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Disable
Superfetch &
Windows 10
Prefetch for SSD in
/ 8 / 7 tips,
Windows 8 / 7
tutorials,
RECOMMENDED: Click here to fix Windows errors and
how-to's,optimize system performance
In this article we will see how Windows 8 and Windows 7 treat
features,
Prefetch and SuperFetch on Solid State Drives. Yesterday we
saw how Windows 8 treats Defragmentation on Solid State
freeware.
Drives. Before we start, let me make it clear that it t is not a
good idea to by
disable SuperFetch or Prefetch when using
Created
traditional Hard Disk Drives but for Solid State Drives, it is
different!
Anand
Khanse,
SuperFetch, Prefetch & SSD
Microsoft
in Windows 8
Every time
you run an application in your PC, a Prefetch
MVP.
file which contains information about the files loaded by the
application is created by Windows operating system. The
information in the Prefetch file is used for optimizing the
loading time of the application in the next time that you run it.

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SuperFetch attempts to predict which applications you will

launch next and preloads all of the necessary data into memory.
Its prediction algorithm is superior and can predict which next 3
applications you will launch by what time in a day.
In short SuperFetch and Prefetch are Windows Storage
Management technologies that provide fast access to data on
traditional hard drives. On Solid State Drives they result in
unnecessary write operations.

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Windows 7 and Windows 8 therefore by default will

automatically disable SuperFetch and Prefetch, once it detects
an SSD on your system.

Disable Superfetch
The SysMain service is the one which is related to Superfetch.
Its job is to maintain and improve system performance over
time. It is found in the System32 folder.
Should one for some reason need to manually disable them, this
is how one can disable SuperFetch. Run services.msc to open
the Services Manager. Scroll down to Superfetch service, which
is responsible for maintaining and improving the system
performance over time.
Double-click on it to open it Properties box. Click on Stop to
stop the process. Make the startup type Disabled and click on
Apply.

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You will have to restart your computer for the system

changes to take effect.

Disable Prefetch
To disable Prefetch in Windows, Run regedit to open the
Registry Editor. Navigate to the following registry key:

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HKLM \ SYSTEM \ CurrentControlSet \ Control \

Session

Manager

Memory

Management

PrefetchParameters

Double-click on EnablePrefetcher in the right side to open its

DWORD value box.
The possible values for EnablePrefetcher are:
0 Disable Prefetcher
1 Application launch Prefetching enabled
2 Boot Prefetching enabled
3 Application launch and Boot Prefetching enabled
The default value is 3. To disable Prefetch, set it to 0. Click OK
and Exit.
Incidentally, you can also disable or tweak the Suoerfetcher here
you will see the EnableSuperfetcher DWORD just below it.
The possible values for EnableSuperfetch are:
0 Disable Superfetch
1 Enable SuperFetch for boot files only

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2 Enable SuperFetch for applications only

3 Enable SuperFetch for both boot files and applications
If you are a Solid State Drive user, you may want to read about
the freeware SSD Life that can check the health of your Solid
State Drive and SSD Tweaker which will help you tweak your
Solid State Drives.

Related Posts:
Disable Defragmentation for SSD in Windows 8 / 7
Prefetch Folder: How to view and tweak Prefetch Files in
Windows
Disable or Enable Application Isolation feature in Windows 8
Tweak Solid State Drives with SSD Tweaker
Enable, Disable AutoPlay in Windows 8
Posted by AnandK@TWC on April 4, 2013 , in
Category Windows with Tags Features, SSD, Tips

Anand Khanse aka HappyAndyK is an end-user

Windows enthusiast, a Microsoft MVP in
Windows, since 2006, and the Admin of
TheWindowsClub.com. Please create a System
Restore Point before trying out any software &
be careful about any third-party offers while
installing freeware. Add me on Google+.

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TheBigOldDog

2 years ago

what happens when your system has a mix of SSD and standard electromechnical drives?
it seens the downside penalty of leaving them enabled is somewhat low with the writting of the prefetch file seemingly
hardly enough extra writing to cut the life of an SSD prematurwly short. has anyone attempted to measure if there is
a performance benefit to allowing the caching to remain enabled?
7

Reply Share

nobody > TheBigOldDog

a year ago

the files are created in C:\Windows\Prefetch

if thats on an SSD then disable prefetch, if not then you can leave it enabled
1

Reply Share

John Pierre > TheBigOldDog

a year ago

Yes its true SuperFetching also effects the hard disk performance by caching it more even if u are doing
nothing at all with ur computer

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Xebozone > TheBigOldDog

5 months ago

On my Windows 7 Install (on an SSD), superfetch is automatically disabled (well... 'manual'). I have
mechanical drives in the PC too, but no OS is installed on them. Windows is somewhat smart
1

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Xebozone > Xebozone

5 months ago

*edit*...set to manual in services automatically

SANIC

Reply Share

2 years ago

This is totally pointless. Windows 7 and Windows 8 automatically disable Prefetch and Superfetch for SSD drives.

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jason

Reply Share

a year ago

It's not pointless. Superfetch brings my 3rd generation i5 laptop to its knees. EVERYTIME it comes out of hibernation,
for example, the machine is totally useless for over 5 minutes. Disabling this POS is the only thing that stops this
behavior
and allows the use of the machine. My problem is that it keeps re-enabling the service automatically (every
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behavior and allows the use of the machine. My problem is that it keeps re-enabling the service automatically (every
so often) and I need to figure out how to stop it.
3

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BitGovernment > jason

a year ago

to stop it permanently:
go to services.msc, type it in start
stop superfetch there
then double click service name "superfetch" -> change startup type to disabled

Michael Oikle

Reply Share

a year ago

Copy and paste into notepad save as DisablePrefetch.reg then Run it.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory
Management\PrefetchParameters]
"BootId"=dword:00000023
"BaseTime"=dword:1874869f
"EnablePrefetcher"=dword:00000000
"EnableBootTrace"=dword:00000000
2

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peter > Michael Oikle

a year ago

I read about a million ways of doing this and the only way I manged to outwit SuperFetches seemingly
limitless ability to revive itself was to

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1. set up a local account on the machine (I called mine TempAccountForSuperFetch (yo might guess what's
coming))
2. Right-click on SuperFetch in Services and choose "Properties" in the menu
Click on Try
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'LogOn'
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3. Click on the 'LogOn' tab

4. Click on 'This account'
5. Choose the TempAccountForSuperFetch account you just created
6. Click OK, then OK so SUperFetch is now started under the TempAccountForSuperFetch account.
7. Delete the TempAccountForSuperFetch account (yay)
Now try starting Superfetch - you can't because the account it attempts to start under under is gone.
Awesome.
5

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Tilly > peter

a year ago

Hello Peter! Oh gees, I've been having this problem with stupid Superfecth since I have windows 8
installed on my computer. It's been using my disks 100% and my laptop is literally about to die any day
now! :( I can't even used it until I stop and disable superfetch in services BUT the bastard keeps
restarting itself even if I put disable, or manual and on the other tabs Take No Action, it still restarts!
So annoying!
So, I was about to ask you, how can I make a local account? o.O Is that the Microsoft account or?
4

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Felipe Fritzen > Tilly

7 months ago

Wow, amazing tip Peter!!!

I just try this and worked! I created a local account, set this account on Services>Superfetch in
Logon tab and after delete this temp account.
Now if I try to start Superfetch I can't! THANKS!
To create a local account take a look here: http://windows microsoft com/enus/windows/create-user-account#create-user-account=windows-8 (just put the dots please).

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John Pierre > peter

a year ago

O Realy? that's cool i do it tommorow

Abhigyan

Reply Share

a year ago

i am using win7 ultimate as OS but it gets converted into win7 basic..whenever i start superfetch program, plus i am
not able to run heavy games into my PC..what should i do (i've got 2 gb nvidia graphic card full updated)

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glisoni

Share

10 months ago

it is incorect that win 8.1 automatically disables prefetch ans superfetch, as on my laptop, with clean win 8.1
(company install) prefetch dir was populated, and those settings shown above were as for those two mechanisms to
be active....so if u have ssd, check this ans set it as u need and feel u should

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Alex

9 months ago

If you are using Intel srt raid with one ssd caching one hdd., then should you disable/tweak those settings, as well as
enable write caching in device manager, but perhaps leave flushing on?

Noralf

Reply Share

5 months ago

Thank you very much for your post! This helped me from going crazy (my computer was already crazy but have now
recovered)! :-)

sam

Reply Share

4 months ago

holy moly. Thanks OP. I just got an SSD and this might help in maximizing its life.

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