Usually, I would say 'settings'. I use Fraps and don't record sound, except on my 'Container Loading' movie that I did. I do create music videos though, so I don't need sound.
My settings for Fraps are 25fps (30 on some games), full size, no cursor. If you want to speed things up, try the 'no sync' option, but I would advise having a slow-motion function in your editing package, because this can produce footage that is a little faster than it should be
Also, try authoring the video to a separate drive by altering Fraps folder setting, this is what I do
Regards.
DJM.