Speed up your computer: Disable Start Up Programs

Speed up your computer or SUYC column gives tips about how we maintain a fairly decent computer. Now don't worry, I won't give you fancy words and a hundred steps worth of procedures. I want to make it as easy as possible.

Tip: Disable Boot/Start Up Programs
Booting is the process that your computer goes through before you can click Firefox and open up Facebook. You probably noticed that there's a big difference in boot up time from a new or formated computer from the one your using right now.

What's the problem?
You installed too many programs? That's not the problem. The main problem is that since you just repeatedly press next when installing programs you don't know what they other horrible stuff they do.

For example: Installing yahoo messenger you just harass the next button until it finishes, right? Well you might not have noticed that it also installed yahoo toolbar, it made your home page yahoo.com. One of the things that majority of programs do on default is that they load on start up. Wasting more of your precious time than farmville.

How do you know that you have a slow boot up time?
Well, for one, it takes forever from you pressing the power button to actually using your pc. Another indication is.. you have too many icons. Look at your computer's clock. Do you see that arrow thingy? Click it. Now if you see more than a couple of icons there then thats one of the causes of your slow boot up time.

How do we fix this?
Now I want you to follow this simple steps wholeheartedly.

Step 1: Go to run
What the hell am I talking about? Run is the nifty application that you can use to run programs in a geeky way (or faster too sometimes). For XP users: Click Start then click run. For Vista/Win 7 users: Type 'run' in the fancy search bar after you click the start button.








Xp Users






Vista/Win7

Step 2: Type msconfig
Ok really easy. Do it. Then click Ok. (For Vista/Win7 users don't be afraid to click continue).









Step 3: Click Startup Tab
Congratulations, your almost done. You now see a relatively long list of program names along with gibberish words. Breathe in. Ok now read through some of the program names. If you uncheck the checkbox then click apply that program will no longer start on boot up. (It will still work if you click your desktop shortcut, don't worry).


It's up to you now! Uncheck those programs that you think you wouldn't need to start up in an instant. Tip: If it says Windows keep it checked. Now for the other ones I suggest you read the manufacturer name. Is it your webcam? Keep it checked. Is it itunes or windows media player or even yahoo messenger? Uncheck it.

Click Apply and hope for the best.

Note: Hey either you screwed up your computer and curse me for the rest of my life or you just made your computer boot up a LOT faster! Hopefully its the latter.