tnguy
February 26th 04, 04:45 PM
>-----Original Message-----
>My computer is running slow and I suspect one problem to
be too many startup items. I am running Windows XP and
need to know how to identify and eliminate unnecessary
startup programs. Thanks in advance.
>
>Edward
>.
Edward,
An easy fix, that may take care of your problem
completely, is deleting the contents of the Prefetch
folder. Open My Computer, open C:, Open Windows, Open
prefetch, highlight all the contents, and delete. You can
right-click on the prefetch folder, and Send to Desktop
(create shortcut) to make access to this folder easily
accessible for future cleaning. The prefetch is supposed
to increase performance by loading necessary files that XP
learns you use. If the Prefetch folder grows too large,
all that stuff loading at startup will actually slow down
performance.
A more in-depth performance boost would be to:
1. Update your virus software and run a full scan to make
sure no viruses.
2. Download the free Spybot-Search and Destroy, and run it
on your pc to eliminate spyware and other crap running
without your knowledge. Make sure to read about the
program to use the Advanced Mode for best performance.
3. Run Windows Update to make sure you have the latest
patches and programs.
4. Delete everything in the Temp folders and Temporary
Internet folders on all user identities on your pc.
5. Run Disk Defragmenter (Start, Admin Tools, Disk
Management, Disk Defrag)
6. Click Start, Run, type MSCONFIG and hit OK. Look at the
Startup tab. Here is a listing of everything that starts
automatically when you start your PC. Some stuff SHOULD
run (ie, antivirus, vid card drivers, firewall, etc.) but
not everything. Spybot-S&D (Advanced Mode)will allow you
to see more about each of these startup items, in the
Tools section. You can disable them here, or delete them
(from the registry RUN folder) here. Do not just
arbitrarily start turning stuff off, make sure you dont
need them running. Some things that are examples of OK to
turn OFF: (qttask = QuickTime, MicroSoft Office,
msmsgs=Messenger, and other stuff you've installed that
thinks you cant live without it)
7. Purchase more RAM, a GIG works REAL well with XP, but a
MINIMUM of 256MB is REQUIRED.
8. Visit www.blackkviper.com to read about XP and Services
that dont need to run, and to turn off Messenger to avoid
the annoying PopUps.
9. Go to http://www.thosecomputergeeks.net/ow.asp?
XPTipsAndTricks for much, much more.
Hope this helps.
tnguy
>My computer is running slow and I suspect one problem to
be too many startup items. I am running Windows XP and
need to know how to identify and eliminate unnecessary
startup programs. Thanks in advance.
>
>Edward
>.
Edward,
An easy fix, that may take care of your problem
completely, is deleting the contents of the Prefetch
folder. Open My Computer, open C:, Open Windows, Open
prefetch, highlight all the contents, and delete. You can
right-click on the prefetch folder, and Send to Desktop
(create shortcut) to make access to this folder easily
accessible for future cleaning. The prefetch is supposed
to increase performance by loading necessary files that XP
learns you use. If the Prefetch folder grows too large,
all that stuff loading at startup will actually slow down
performance.
A more in-depth performance boost would be to:
1. Update your virus software and run a full scan to make
sure no viruses.
2. Download the free Spybot-Search and Destroy, and run it
on your pc to eliminate spyware and other crap running
without your knowledge. Make sure to read about the
program to use the Advanced Mode for best performance.
3. Run Windows Update to make sure you have the latest
patches and programs.
4. Delete everything in the Temp folders and Temporary
Internet folders on all user identities on your pc.
5. Run Disk Defragmenter (Start, Admin Tools, Disk
Management, Disk Defrag)
6. Click Start, Run, type MSCONFIG and hit OK. Look at the
Startup tab. Here is a listing of everything that starts
automatically when you start your PC. Some stuff SHOULD
run (ie, antivirus, vid card drivers, firewall, etc.) but
not everything. Spybot-S&D (Advanced Mode)will allow you
to see more about each of these startup items, in the
Tools section. You can disable them here, or delete them
(from the registry RUN folder) here. Do not just
arbitrarily start turning stuff off, make sure you dont
need them running. Some things that are examples of OK to
turn OFF: (qttask = QuickTime, MicroSoft Office,
msmsgs=Messenger, and other stuff you've installed that
thinks you cant live without it)
7. Purchase more RAM, a GIG works REAL well with XP, but a
MINIMUM of 256MB is REQUIRED.
8. Visit www.blackkviper.com to read about XP and Services
that dont need to run, and to turn off Messenger to avoid
the annoying PopUps.
9. Go to http://www.thosecomputergeeks.net/ow.asp?
XPTipsAndTricks for much, much more.
Hope this helps.
tnguy