MSCONFIG, sounds like a complicated word used only by geeks, standing for Microsoft System Configuration Utility. That may be so, but it can also be easily used to your advantage too. Msconfig is a program that manages the programs in Window's start up, found in most versions of the Windows operating systems beyond 98. Before this, or in some occasions during this version, programs also used a folder named "start up" located deep within your hard drive to tell the computer to start when windows was loaded. More experienced users even use the "Registry Editor" to edit Start up, which I will write a guide on using later. Since msconfig is the most frequently used, let's look at Microsoft's lifesaver. If you are interested in the location of this start up folder, i have provided it's location in each operating system at the bottom of this post. You can remove anything you want in this folder, because none of these programs are associated internally with windows!
What does "managing windows start up" mean to you? A lot, this means that you will be able to get rid of some of the things that load on your computer when you log in that cause you to have to sit there and stare. If your computer seems to torture you endlessly by loading one program slowly at a time denying entertainment, heres a great solution. NOTE: You may need to be logged on as administrator, especially in Windows Vista (which may prompt for a password,) if possible have this information ready or be logged onto an admin account before proceeding.
How do we even start this program? Simple. If you are using Windows XP or earlier, click start and then click Run and type in "msconfig" click Ok. If you are using Windows Vista, go to start and in the search menu type in "msconfig", and click on the option that appears. The program should appear on screen and look similar to one of these two pictures, depending on your Windows Operating System.
There will be alot of options and words that aren't of our concern right now, for either version, click on Startup. Heres where its a little tricky, NOTE: IF YOU ARE IN DOUBT OF DISABLING ANYTHING, DO NOT DO IT, OR AT LEAST GOOGLE IT OR LOOK AT THE LINK BELOW! Some things could be important to Windows Start up and mess things up, although VERY unlikely. So first let's clear up some fog here before we adjust anything. Everything in this list is simply what starts up either at convenience to you, or it is necessary. For example: something at convenience would be AIM starting up on start up, or CD Burning Software. Unchecking these options in msconfig will not cause any problems, simply because all you are doing is removing the program from starting automatically when we don't want them to. They will load fine if you click on them later ;), I promise.
On the other hand, there are necessary programs. These are the programs that make up our Windows OS. For Vista, these programs probably won't even appear, and if you just glanced at the other tabs in the program on Vista, theres even an option to hide these programs labeled "Hide Windows Services." As you probably guessed, Windows Services are the programs that make up windows. In Windows XP and earlier versions, we aren't so lucky to have these options hidden from us already. So you must be somewhat careful, only removing the obvious even though very few that will probably show themselves allowing to be unchecked in your list. If your in too much doubt about which one is which, check out a great site with a library of processes here. This website includes the author of the program your searching for and whether or not it's even a virus. Either use the hotkey "ctrl+f" to find your process, or use the processes finder located on the right of the page.
Finally let's make our adjustments. This is quick and easy, because as I said before, to stop something from loading at startup, just uncheck it. Carefully make a mental note on everything you have unchecked and make sure you are sure about what you've done, and click apply then ok. You will be provided with a prompt asking to restart, save anything important and restart. When you restart, you will notice that these programs aren't starting up, and depending on how much you have installed, your boot up speed could easily double. Going from an annoying headache that subliminally tells you not to restart your computer because of the long wait, to 35 seconds from start to finish or even less!
Location of the Start Up Folder
(Note: May be in your normal Start Menu, check there first)
These Paths are assuming that Windows is located on your C drive.
Win9x/98/Me - C:\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\StartUp
WinNT/2K - C:\Winnt\Profiles\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\StartUp
WinXP - C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
No comments:
Post a Comment