Boost Your PC Startup Speed
There are few things quite as frustrating as a slow-starting PC. Not only does it take forever for the desktop to appear, but even when it does, the hard drive is thrashing so much that you may not be able to do anything for a few minutes until it calms down. It's a real waste of time, especially when you use your computer every day.
It doesn't have to be this way, though. Installing new programs and as a result my computer will often begin to slow down as things accumulate, but if I take around 20 minutes to clean up my system a little and check my Windows settings, I know my computer will soon be back to its high-performing best. The steps involved can be a bit technical in places, but if you follow our step-by-step guide carefully, your PC will soon be starting up in no time. Let's get started!
Make your PC Start Faster
- System Configuration Tool:
Click 'Start', then select 'Run' if you're using Windows XP. If you're using Windows 7 or Vista, you can type straight into the Search box. Type msconfig.exe, press [Enter], and once the System Configuration tool appears, click 'Startup'. Here you'll see all the programs that are launched when Windows starts - the more are listed here, the longer your system will take to start. - Startup Programs
Scroll down the list of programs and clear the checkbox for any that you're sure you don't need. I don't need Adobe Reader or uTorrent, for instance, so I'm clearing both of those. If you're in any doubt about whether to remove a program, just leave it alone - disabling the wrong item can prevent your computer working properly. Click 'Apply' when you're done. - At your Service
Click the 'Services' tab and the System Configuration tool will list all the Windows Services that are installed on your computer. These are small programs that run in the background and provide useful services to Windows and your programs. However, some of them are unnecessary, and these may be contributing to your PC's slow boot times. - Microsoft services
Check 'Hide all Microsoft services' to see only the services that have been installed by your applications, not by Windows itself. Now scroll down the list, looking for any that you know you don't need. For example, I've installed iTunes, but don't have an iPod/iPhone, so I can disable 'Apple Mobile Device' and 'iPod service' by clearing the boxes to their left. - Work carefully
My graphics drivers have installed the Nvidia Stereoscopic 3D service, but I don't use 3D so I know that I can safely disable that. Look out for any similar pieces of software on your PC, but be careful - again, if you have any doubts, leave it alone. Disabling the wrong service can be fatal for your PC and it may never boot again. Click 'Apply' when you've finished. - Menu timeout
Click the 'Boot/BOOT.INI' tab. If Windows allows you to choose between two operating systems when your PC boots then you may see a 'Timeout' figure here; that's how long Windows waits before choosing the default option. Cut this to about five seconds and you'll notice that your system starts a little faster each time you boot it up. - Be Selective
Click the 'General' tab and, as long as you've made some changes, System Configuration will be in Selective Startup mode, which means it's only loading some services and programs. Click 'OK', but if you experience any problems with the new settings, relaunch MSCONFIG, select 'Normal startup', click 'OK 'and reboot to return the settings to normal. - Restart
That's it - you've finished! Having lots of start-up programs and unnecessary Windows services can really extend your boot time, but disabling unwanted software on your PC (taking care not to remove anything important) will ensure it starts much faster, as well as saving valuable RAM. Now all you have to do is restart and test it for yourself