Monday, 20 May 2013

Disabling Start-up Programs in Windows using Msconfig or Ccleaner

The more software you install on your computer, the longer it may seem to take to start up Windows. Many programs add themselves to the list of programs started when you boot your computer, and that list can get long.

Disabling Start-up Programs in Windows using Msconfig

For some programs, it’s smart to have them start with Windows, such as anti-virus and firewall software. However, for most programs, starting them at boot-up just wastes resources and extends start-up time. There is a tool installed with Windows, called Msconfig, that allows you to quickly and easily see what’s running at start up and disable the programs you prefer to run on our own after start up as needed. This tool is available and can be used to disable start-up programs in Windows XP, Vista, Win7 & Win8
Important Note: MSConfig can be used to configure several things other than just startup programs, so be careful what you do with it. If you’re not sure about using it, just follow the steps in this article and you should be fine.



If you are using Windows XP, open the Run dialog box from the Start menu, type “msconfig.exe” in the Open edit box, and click OK.

If you are using  Vista or Windows 7 click the Start Orb in the menu search box type “msconfig” (without the quotes). As you type, results display. When you see “msconfig.exe,” click on it or press Enter, if it is highlighted.

If you are using Windows 8, just type “msconfig” straight into the metro (start-up screen) and you will see msconfig.exe appear in the  results,  click on it

In XP, Vista and Windows 7 click the Startup tab on the System Configuration main window. A list of all the startup programs displays with a check box next to each one. To prevent a program from starting up with Windows, select the check box next to the desired program so there is NO check mark in the box. Click Apply once you have made your choices.

In Windows 8  clicked on the Startup tab select the link Open task Manager here you will see a list of programs however no check box. Under status you can see whether the program is disabled or enabled. to change whether the program starts up or not right click on the program in question and click disable if its enabled  or vice versa.

In XP, Vista and Windows 7 To prevent a program from starting up with Windows, select the check box next to the desired program after unchecking a program box you will have to select apply and a dialog box  will display telling you that you may need to restart your computer for the changes to take affect. Click Restart to restart your computer immediately. If are not ready to restart your computer, click Exit without restart.

 Disabling Start-up Programs in Windows using Ccleaner

The free PC-cleaning utility CCleaner also has a tool that allows you to disable startup programs. In CCleaner, click the Tools button on the left side of the dialog box and click Startup to see the list of startup programs. The Enabled column indicates whether each program is set to start with Windows. To disable a program that is enabled, select the program in the list and click Disable. You can also enable programs that have been disabled.




Sunday, 19 May 2013

Why does my Computer Boot-up so Slow?

Are you getting frustrated  with your PC - taking forever to start up.  Ask anyone who has needed to get on their PC in a rush, only to wait seconds and minutes too long for their PC to start up.  If you’re still dreaming about an instant boot PC, but living with the reality of a slow computer and a slow boot time, don’t despair.  There are many reasons to blame for a slow PC boot: background apps, virus / malware scan, HDD problems.  Read on to get your PC boot process explained and learn how to shorten a long boot time by selecting which apps should and should not run in your computer start-up.


Why does my computer boot-up slow?
A number of factors play a role in slowing down your PC’s start-up – the age of a PC, battery health, antivirus, an outdated or hard drive with problems can all cause a PC’s boot time to be slow.  One of the biggest issues in causing a slow PC boot is the number of computer programs and apps that start during boot.  If too many apps are starting during the boot it can add seconds and even minutes to the time it takes for your computer to turn on.

 In order to speed up boot time it is very important to remove apps or programs, that are not necessary for your computer to start from boot. To do this you can run Msconfig and remove the programs or apps from starting up. If you are not familiar with using Msconfig you can download and install  a program called Ccleaner  which is easier to use. See below in Start-up Programs, I will explain how to use both Msconfig  or Ccleaner in an article linked there, but before I do that there are also other factors to look at.

How can I speed up my PC’s boot time?

Here are some specific resolutions for slow boot time when caused by your PC’s:

Hard Drive: If your hard drive has been slowing down your PC, a simple hard drive cleanup, or a “checkdisk” can solve problems and get things started faster.  An SSD (solid state drive) is the way to go if you’re willing to make an investment – it speeds up your computer considerably.
 read my article Solid-State-Drive-SSD-vs-Hard-Disk Drive

 Ram: A computer slow down, including a slow boot, might be due to the fact that your computer simply does not have enough RAM.  Adding RAM can help to take time off your boot for a faster computer start.

Start-up Programs (apps that automatically start during boot): These are the apps that you don’t need to be loaded the minute your computer starts, and that you can remove from boot. Read my article: How to use Msconfig or Ccleaner to remove unwanted Start-up



Thursday, 16 May 2013

Add a Quick Way to Shutdown Windows 8 from the Metro Screen

Its easy enough to shutdown in desktop mode - just press Alt +F4  however users in the Start Screen and similar Metro interface apps have to dig through the Settings Charm (Win+I) to get to the power button.
You can, however, create a DIY Shutdown button and place it on the desktop and Start Screen.
 To do so, go to desktop, right click, and create a new shortcut.


Type in "shutdown /s /t 0" (omitting quotes and using /r instead of /t if you want to restart instead).
click next


rename to any name you desire (you can remove the .exe extension)


 right click shortcut and select 'Pin to Start' from the pop up menu.