Minimize Running Programs to Boost Your Available Memory in Windows XP.
When programs are installed onto your computer, sometimes
the program will auto configure itself to auto start whenever
you boot your computer. What this does is use up some of your
memory resources which does have a pronounced effect on your
overall speed. This guide will show you how to inspect your
system for startup programs and prevent them from
automatically starting during the boot up process.
First, I want to make sure that you
understand that we are not removing the program. All we are doing
is preventing it from starting when Windows boots up. It will
still open and run when you click on it.
There probably are a few programs that you
do want to start up when Windows boots. For the most part, I'm
referring to Virus Protection, Spyware Protection, Printer
Software and Software that handles the Sound on your computer.
Things that you probably don’t want
starting are Programs that automatically install a update checker,
which boots with Windows and is always running looking for
updates. Updates for programs are typically not critical and they
definitely do not occur frequently enough to justify having the
update checker run all the time.
To start, you will want to reboot windows.
Once you have booted up, to check to see
what is running, the first place to look is down by your clock.
You may see a arrow, if you do, click on it
to show the hidden programs.
Each icon is a program that is currently
running. To find out what program the icon represents, simply
hover you mouse over each icon.
Note, that not every program that is
running will be displayed here.
Ok, so now to prevent programs from auto
running when Windows Starts there are a few places that we need to
check. To get to the first place, click Start
then All Programs then Startup .
If there are any programs listed here, that you do not want starting, right click on
them and select delete (note that this does not delete the
program, it only removes the program from the boot up process).
The get to the other place,
Click
then
Type msconfig
then click
Then click on the Startup
tab. Uncheck the programs that you do not want starting up with
windows. As a rule of thumb, if you aren’t sure what something is,
leave it alone.
Once you are done, click
and then
Then, this message will pop up:
Click Restart
Once your computer has rebooted again, you
will see this warning:
Check Mark the box, “Don’t show this
message or launch….”
Then Click OK . Your
computer should now be noticeably faster. (if it was already fast,
then you probably wont notice to much difference).
