Thread: Startup tips

A lot of software creators think it necessary to add startup items and System tray icons. At worst they can slow down startup time, 'phone home' and generate unwelcome pop-up messages. If you Start, Run, Msconfig.exe, you'll find a Startup tab that lists all these items, the executables that are run, and the folder or Registry key that runs them. If you clear the checkbox beside an item it will no longer load, but it will stay in the list so you can re-enable it. We don't advise disabling your anti-virus software, but many other startups can be disabled without any ill effects. We found on a test PC with 26 startup items, that disabling 22 inessential items slashed the time it took to log on from 80 to 40 seconds. We've compiled a list of commonly found startup items, together with their 'owners' and their usefulness in the table. Vista users can also manage startup programs from Control Panel, Performance Information and Tools. Advanced users can find a more comprehensive startup controller Autoruns 9.12 for Windows by Sysinternals at.