How do I prevent some programs from starting up automatically? (1 Viewer)

Got XP Home Edition and I would like to move some programs from the startup files to reduce the time my PC takes to boot and be ready for use.

click start

run- type msconfig

uncheck boxes in the startup tab

restart computer

Another thing to try since your in MS Config is to goto BOOT.INI look in the right middle see Timeout change to lower value it is default at 30sec that will shave some time off loadup!! there was another somewhere but I can not remember where it was??

Great, thanks guys

Ditto, thank you guys too.

But what is the significance of the Timeout setting(:30) Gerald pointed out? I mean can I safely lower the value(and to what for that matter?) or is it risky to change? Just making sure..

The timeout setting will only make a difference if it's a dual-boot or multi-OS system.

When you are all setup remember to do these 2 things.

MSconfig and uncheck everything you don't need starting(real player and that crap)

REBOOT

download "bootvis" to your c: drive and use it to boot 3 times and then "optimize" the system. This could take a few minutes and will improve the startup greatly.

Do this BEFORE you load any virus or firwall stuff because it may cause "bootvis" to do nothing!

Brent

... but do not disable your firewall software if you are directly connected to the Internet and have no hardware firewall between you and the Net, or else you'll probably get hacked/cracked/virus-infected which will give you a lot more to worry about than slow boot times...

I think he'd be OK for the 14 seconds it takes to download "bootvis"

Especially now that I gave him the LINK

Brent

bootvis does not optimize your system. It only report information that you can use to optimize your system. Reportedly thjat's why MS removed it from their site, because it was being used incorrectly with false expectations.

Actually, 14 seconds is plenty of time to have your Windows computer hacked if it is unpatched and connected to the Internet. If there is some virus or other similar automated attack running and already targeting your IP number, it can be very quick. An automated blaster-type attack can easily take place in 14 seconds.

This of course only works if your computer isn't up to date on patches.

I believe the average time an unprotected and unpatched Windows computer remains uncompromised if connected to the Internet is 20 minutes, or at least that was the case in August of last year. That is the average... it can be much less.

Article on this over at Microsoft

We now return you to the selected topic...

I don't know, it sped up my boot time, but YMMV!

Brent