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Changing Startup Programs

Maybe you've noticed that, when you reboot your computer, there are a bunch of icons that show up in your bottom right hand corner, icons for programs you don't need, aren't using, haven't used in ages or simply don't need running. It's important to make sure the only programs that are running are programs that you need currently, since each running program is using a portion of your computers memory, and each slows down your system performance.

In this tutorial, you're going to learn how to alter which programs start up with the computer, so you don't have to manually shut them down each time you restart your system.

Step 1 - Msconfig

Go to your start menu and find your "run" command. In the run box, type msconfig.exe.


Click "okay" and you'll get a popup screen that looks ilke this.


On the tabs at the top, click "startup", then continue to Step 2.



Step 2 - Startup Programs

You'll see a list of programs in the first column, with their commands or associated path in the next column.


Uncheck the programs that you don't want to start up with the computer. The only ones you really need to have start up with your system are essential driver programs to run your video or sound, keyboard software if you have it, and your firewall and anti-virus program.

When you've gone through the list and unselected the programs you don't need to start up, click the "services" tab at the top and go on to Step 3.



Step 3 - Services

The first thing you need to do is check the box at the bottom that says "Hide All Microsoft Services". This will stop you from unselected an essential operating system file that your computer needs to function properly.


Now go through the list, just like you did with the startup tab, and unselect services you don't need. Sometimes it's hard to figure out what you need and what you don't. An example is AVG. You want AVG to run at all times, so you don't unselect any of the AVG services running in the background. On the other hand, if you only want Windows Live Messenger to be running when you command it to run, instead of running in the background, then you should unselect any Windows Live Messenger services.

The manufacturers name will almost always be beside the name of the service, so you know what program you're dealing with.

When you're done going through the list, select "apply" and then "okay". Your computer will tell you it needs to reboot. Let it, and when it starts back up, you'll be greeting with a popup for Msconfig stating that you used the ability. Check the box so you don't see it the next time you start up again.

That's it! Now when you start up your system, the only programs running in the background will be the ones you specified to be there. Hope this helped!