Introduction: Simple Steps to Help a PC Computer Start-Up More Quickly

Have you seen those computer commercials, such as the PC Doctor, that offer to speed up your computer for a price? Before you spend money on speeding up your computer use these free simple steps that will help. It does not matter what your computer skills are! Following these steps you will be able to make your computer start-up faster and help avoid those annoying and inconvenient computer crashes.

What is this information I am talking about? There is a utility on every Microsoft Operating System called Microsoft System Configuration Utility. In the technological world most refer to this as MSCONFIG (MS- Con-fig) for short.  Before we jump into performing these steps, I want to offer you a little more background.

Everyone that owns a PC computer knows that it will eventually stop starting up like it did the first day you turned it on. There are a lot of factors that can go into why a computer slows down but one of the main reasons is due to “hidden” programs that load and run behind the scenes of the regular functions you perform on your computer. These “hidden” programs are not exactly harmful so don’t be alarmed. The reason they slow down your computer is because all of these programs attempt to start at the same time you are starting up your computer.  Imagine trying to have ten or more different conversations all at once and also making sure you follow and understand each conversation. Unless you are a super human it is not an easy task to complete. This is exactly what your computer is attempting to do; however, in order to keep up with all the tasks it slows everything down so it can process each and every command. To help speed up the starting process for your computer it is best to stop these processes and/or tasks that are not important at start up. How do you stop the computers process and tasks? Let me show you those steps.

Step 1: Step 1: Open the "Run" Program

Special Note: These steps will have you restart your computer. Please save all work before you attempt these steps.

Step 1: Open the “Run” program

You need to locate the program called “RUN”. There are many ways to get there but the easiest is the keyboard shortcut combination because it will get you there no matter which windows operating system you are using. The keyboard combination is Windows Logo Key and the Letter R Key (see Figure above).

Step 2: Step 1.1: "Run" Program Opened

Once the “Run” program launches it looks like the image above.

Step 3: Step 2: Launch the Microsoft System Configuration Utility Program.

Step 2: Launch the Microsoft System Configuration Utility program.

To launch the Microsoft System Configuration Utility type “msconfig” in the run Dialog box and click the “OK” button (located the bottom left). See figure above.

Step 4: Step 2.2: the Microsoft System Configuration Utility Program Launches.

Once the Microsoft System Configuration Utility program launches it looks like the image above.

Step 5: Step 3: Select the Startup Tab.

Click on the “Startup” tab to see all the applications that start at the same time your operation system is starting. See figure above.

Step 6: Step 3.2 : Windows 8 - Open the “Task Manager” Program (skip to Step 3.4 for Previous Windows Systems)

For Windows 8 when you click on the “Startup” tab you get see it asks to open the “Task Manager” program. Go ahead and click on the blue text that says “Open Task Manager”. See figure above.

Note: This is where there is a slight difference in operating systems. For Windows 8 see figures 3.2 and 3.3.  For operating systems Windows 7 and earlier see figures 3.4 and 3.5.

Click “Open Task Manager” then it will look like the figure on step 3.3.

Step 7: Step 3.3 : Windows 8 - Disable the Applications in Task Manager - (skip to Step 3.2 for Previous Windows Systems)

To disable the applications you click on one with your mouse and click the “Disable” button. Refer to figure above.

Note: All the items that are “Enabled” except the security programs, such as an antivirus should be “Disabled”. If you are not sure what your antivirus is its okay to disable all, just make sure the antivirus program is running right after the computer starts up.

For windows 7 and earlier versions you should see something similar to step 3.4 also note that the programs listed maybe be different.

Step 8: Step 3.4 : Windows 7 and Previous - View the Start Up Applications.

Note: This is where there is a slight difference in the listed applications. (see figure above)

Step 9: Step 3.5 : Windows 7 and Previous - “Disable All” Applications.

Make sure all the check boxes have a check mark in them and click on “Disable all” button.

Note: Make sure to put a check mark in the box of your anti-virus application if you can locate it. If not “Disable all” is okay and just start the antivirus, such as MacAfee or Norton, as soon as the computer is loaded.

At this point you can just click on “Apply” and then click “OK”.

Step 10: Step 4: Restart the Computer

The computer will prompt you to restart. Make sure you restart the computer.

Once the computer is loaded again you will get a dialog box mentioning that you used the Microsoft System Configuration Utility and you can click “OK”.

Note: If you notice any functionality issues the work you did is reversible 100%.