| This is
the fourth in a series of articles covering ways to
get your computer to run faster. Even the
newest and fastest computers can get slow, as more
programs are installed and new programs are
introduced that use more and more system resources.
If your computer takes a long time to boot-up, if
programs such as your web browser or word processor
seem to be sluggish, or if you just want to get your
work done faster, then this information may be
helpful to you. This week, we look at ways to
get your computer to start up faster.
Removing Excess
Startup Programs
One way to get your computer to
start up faster is by reducing the number of
programs that start automatically when your computer
starts up. Under Windows XP, you can see your
startup programs by going to the "Start" menu and
clicking on "Run". Then, enter "msconfig" in
the box that is displayed and click OK. For
other versions of Windows, visit the following web
site for msconfig downloads and instructions:
www.perfectdrivers.com/howto/msconfig.html
Once you run this utility, click
on the "Startup" tab to see your startup programs.
If you see programs here that you are not using, it
is best to simply remove them using the "Add/Remove
Programs" control panel. You may see programs
here that you do use, but don't need to launch every
time your computer starts-up. For these,
simply uncheck the box next to each item.
If you see a program you do not
recognize, there is a chance that it may be unwanted
spyware, adware, or a virus. Try removing the
program using the "Add/Remove Programs" control
panel first. If you can't remove it that way,
then you may want to make use of an antivirus
program or an adware/spyware remover such as
Ad-aware. |
... |
Standby and
Hibernate Instead of
shutting down your computer completely when you're
not using it, consider making use of your system's
standby or hibernate mode.
In the standby mode, your monitor
and disk drives are turned off, but the memory and
CPU still have power. Most systems can "wake
up" from standby mode in a few seconds. This
is a good choice for desktop systems, which have a
constant power supply. However, make sure to
save all of your work before going into standby
mode, since a power interruption will cause all data
to be lost.
You should see an option to go to
standby at the time you try to turn off or restart
your computer. Simply click on "Stand By" to
go to this mode. Note that some older
computers will not support this mode.
In the hibernate mode, everything
in memory is written to disk, and then the computer
shuts off completely. This is a logical choice
for laptops, in which battery life is limited.
Hibernate mode must be enabled in
Windows, and some older systems may not support it.
To enable this, and see if your system supports
hibernation, go to the "Power Options" control panel
and click on the "hibernate" tab. If you don't
see this tab, your system does not support
hibernation. Check the box labeled, "Enable
hibernation" to enable this on your computer.
You can also control when and if your system goes to
standby or hibernate mode automatically by clicking
on the "Power Schemes" tab in this control panel. |
The
Windows Quick Launch bar is a handy way to launch your
favorite programs with a single click. This is the bar
that appears in the task bar at the bottom of the screen,
alongside your open windows and the start menu.
However, as you install more and more programs on your
system, you may find that the Quick Launch bar gets
cluttered, and filled with items that you don't use very
often. You can quickly remove an unwanted program by
right-clicking on its icon and choosing "delete". And
don't worry - this will not uninstall the program. You
will still be able to access it via the "Start" menu.
