how to make windows faster

[sarmadisgreat]

how can you stop programs in windows task manager every time we restart computer ,please can anyone give me tips?

[Welshjim]

sarmadisgreat--It depends on the program. Many non-Microsoft programs start from settings in Start|Run|type msconfig|OK|Startup tab. Uncheck the box to the left of programs you do not need to start at boot|Apply.
A site to help you decide what is needed.
http://www.sysinfo.org/startuplist.php
The next time you boot, you will get a message. It is really not necessary to read it. Just check the box at the bottom left and then OK.
Some other places from which programs start
1) Documents and Settings\username\Start Menu\Programs\Startup folder

2) Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup folder


3) HK_Local_Machine\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

4) HK_Local_Machine\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServices

5) HK_Current_User\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

6) HK_Current_User\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServices

There are also several more places from which programs start . The following reference is quite comprehensive. And look at the bottom of this reference for a list of of .ini, .sys, .bat, etc. programs which are likely to be starting places for MS/Windows programs.
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/tutorial44.html
Or you can use this program to see where programs start from specifically on your PC.
http://www.sysinternals.com/Utilities/Autoruns.html

P.S. Cleaning your hard drive will also make Windows run faster. Start|Run|All Programs|Accessories|System Tools|DiskCleanup will get rid of Temporary Internet Files, Temp files, etc. That should be done every week or so. And click My Computer|Right click on your hard drive|Properties|Tools tab. Click Error Checking and when that is finished click Disk Defragmenter. That should be done perhaps once a month.
Malware (viruses, spyware, etc.) can slow your PC down, so be sure you have the programs for antivirus, spyware detectors and firewall in place and keep them updated.

[HAN]

It can be done but I would anyone considering paring down their startups to be very, very, VERY careful doing it. Preventing the wrong thing(s) from starting can cause operating quirks, failed bootups, and perhaps worst of all, leave the doorway open to your PC for hacking, virus infections and more.

That said, it's still something worth researching and if possible, worth doing. An excellent program to help assess what's going on at startup is the freeware Starter http://members.lycos.co.uk/codestuff...s_starter.html (Note that one version has the Windows installer and the other is the standalone version.)
Starter shows what executables start up in the registry and Startup Folders, what processes are currently running, and what services are installed, their normal startup status and what their current status is. One other excellent feature Starter offers is the ability to export logs of Startups and currently running Processes.

The best Windows XP Service Pack 2 services guide I have found is here http://www.codecavalier.com/blackvip...servicecfg.htm (Black Viper's site has been up and down over the last year or so. Been down for a while at this point!)
(Plain XP (non-SP2) can be found here http://www.majorgeeks.com/page.php?id=12 )

The key to using the above guide (whichever is the right one for you) is to determine if your PC uses the service in question, if you think you need it, if anything else running needs it (even if you don't think that YOU need it.)

If you do come across some services that you think you don't need, NEVER delete them. Just uncheck them (to prevent them from starting) or disable them from starting. Only do one at a time and then run your PC for a while to see if you have any negative side effects. Test your firewall at ShieldsUp. Test your anti-virus at eicar.org. If things are ok, then proceed to the next service/file you want to disable.

When assessing the executables in Starter's Startups tab, your best tool here is Google. Search for the file in question and check out the results at several reference sites. If you end up with conflicting info, ask back here for advice.

IMO, the key to success with trimming down your processes is patience and lots of research. At home, I run around 30 most of the time (with XP SP2.) But I am not a power user and don't use my PC for much beyond basic web surfing and minor office type programs. And I am no gamer.

Hope this helps. Let us know if you have more questions...


***EDIT***

Saw Jim's post. I am just slow getting organized. Hope I didn't step on your toes Jim!

[sarmadisgreat]

Thank you guys that really helped

[Welshjim]

HAN--Guess I found someone who types slower than I do.
I would be cautious about making changes in Services. BlackViper's recommendations are very aggressive. ElderGeek has some advice on the subject,
http://www.theeldergeek.com/services_guide.htm
but even he suggests keeping defaults as they are, unless you know you do not use a Service.
Too many Services have dependencies that are a bit hard to track down.

[HAN]

Jim: I absolutely agree!!! I have messed around a bit with my XP services but not without a great deal of thought and research. Thus my warning to sarmadisgreat (and all) about being very careful before making any changes (of ANY kind.)

sarmadisgreat: If you would like some input/advice from any of us, you could save a couple of logs from Starter and attach them here for us to look at. To create the logs, click on the Startups tab, then go to File | Save as Plain Text and give it a file name you are happy with. Then click on the Processes tab and do the same (but use a different file name of course.) The text files you create can then be attached with your reply to this thread and be opened in a spreadsheet program like Excel (and examined.)