For years I've been using my computer like everyone else. So naturally I've installed many programs onto my pc without hesitation. Over time I've notice a lag when I turn on my pc. It's not a big time slow down but it's noticeable. For example I usually have to wait about 30-60 seconds from the time I type my password in the win xp login screen until the time I can actually use the pc because everything is loading up.

I sit and wait patiently as I see a few systray icons load up, and never touch any application with my mouse because if I do I know it won't load for a while. This of course because as I said I have to wait until my pc has loaded everything. I only have three things in my systray at starup:

1. Avg

2. Volume Control

3. In Cd Icon [Nero]

Even though I only have 3 things load up in my systray I know there are so many background processes loading up when I login to windows. & I also know this is why I wait 30-60 seconds until I can use my pc without lag time [temporary slow down]. I've had this program called "System Mechanic v4" on my pc for a couple of years. It actually has a "Startup Control" option where you can enable or disable startup items. Here's an actual picture I took of the application listing all of the items I can enable or disable:



I've been quite hesitant to use System Mechanics Startup Manager for a long time. Well I'm now fed up with all of the wasted time I spend when my pc loads that I rather use this and disable whatever I have to in order to have that extra boost of speed during logins. Heck I don't know but it probably boosts my pc speed in general during use. Anyways I'm scared because I don't know if my pc or applications will cause undesired operation or crashes if I disable all of these items. For instance some of those items looks like they're referring to C:/WINDOWS or applications like Nero or my Webcam [VX1000]. I don't want anything bad to happen such as disabling a Nero item and than I decide to run Nero hours after computer usage in order to find undesired operation or crashes. I hope you all understand what I mean.


Is it safe for me to use this startup manager to disable all of these items?

Will this cause undesired operation?

What items do you believe I should disable from that list?

Please do not suggest that I use msconfig because I won't. System Mechanics Starup Manager is easier to use and easier to enable/disable items at anytime.




- Thank You

It's not only permitted, but it's also essential to keep your startup items under control to avoid wasting memory and frustratingly long boot times. However, everyone's PC holds different applications and only you can decide what things you don't need, so it's impossible to compile a "safe" list for everyone. It's usually a case of "trial and error". Disable an item. Reboot. Run PC for half-an-hour and if nothing strange happens, leave that item disabled.

You can also "google" each item (by filename) and several pages will become available telling you what that item does and whether or not it can be disabled. That's what I did. I now have only nine startup items loading with Windows, compared to the sixteen I had before. With no ill effects. So it appears your 21 items could certainly do with some pruning! But google each item first.

This post has been edited by pip22: Apr 23 2007, 02:20 AM

Thank you very much that was great advice. I actually found a site called www.castlecops.com/StartupList and they have thousands of startup items by name with descriptions as to what they do and if they are needed or not. I went there and typed every startup item on my list in the search box and found information on all of them. Lucky me because a few of the items did have to stay enabled and that site told me to do so. I've avoided problems that way... I can't really tell if everything is a whole lot faster but I assume it is.


Thanx