Computer Start Ups
by Dave Clingman
 

Published in Guadalajara Reporter,
October 24, 2009

When your computer starts, be it a Mac or PC, there are programs that start automatically.  If we reduce the number of these programs, we can save computer start-up time and increase processing efficiency.  Both Apple and Microsoft have provided a handy method for controlling the programs that start automatically.

If you have a Mac, click on the Apple at the top of the screen and select System Preferences.  Depending on your computer, you may have to then choose accounts, then username.  Finally, click Startup Items or Login Items.  You may need to "Click the lock to make changes."
If you have a PC, use the Microsoft program called "System Configuration Utility".  Hold down the Windows Logo key on your keyboard (usually located between CTRL and ALT) and tap the letter 'R'.  When the "Run" window opens, type "msconfig" without the quotes, and click "OK".  In the new window, click on the top tab labeled "Startup".  Feel free to see what is contained in other tabs, but don't make any changes.  In the Startup tab, programs are listed down the left side.  You might recognize some of these, but others will be unfamiliar to you.

When there is a check mark in the box beside the program name, that program will run when the computer starts.  Remove the check mark, and the program will not start automatically, though you can still start it yourself by clicking its desktop icon.  The fewer programs that start automatically, the faster your computer will be.  The only programs that need to start automatically are your security programs (antivirus, firewall, etc.) and rarely a program used by the computer hardware such as your printer or video camera.  My recommendation is to remove all the check marks other than for your security programs, and then slowly add back the check marks if you find that something isn't working properly.  Your computer will need to restart for changes to take effect.

If you want to add a program to start automatically, on Macs go to that same window as stated above and click "ADD" or "+".  For Windows, find the icon for the program you want to start automatically, and click and hold down your RIGHT mouse button.  Hold and drag that icon to the Start button (lower left corner of your computer screen), then to the Programs (or All Programs), then to Startup.  Then move the icon into the list that appears beside or below it, and release your mouse button.  When you release the mouse button, you will get a menu.  Select the option "Copy Here".  You may have to wait at each of these steps for folders to open.  When you restart your computer the next time, that program will begin automatically, and you will see it listed in the System Configuration Utility mentioned above.

Reducing the number of programs that start with your computer will reduce the your computer start-up and operating times.

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