| Every computer might feel really quick when you buy it | | | | operating system you want at start up, you probably |
| but as time passes your computer will start to freeze, | | | | want over 3 seconds). |
| start up slower, crash and generally be a pain. Buying a | | | | Once you're done click OK and re start if you wish. |
| new computer is the easy option but you can get the | | | | 3) Make sure your Hard Drive loads first: |
| same results if you just do the right things with your | | | | (Note:u don't know what you're doing you can stop |
| computer. | | | | your PC from starting here so you can skip this if your |
| This guide is to make your Windows (note: I used XP | | | | inexperienced.) |
| but I'm sure there's a slightly different method of doing | | | | Your computer can spend seconds checking if there's |
| things on earlier or later versions you can find out) | | | | a bootable CD on start up if you're boot device order |
| computer load as quickly as it did when you bought it. | | | | isn't right. As you're restarting your computer press F2 |
| Some of these may be advanced, others may be for | | | | or Delete (it may be different depending on your |
| beginners, I'll indicate when there are things that might | | | | computer), you get into the BIOS, go into 'Boot' or look |
| go wrong so be sure to read every paragraph fully. | | | | for 'boot device order' and make sure your hard drive |
| Most of the things here not only make your computer | | | | is 1st (or Primary). Now while your in the BIOS, there |
| boot faster but they will also make your computer run | | | | might be a 'Quick boot' feature, this may help a bit, but |
| quicker. | | | | it doesn't matter if you can't find it. |
| 1) Uninstall the programs you don't use: | | | | 4) Defragmentation: |
| A lot of programs run when your computer starts, | | | | Defragmenting can help your computer not only start |
| rather than disabling them, you can just remove them, | | | | quicker but run quicker too, this will be most effective |
| this will also make your computer quicker and it'll free | | | | for people downloading, watching movies, pictures and |
| space on you hard drive, you can do this by going to | | | | music. Just go to Start>>My Computer, right click |
| Start>>Control Panel>>Add or Remove, | | | | on your main Hard Drive (probably C:), go into the |
| programs if you can't see that there is probably a | | | | 'Tools' tab, and click the 'Defragment Now...' button, if |
| different way to get to it, not very different. Then | | | | you want you can also click the 'Check Now' button to |
| remove any programs you don't use and will never | | | | check your Hard Drive for errors. Make sure you |
| use, make sure it's not connected to any other | | | | defragment at least once every month. |
| program you actually need, e.g. Symantec liveupdate, | | | | 5) Remove Temporary Files: |
| remove that and you'll probably have to insert your | | | | (NOTE: run as few other programs while your deleting |
| Norton disk back in. Maybe you'll want to do some | | | | the temporary files it can cause errors, not permanent |
| research before you uninstall anything. Rather than | | | | ones but still errors). |
| make your computer quicker you could make it a lot | | | | Every now and then you'll want to delete all your |
| slower and it could delete things you really wanted to | | | | temporary files, this will make your computer start |
| keep. | | | | quicker and your programs run quicker too. To do this |
| 2) Make only the programs you want to run at start, | | | | go to Start>>Run, type in "%Temp%" and click |
| run at start: | | | | 'OK', in the window you go into, press Ctrl%2BA on the |
| A lot of programs can run at start, one easy way to | | | | keyboard to select everything and press delete on the |
| remove some of these is go to: | | | | keyboard to delete it. |
| Start>>All Programs>>Startup, and delete | | | | 6) Get a registry fixers: if you know about the |
| anything you don't want to open when you start, a | | | | computers registry you know how important it is for |
| more advanced way of doing this which will disable a | | | | your computers, there can be a few things you won't |
| lot more is go to Start>>Run>>type in | | | | ever need or which are broken in the registry, various |
| "msconfig", in the 'general' tab make sure selective | | | | registry cleaners can fix all these, I wouldn't do this by |
| startup is the checked box and everything under | | | | yourself because most registry fixing applications let |
| selective startup is checked. Then go to the 'startup' | | | | you back up and it's a lot easier for you to make a |
| tab and unselect anything you don't want to start, don't | | | | mistake than a computer. Be sure to read reviews |
| unselect everything because you need things like | | | | before downloading/buying anything so you're sure it' |
| antivirus etc. | | | | legit and working. |
| Also if you're using Windows XP Pro: Go to the | | | | Well, these are a few things you can do to make your |
| 'BOOT.INI' tab. There's a box called "Timeout:", and a | | | | computer start quicker, remember to repeat these at |
| number. Normally, it is 30, i.e. 30 seconds to wait before | | | | least once every month, you may find a program |
| start. If you don't have 2/more operating systems on | | | | which does all of this, if so well done, ham sandwich to |
| one hard drive change it to 3 seconds, if you have 2 | | | | you. Research about the program before downloading |
| more operating systems, the time to choose the | | | | buying though. |