How to Remove items from startup using MSCONFIG

So as you have had your computer for a while, you may find that it takes FOREVER to load up after a system shut down. This is because the computer has been told to open a series of files at system startup. Each program loading at startup will take some time before you can access your machine. The more programs in this list, the longer it will take for your computer to be available for your computing needs.

Some items are really important to run at startup. These include virus scanning and firewall software (to keep your data safe).

Other programs will often ask for permission to run at startup when installed.

What seemed like a good idea 2 years ago may not work for your computing needs now.

So I have 3 digital camera editing suites all running at startup, but I only have a single camera. I want to get rid of 2, what do I do?

A complete “how to” access MSCONFIG for each windows version is available here

Just find the version of Windows you are running, click on the link,

and a complete step by step of how to access MSCONFIG will be displayed.

The “how to” will not tell you which processes are essential for your computer to run. Be careful to only remove items that you know are unnecessary (or that you know how to access when not run from start up). It helps to cut time off of your startup, but be conservative on what you may be removing. Removing the camera editing suite from startup will save some time, removing your video drivers will not. If you are unsure if something is necessary, most of the processes can be googled to see what they are actually doing. When in doubt, leave it alone.