How can I make my bootups / startups faster?

How can I make my bootups / startups faster?

Hello Rock,

Customizing which programs or applications to run on startup may seem a monumental task, but in reality it’s an easy thing to do. All you need is a little bit of knowledge and a couple of applications to simplify the task. By choosing which programs to run at startup, one gains faster boot time, making it faster since the number of programs intended to run are reduced. These programs can be safely disabled on boot, since we don’t need them running at all times.

Windows has a built-in application that configures startup options via “System Configuration” which can be run by clicking “Start” and entering “msconfig” without the quotes on the “Search programs and files” box. Navigate to the startup tab and uncheck the programs you don’t need running at startup. A typical screen looks like the one below.

As you have noticed, the “Startup” tab lists all startup items, most of which aren’t necessary. Leave the important ones checked, like antivirus and other system utilities. You should notice a speed increase on your next boot.

For the more adventurous ones, Windows Sysinternals has an application called “Autoruns” https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/  which promptly lists everything that the operating system needs during startup, including services, dll’s, drivers, scheduled tasks and others. A sample below shows all the relevant processes one needs to know during bootup.

                    
The “Logon” tab lists all the software configured to run at startup, and uncheck the ones you don’t need effectively disables the application from running next boot.

Another method of increasing boot speed is by tweaking windows services that you don’t need. A simple guide to doing it lies here http://www.blackviper.com/service-configurations/black-vipers-windows-7-service-pack-1-service-configurations/ where some unnecessary services can be safely disabled, thus increasing not only startup time but also increasing overall system performance. Be sure to read the guide carefully to gain a good insider’s view on services that run on windows.

There are other applications available to further speed up windows after startup but the ones mentioned here are the things you need to increase boot speed, or the time it takes to get to a working desktop from power up.