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When your PC loads programs at start up, this can be both a convenience as well as a hindrance. If you use the program on a regular basis, then having it start up automatically might make sense. But if you don't use it regularly, why load it up each time? After all, whenever you load a program, it takes up its fair share of system resources. If you have multiple programs loading that you won't be using, your PC will slow down significantly. Removing programs from the start up function is a simple step you can take to increase your PC's performance. First, go to the Start Button, click on Run and type in: msconfig 
Next, click on the Startup tab. 
Clear any check boxes for programs you do not want to load each time you start Windows. You may find programs and processes that you are unsure about. For example, a quick internet search on the item "hpoddt01.exe" listed above shows that this file is a process installed with the HP 2170 printer used for configuration and diagnostics. 
If you see a program or process that you aren't sure you need to load, try doing a quick search for information. In the screenshot above, the MSASCui startup item sounds odd. According to research, this is a valid program and is part of the Microsoft Windows Defender program. It is required at startup in order for Windows Defender to perform properly. You may even find that you are inadvertently loading spyware each time you start your PC! Spyware is a system resource hog as well as a real and dangerous threat. You'll want to invest in an anti-spyware program if you don't have one already. By removing spyware, you will also increase your PC's performance. Another example is the RUNDLL32 entry above. RUNDLL32 is a legitimate Windows process for running DLLs and placing their libraries into memory. However, viruses and other malware use this same file name to trick users into thinking it's a legitimate file. How can we tell if the above RUNDLL32 is the real thing or a virus? Again, using the internet, we can find out more information. Expand the command section of the Startup item to get more details. In this case we will search based on the command line. 
Doing a quick Google search you can find out that this a legitimate program but not one required at startup. In this case, the item is loaded into the system tray and is used to change settings, clock rate and memory speed for an nVidia-based graphics card. Using information such as this, you can make informed choices about questionable startup items. Once you've cleared the checkboxes, you will need to reboot your PC for the changes to take place. If you change your mind later, you can come back into MSCONFIG and re-enable the item you'd like to start up with each system start by simply placing a check mark in the box next to the start up item. |
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Performance
