How to make Windows boot faster
From ArticleWorld
Windows is a very complex operating system (some would say bloated, but that is very subjective). The boot procedure is itself very complex, and, since it has to ensure compatibility with many configurations, Windows does not come optimized for yours. You can take some actions to make Windows boot faster.
You should be very careful with these operations. They may have some adverse effects on your computer.
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Steps
Before doing anything else, you should save your work and close any applications.
- Go to Start, Run, and type "msconfig" (without the quotes) in the "Open..." text box.
- This will open the msconfig window. It allows you to disable services and applications, as well as perform some other administrative operations. You should be careful when using it. In fact, it is a good idea to write down any changes you make so that you can revert them easily. Refer to the Windows documentation for more details about what you can do with msconfig.
- Click on the "Startup" tab in the msconfig Window. You should disable as many programs that start at boot time, since each one takes some time to start. You may want to check the Internet (or your administrator, of course) for details on some programs, if you do not know what they do and/or whether you need them or not.
- Check the BOOT.INI tab. You can tune various options there, and the "Timeout" option will take your greatest attention. When Windows displays the list of bootable operating systems, it waits for a certain amount of time (the Timeout) before booting the default one. If Windows is your only operating system, you can safely ignore this and set the timeout to 0.
In addition to this, there are a few usual tasks which you should consider:
- Defragment your hard-drive and take time to scan for any virus or malware programs, at least every two or three weeks.
- Stay up-to-date with the relevant Windows updates.
- Consider hardware upgrades. A hardware upgrade (like buying more RAM or a more powerful CPU) is obviously the most efficient way of getting a performance boost.