what starts up when I start my PC?

If you find your PC starts very slowly when you turn it on, it may be due to a number of applications (which you may or may not have asked for) starting at the same time.

Microsoft doesn't make it easy to check these items and add/delete as you require.

Here are three FREE methods of ensuring only those items start that you want to start ... which will speed up the starting of your PC:

1. msconfig - the Microsoft method Start -> Run > msconfig -> open the Startup folder and uncheck items
2. startup.exe - a standalone tool to list all items and allows you to de-select any
3. Advanced System Care - a useful collection of tools to optimize the running of your PC, including a startup analyzer.

As well as doing the above, you may need to open a stubborn application and turn off the option that allows it to start when Windows starts.

I realize some of the above may be more than you want to tackle ... give me a call if you want help.

Free and automatic defragging

I have found that next to adequate memory and hard drive, the most important item is efficient PC running (mainly WinXP, but also Vista) is regular defragmentation.

Think of it as a library where everyone leaves books lying anywhere (lots of fragmentation) and one where all the books are in their place (no fragmentation).

With lots of fragmentation, it takes longer to find what you are looking for ... PC runs slower.

Depending on what you use your PC for, determines how often you need to defragment.

If you add or delete a lot of files, more regular defragmentation is required.

Wouldn't it be nice if there was an automatic way of defragmenting ... and it was FREE?

There is and it is called Smart Defrag.

Once you install it, then set the option to run continuously. It will only run when the computer is hardly being used and you won't know it is running ... and your hard drives will be defragged all the time.

Set-it-and-forget-it ... for free!

Using Shutdown to run an application

Things such as defrag, registry cleaner, spyware remover and virus check do take time and decrease PC performance while running.

There is a useful (and easy) WinXP Pro and Vista procedure that will allow you to launch applications when you shutdown your computer. The applications will launch automatically and the PC will shutdown afterwards.

I find it quite useful and have been using if for some time.

Here is the link, to the instructions, in my free tools site.

Microsoft will optimize your PC free

I just scanned my PC for free using the Windows Live OneCare safety scanner.

It will check for and help remove viruses and spyware, improve your PC's performance, and get rid of junk on your hard disk.

Try it for yourself at http://onecare.live.com/scan.

Caveat, this tool only works with Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser.

for the CNTU - Easy things to improve your computer

I did a little Web research before selecting CNTU and found only these acronyms:

- Confederation of National Trade Unions

- Canadian National Tippler Union

My CNTU stands for Computer Non-Technical Users.

It is dedicated to highlighting items that are useful to those computer users who do not understand Internet technology (and really don't care about technology) but would like to reduce their time on the computer (e-mail, Twitter, YouTube, etc) so they can do more comforting things (gardening, walking, snoozing, or just not on the computer).

Here is the first item for this Blog:

Memory is Everything (not only for computers...)

My wife has been using a computer (2.4Ghz ... whatever that means) for some time, suffering the delays associated with only 256MB of memory (whatever that means ... henceforth referred to as WTM) .

After a few years, her technically savvy (?) husband decided enough was enough and looked into replacing her computer.

Before proceeding, he wondered if adding memory (WTM) might negate the requirement to replace the 4 year old computer (28 in dog years).

He found an eBay seller who would charge approx $50 for 1GB (for you WTMs, it is 4 x what is already on the computer).

Seemed like a worthwhile risk ... so he purchased and installed a GB chip instead of the 256MB in the computer (WTM).

The long and short of it is IT WORKED!

The computer is extremely fast (WTM) and .. and much less expensive than buying/installing/configuring (WTM) a replacement.

Caveat - only consider if your PC has less than 500MB memory (WTM).