Optimize Windows Vista for better performance
Many programs are designed to load automatically when Windows starts. Software manufacturers often set their programs to open in the background, where you can’t see them running, so they’ll open right away when you click their icons. That’s helpful for programs you use a lot, but for programs you rarely or never use, this wastes precious memory and slows down the time it takes Windows to finish loading.
Decide for yourself if you want a program to load at startup.
But how can you tell what programs load automatically at startup? Sometimes this is obvious, because the program will add an icon to the notification area on the taskbar, where you can see it running. Look there and see if there are any programs running that you don’t want to load automatically. Position your mouse over each icon to see the program name. Be sure to click the Show hidden icons button so you don’t miss any icons.
Even after you check the notification area, you might still have missed some programs that load automatically at startup. You can find and disable them using Windows Defender.
If you’re unsure about whether a program should open automatically at startup, you can try disabling it, restarting your computer, and then using the program. If that causes any problems with the program, you can go back and re-enable it to start automatically.
For instructions how to use Windows Defender to check for programs that open automatically, see Stop a program from running automatically when Windows starts.
Note
Some people prefer to manage which programs load at startup using the System Configuration tool. For more information, see Start System Configuration.
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