How do I stop a program from starting itself when I boot the computer? It increases the time it takes to load Windows, plus eats up resources.
Posted by admin on Oct 1, 2007
1. Click the Start button and select Run…
2. Next, type in “msconfig” (no quotes) and hit OK.
3. The System Configuration Utility should run (please note that not all computers have it installed).
4. Click the Startup tab.
5. You’ll see a listing of all the stuff that starts itself when your computer does. Just uncheck the programs you don’t want to have running. You’ll probably see more stuff there than you bargained for. I would advise exercising a little caution while unchecking, especially if you’re not sure about what program(s) you’re suppressing. Stuff like “Scan Registry” and “System tray” are probably best left alone. If you see other stuff that you recognize as being non-essential software, than uncheck it. Also, unchecking this stuff doesn’t remove it. The idea behind having these programs start when the computer does is to give you fast, easy access to them. However, having too many of these programs running at the same time can hit you hard in the system resources department. I personally make sure anything I don’t need isn’t running. If I need it, I’ll click on it’s shortcut.
What does partitioning a Hard Drive mean and is it a good idea to do it?
Posted by admin on Oct 1, 2007
Partitioning a hard drive means breaking it down into smaller blocks and makes it look like you’ve got more than one actual HD. What’s the benefit? You can isolate your data files from your system files. In the event of an irreparable system crash..your data files will all still be there once you format and reinstall your operating system. However,you should always have someone who knows what they’re doing partition your Hard Drive.
I have icons all over my desktop. I’ve tried dragging and dropping them into place, but they are never quite right. Is there a better way?
Posted by admin on Oct 1, 2007
You bet. Just right-click your desktop and select “line up icons” from the resulting menu. Additionally, you can have Windows arrange your icons. Again, right-click your desktop, but this time highlight the “Arrange icons” item. A sub-menu will pop up that allows you to arrange them either by name, type, size (file size), or date (date the icon was created). You can also choose the “Auto Arrange” item and never have to mess with it again.
I’ve downloaded some software and run its setup program. Am I safe to delete the setup program?
Posted by admin on Sep 30, 2007
Usually. If it was a .ZIP file, you’re normally safe. If it was an .EXE file, make sure it’s only a setup program and not the actual program itself (in most cases, it’s only a setup program). Here’s why: The way most setup programs work is they are a “package” for the program and its associated files. It installs the program and files to where they belong then it just sits there. Taking up space. Once the installation procedure is over, you no longer need the program. But…make sure that if something happens to your computer you’ll be able to re-download the software should you need to re-install it. If there is any question about the future availability of the software, it may be a better idea to save the file to a floppy disk, zip disk, or CD-R.
