My computer takes a long time to load when I turn it on, is it all the programs running during startup or not?

Question

I have an HP Pavilion a1110n desktop computer, and lately it seems to be running slower (but I did virus scans & adware scans) both during startup and when I'm using it. Where can I find what programs are running during startup? Also, could it be a sign of a virus/trojan/malware, etc... if my computer won't let me use the system restore to restore it to an earlier time? Or if I keep getting security warnings when I switch pages online even though I check the box to not see that message again? I don't know what the problem could be. I recently downloaded Unbox from Amazon.com, but I don't see how that could be causing any problems since Amazon is a trusted website. I'm not an advanced computer user at all, so I have no clue what to do. Any suggestions? I'd appreciate any and all help you can provide me, even if it's just a link to a site to help me figure out my computer problems. Thanks again. :)

Answer 1

Remove Currently Running Program on your System Tray
Go to Run = type MSCONFIG + Startup = Disabled Unnessary Programs

or try this utility to improved and optimizing your system
www.tune-up.com

You can do it!

Answer 2

You can click on the start button, then go to Programs , under that you will see Start up just check whether this is empty or not.If it is then well and good if not then you will need to remove the program to improve the speed of your computer.Yeah it could be a sign of virus/trojan/malware,etc.even i faced this problem and my computer had to be reformatted. I lost everything in the process but it was worth it now the speed has improved.

Answer 3

Yes that is a huge problem go to run under start up and type in msconfig then UN check all the things that you know you have downloaded yourself such as yahoo,msn,etc and leave the rest checked, But anything you download your self UN check it,All of these programs start when you start your PC.You also may have a back door open try going to webroot spy sweeper.I had dialer's on my PC that connect to your modem and it calls porn sites. Most people have this in there PC and do not know it. Xoftspy is also a really good anti spy ware.Good luck

Answer 4

there are 2 places you can go to prevent programs from starting up
1st click start-all programs-start up folder-in here you can delete whatever you dont want to load at start up. dont worry you are not deleting the programs off your computer just preventing them from starting at log on.
2nd click start-run-type this msconfig-hit enter-start up tab-in here you will see programs that start at log on will have a check in the box. it isnt always easy to tell what some of these things are. the best way to do it is by trial and error uncheck a couple reboot and see what happens if there are any troubles after unchecking something just go back and put the check again. there isnt anything you can do permanant here so dont worry.
once you are done and reboot for the last time when you log on it will tell you that you are using a customized start up blah blah blah you can put a check in the box not to display that anymore.
the 2nd option is kind of tedious but the end result is a faster log on and less RAM being used in the background.
good luck

Answer 5

Could be all the programs in the start up folder. Go to Start - Programs - Startup and delete anything in there that you don't NEED on initial startup. Also, check how much RAM you have. Too little will also slow down bootup.

Answer 6

You are suffering from is a lack of free resources. It happens when you have too many applications that use up the limited system resources of your computer. As users install more applications, it will get worse and worse. Here are some of the common causes and some ways to fix it.


Some applications are just poorly written. If you install an application and immediatly start having problems, uninstall it right away. You can do this by going to the Control Pannel (Start > Settings > Control Pannel) and click on Add or Remove Programs. Select the program you wish to remove and click the Change/Remove button. Follow the prompings to remove.


Many applications these days are written to run every time the computer is turned on. All of these programs get loaded in to your computer's memory (RAM). As this happens it reduces the amount of free memory available for other programs to use. So when you run another program that needs memory and there isn't enough available, your computer has to start going through memory and freeing it up for the new program. This takes more time than if the memory was already available, therefore your computer will run more slowly. Your computer will also begin writing to your hard drive, as memory becomes low, into a Paging File. Windows usually manages the size of this file and increases or decreases the size of it as needs change. However, the Paging File can only be as big as the amount of free space on your Hard Drive. So, if you are low on space you may consider deleting or backing up some of the files on your hard drive to free up more space. Remember to empty your recycle bin as it is still taking up space until you do. As everybody has pointed out, you can turn these off in windows by clicking Start > Run, type MSCONFIG, select Startup tab and uncheck the things you don't want to run on startup.


Many "free" programs that you may download and install contain secret programs that run hidden so that you cannot see them. Even though you cannot see them, they still load into your computer's memory, reducing the amount of free memory available for programs that you would actually like to run. These programs also use up your internet bandwidth (your internet speed) as they send information back to their creator on things such as websites you visit, your e-mail accounts, your computer's information and so forth. As the number of these hidden programs increases, your computer will get slower and slower. You can combat this with a spyware removal tool, but they will only clean the most common ones. Even though a spyware removal tool says that your computer is clean doesn't mean that it is. You may find it beneficial to run more than one of them to catch as many as you can. Be careful though, you don't want to install one of these programs that will add its own spyware to your computer. One of the best spyware removal tools is Spybot which can be downloaded at http://www.spybot.info/en/mirrors/index.html.


A virus is basically an illegal version of spyware. In my mind both should be illegal since they both install themselves without your consent and then burry themselves in your computer so that you can't find them to get rid of them. Anything that does not install every portion of itself in a fashion that it can be removed in the Add/Remove Programs list should be illegal, because it infringes on our rights to control what is on our computer. Anyway, much like spyware, a virus will take up memory and send information back to its author about you and your computer. Most virus' have been written to do other more destructive things such as taking control of your computer, find and send passwords and financial information, attacking Windows and propagating itself. In order to spread, a virus will send itself to any computer it can find which takes up your bandwidth (your internet speed) and CPU (your computer's brain) making other programs run slower. Like a spyware scanner, virus scanners can only catch those viruses that it is programmed to find. Luckily, there is big business in finding and destroying viruses, so virus scanners tend to be more complete than the spyware ones. Trend Micro offers a free virus scan which can be run from http://www.trendmicro.com/hc_intro/default.asp.



The best way to stop spyware and viruses is to prevent them from getting onto your computer. Here are some steps that everybody should consider.

1.) Keep your windows up-to-date. Many virus attacks exploit flaws in Windows to gain access to your computer. Microsoft is constantly releasing hotfixes and service packs that address these flaws. If you have your computer updated, the chance a virus will be able to get in is much smaller. Setup or run at http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/

2.) Don't install "free" software unless it is from a trusted source. Even then only install what you absolutely need to have. Do not download free games, screensavers, backgrounds, emoticons or ringtones as the sites that advertise them will often load you up with free spyware as well.

3.) If you feel that you must install something, use an application like Software Virtualization (SVS) that will capture the program. This will allow you to try the program without putting your computer in as much risk. If the application starts slowing down your computer, or you start to get pop-ups, you simple have to delete the capture and it is as if it was never installed (Much better than depending on the programs writer who writes the uninstaller). This particular tool also offers the ability to run on startup or not. This will stop programs from filling your memory up before you do anything. Download at http://juice.altiris.com/aff/3393/1

4.) Change your browser's security settings to as high as you can stand. This will cause you to be prompted before things are installed from websites. Read they prompts carefully as getting into the habit of clicking "OK" is like not having any security at all. In Explorer click Tools > Internet Options > Security to set security level.



My final piece of advice is simply this; know when to call it quits. No matter how careful you are, or how big of a computer nerd you are, your computer will reach the point when it will take more work to fix than to just start over. Nothing will make your computer run like it did when it was new except insalling Windows new again. If you are spending hours trying to fix it, day after day, it probably isn't worth your time. Instead, start spending that time backing up your photos, music, movies and documents (you should back them up regularly anyway). Then pop your Windows CD into the drive and reboot. Follow the on screen instructions to format the drive and reinstall.