How to make your Windows computer boot faster

Are you one of those people who make a morning ritual of turning on your computer before going to make some coffee or tea while it boots up? Would it surprise you to know that you can eliminate this unproductive time from your schedule with just a few simple steps?

Most Windows computers start up more slowly over time because they get bogged down with unnecessary software and folderol. Removing them or turning them off will allow your computer to run like it's brand new. There are even utilities that can help you find out exactly what's slowing things down. But before you reach for any special software, take care of these computer basics first.

Uninstall unused applications

Perhaps the first thing you can do to speed up your computer's boot time is uninstall any old programs that you're not using anymore. These accumulate over the years, and they're notorious for prolonging your computer's boot time, especially if they've added themselves to your startup routine (either by automatically running when you log into your computer or by starting updates automatically).

On a typical family computer, you might find old music programs or educational games the kids no longer use; at work, you might find a program you needed for one task a year ago but haven't used since. These types of programs can be uninstalled without much fuss. If you think you might need to use the program again, doublecheck to make sure you (or someone in your office) has the installation software (or can download it

Unplug unnecessary devices

Another easy thing you can do to speed up your start-ups is make sure that you don't have any unnecessary USB devices plugged into your computer. This includes things like cameras, phones, printers and scanners. If you only use your printer once a month, there's little need to keep it turned on and plugged into your computer all the time. Unplug it to not only save electricity but to make your computer speedier, as well.

The reason this trick works is because your computer will check out everything that's plugged in to make sure it's ready for action. In some cases, your system may be set up to try and boot from a USB device (like a USB key or CD-ROM) before it looks to your hard drive. The less stuff it has to check out, the quicker it's ready to do what you want.

Update your system

Often overlooked as a measure to improve your computer's boot-up time, updating your software and hardware drivers can be an essential step. These are simple to do yourself using Windows Update, and you won't be disappointed by the results. You can even automate your updates, too.

If you're in an office environment, however, be sure to check with your IT department before you update your computer. They might want to do it for you or instruct you to do something in a particular way.

Analyze your boot time

Once you've taken care of these things, you can turn to a more advanced option. (Again, this might not be permitted at your workplace — you'll definitely want to check with the IT staff.) Windows is good at keeping a record of everything it does, and the program Soluto lets you see exactly what's going on during the startup time when your screen is normally blank (or filled with a pretty picture that doesn't tell you anything).

Download Soluto; it's free. You'll have to register (just your name and e-mail address) to get it, but it's well worth it. After installing, you'll be prompted to reboot and view Soluto's analysis of your computer's startup performance. You'll also have access to your computer's specs and several other non-personal details online, should you need to see things remotely. (Don't let that remote access spook you; only you have access to your data.)

All you're doing at this point is looking at what's happening when you start up your Windows machine; you're not actually making any changes. In fact, if you don't notice any misbehaving programs (like something that takes a minute or more to load or something you never use anymore but that's still there), then you've likely done everything you can for now.

Respond to the analysis

Once you've got Soluto's analysis in hand, you can quickly see if anything funky is afoot. For instance, if you spot printer software loading for a printer you recycled years ago, then you'll know you've found a place you can do some streamlining. Using Soluto, you can quickly and easily respond to the analysis it provided and disable any unnecessary programs. Simply select on the program in Soluto's analysis window and then click Pause. Bam! You've just told that program it can no longer run on its own. Of course, you can always go back and change this, so you'll never make a mistake you can't undo.

You can tie up to five computers to your free Soluto profile, with the option to purchase more space if there are a lot of computers in your household or if you end up being the go-to person for tech expertise in your family. You can also invite friends or family members with one of your five free slots in order to provide a little bit of remote tech advice, just in case.

A word of warning

As you clean up your system, keep in mind that you don't want to disable programs willy-nilly. Some programs (or services, as you might see them called) are important to the operation of Windows, especially programs from Microsoft. Don't disable or mess with them. Soluto is nice enough to flag these under the heading "Cannot be removed by Soluto" when you view the "Chop Boot" screen, so you've got an extra layer of assurance.

If your Windows startup time isn't improving, you may want to take your computer into the professionals at your local computer service shop. They'll be able to take further steps that are not recommended for less experienced users.

And don't forget, if you get your computer to boot up fast enough, you're going to have to find another time to make yourself that cup of hot coffee or tea.

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