Controlling What Programs Windows Runs Automatically
By
Jost Zetzsche
4,400+ Translation Agencies! Click Here to Buy the Database!
If your computer’s startup is very sluggish or you
don’t know what some of the icons in the system tray
(the right-hand corner of your task bar in Windows)
stand for, it may be a good idea to reduce the number
of programs that automatically start each time you
turn your computer on. There are two ways to do this.
Any program that is listed under Start> Programs>
Startup will be automatically started when you open
Windows. To delete a program from the list, simply
right-click it and select Delete.
However, deleting them from the list
does not stop all automatic startup programs from
running. To accomplish this, select Start>Run and
type msconfig. The System Configuration Utility will
appear. All utilities and programs on the Startup
tab are started automatically. You will need some
of these programs to start up, but the vast majority
can be unchecked (depending on your computer configuration)
to promote a faster startup and better performance.
Most of us won’t know what the odd-sounding
names stand for (such as At2mdxx or ctfmon), but here
are a few links that will give you a good idea of
what each of these programs stands for and whether
you need it or not:
http://www.3feetunder.com/krick/startup/list.html
http://www.sysinfo.org/startuplist.php
http://www.answersthatwork.com/Tasklist_pages/tasklist.htm
http://www2.whidbey.com/djdenham/Uncheck.htm
For some odd reason, Microsoft decided
to abolish the System Configuration Utility for Windows
2000 (only to reinstate it again for Windows XP).
If you have Windows 2000 and you would like to use
this utility anyway, you can easily use the version
that comes with Windows XP. (If you don’t have access
to a Windows XP computer, you can download it at http://downloads.thetechguide.com/msconfig.zip).
To retrieve it from a Windows XP computer, locate
the file msconfig.exe in the C:/WINDOWS directory
(including its subdirectories). Once you find it,
copy it to the C:/WINNT/system32 directory on the
Windows 2000 computer and it will run without a hitch.
An even easier way to do this is with
the help of a specialized application such as Startup
Inspector (see www.windowsstartup.com).
This will not only give you a listing of the applications
that are started, but it will also furnish you with
a "rating" of each application. Like so
many of the programs discussed in this newsletter,
this program is freeware, or, more specifically, "donationware,"
which is free software that leaves you the option
of donating something to the author.
© International Writers'
Group. Excerpt from the Tool Kit Newsletter, a biweekly
newsletter for people in the translation industry
who want to get more out of their computers. For more
information see www.internationalwriters.com/toolkit
Read
more articles - Free!
E-mail
this article to your colleague!
Need
more translation jobs? Click here!
Translation
agencies are welcome to register here - Free!
Freelance
translators are welcome to register here - Free!
Subscribe
to TranslationDirectory.com newsletter - Free!
Take
part in TranslationDirectory.com poll - your voice
counts!
|
