msconfig in XP

[Bo Links]

I'd like to speed up my computer when it boots up. How
do I know which "applets" to disable in msconfig in xp?
I'd like to boot up with the bare necessities, not the
whole shebang. Can anyone provide some help?

 

[JAX]

With a clean install, you will see nothing in the startup tab under
msconfig. XP needs no additional programs to run. The only app's that need
to run at startup are your VS and firewall. Anything else is purely
optional.

HTH, JAX

 

[Tom Swift]

"Anything else is purely optional."

I presume you are expressing your own opinion, which is fine if it works for
you, but can actually cause problems for many users.

Tom Swift

 

[JAX]

By optional, I mean, to suit your own needs. What do you mean?

JAX

 

[Ramesh [MVP]]

Hi,

Windows XP does not require any applications for startup. Everything is your choice. I recommend disabling all except your Firewall, Anti-Virus and your favorite applications at startup.

--
Ramesh - Microsoft MVP
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k
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I'd like to speed up my computer when it boots up. How
do I know which "applets" to disable in msconfig in xp?
I'd like to boot up with the bare necessities, not the
whole shebang. Can anyone provide some help?

 

[Tom Swift]

Anyone who, for example, has a sound card or a video card may find that by
preventing their cards' utilities from starting with Windows the card will
not function properly, or at all. Anyone who likes to use CD-RW disks may
find that they will not work as such if they do not permit their packet
writing software to start with Windows. You see where I'm going with this.
To say that "anything else is purely optional," while technically true, is
practically not true. Many technically "optional" applications are
effectively 'required'. Moreover, even applications that are by no means
'required' may be so important to a user that they may as well be required.
To advise that "the only app's that need to run at startup are your VS and
firewall" is not doing the poster any favors.

IMHO, when posters ask "what is the minimum numbers of startup applications
or services?", or my personal favorite: "how do I get rid of all the
Microsoft c**p on my computer?", the fitting answer is "only you can
decide." There are, as I'm sure you are well aware, abundant resources on
the Internet where users can obtain all the information they need to make
their decisions. Users need to know that there are no easy answers.

OK if I read your response later? It's 1:35 AM on the east coast!

Tom Swift

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

Bo;
See #10 on this link for a good answer with specifics on the
individual processes and their purpose:
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/Slowcom.htm

 

[JAX]

Tom,

I have followed your posts to the NG's and find them to be accurate and
helpful to the OP and, from time to time, me as well.

If you would, please re-read the OP. The question was about cutting down the
time it takes to start the PC. That is what I answered. I say again,
anything else is optional, that is, depending on the users needs.

There may be a problem with semantics here.

The best,
JAX

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

Jax;
It is often hard to know exactly what an OP wants.
However in this case, some people may take you literally not knowing
better and all of a sudden they have no AV, firewall, sound etc.
Since items in Startup are often cryptic, it is possible the firewall
and AV will be disabled even though it is not the plan.
Also, MSCONFIG is not the proper place to permanently disable an
application.
The "bare necessities" may easily mean different things to different
people which is why I give the links so they can decide for
themselves.
Just my answer to the question you did not ask me.

 

[JAX]

Hi Jupiter,

If you notice, I did mention the firewall and the VS. That was a typo. I
meant AV program.

You are, of course, absolutely correct in the fact that msconfig is not the
best place to disable a program from running at boot but, many app's don't
offer an option in their setup preferences though.

Optional seems to be the key word here. I could say, "You can cross the
street if you want". If not to a child, I assume you would look for cars
before you do so.

If something was disabled that caused a problem, I would expect the OP'er to
go back and undo whatever he/she did before they noticed the problem. At
worst, they would be back to the NG to find what was wrong. It's a simple
matter to go back to msconfig and re-check whatever was un-checked.

My responses to the NG are normally short. I try to keep it that way. Unlike
many responders, I don't send the un-initiated to the registry or to
web-sites that are too technical or too verbose for the average poster to
follow. I offer links that I feel are appropriate.

What programs are installed to the machine in question, only the owner of
the machine knows. If they have "boot dependent" app's, I give them credit
for knowing what they are. None of the web-sites I have seen list all app's
in their cryptic form that would appear in msconfig, I have been to several.

No, I'm not an MVP but, the information I offered is correct in the form it
was given.

JAX

 

[Tom Swift]

Good morning!

I have followed your posts as well and have appreciated them. I can see how
semantics are definitely a part of this thread. You make a good point.

Tom Swift

 

[Tom Swift]

Let me just add that different people respond to different answer 'styles' -
some prefer short and sweet, others like novels, etc. I think it's great
that posters to these groups - MVP or not - have different approaches.

Tom Swift

 

[JAX]

Good morning,

The OP'r, the way I took it, didn't really want an explanation of each line
in the menu. The gist of the question seemed to be, which entries are needed
to run XP. My addendum about the AV(got it right this time)and firewall was
more than was asked for.

Had it been a more general question like; What can I do to help my PC start
faster? Sending them to msconfig would not even have been my first suggested
route. Unless there are an unusually large number of app's running at boot
or they have something set to load, like an AutoCAD file, the time savings
wouldn't make that much difference to most people. In the days of a 16 Mb
RAM, it did make a lot of difference. If the person is a "Tweak Freak" who
uses a stopwatch to time boot, they probably would be advanced beyond asking
the question.

In previous versions of Windows, there were two items that needed to remain
checked, (as you know), this is not the case with XP. This is still not
known to many and they are leery of doing anything in msconfig due to the
fact that most everything is in a cryptic form. Even though cryptic, most of
the entries have a word or initials of some sort that will tip you as to
what they apply to.

I should have added to my post; Some applications, like the AV program, may
have multiple entries using different "names" and care should be taken to
make sure none of them were disabled. Also, I should have pointed out that
the preferred method of disabling a program is with the programs setup
options, where available.

My typing finger is getting tired so, I will let this rest for now.

Have a good day, JAX

 

[+-J]

Jupiter,

| http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/Slowcom.htm

....404 Error - Page Not Found


| http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/

.... works OK.

--
Jan
----------


| Bo;
| See #10 on this link for a good answer with specifics on the
| individual processes and their purpose:
| http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/Slowcom.htm
|
| --
| Jupiter Jones [MVP]
| An easier way to read newsgroup messages:
| http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/newsgroups/setup.asp
| http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/
|
|

| > I'd like to speed up my computer when it boots up. How
| > do I know which "applets" to disable in msconfig in xp?
| > I'd like to boot up with the bare necessities, not the
| > whole shebang. Can anyone provide some help?

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

Sorry, I made a few changes right after I posted that link.
This is the corrected link:
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/slowcom.htm

 

[+-J]

Jupiter,

No worries.

--
Jan
----------


| Sorry, I made a few changes right after I posted that link.
| This is the corrected link:
| http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/slowcom.htm
|
| --
| Jupiter Jones [MVP]
| An easier way to read newsgroup messages:
| http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/newsgroups/setup.asp
| http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/
|