How to Stop Programs From Running at Startup in XP

One reason your Windows XP operating system may be starting up slower than normal is that there are too many programs opening as soon as XP loads. This problem can easily be remedied by removing certain programs from the Windows XP startup list. It is recommended that you remove programs that you do not use on a regular basis. You must be careful when removing programs from the Windows XP startup list, though, or else you could damage the operating system.

Instructions

1. Click "Start" in the bottom left corner of the screen. A menu will open.

2. Choose the "Run" option in the menu. A small box will appear.

3. Type "msconfig" inside the "Open" text box found in the box. Then, click "OK." A window will open.

4. Click the "Startup" tab found at the top of the open window. The Windows XP startup programs will appear in the middle of window.

5. Click the boxes next to every XP program you wish to stop running at startup. The check marks inside of those boxes will disappear.

6. Click "Apply" at the bottom of the window when you're finished. Then, restart the computer to finish.

Tips & Warnings

• You should only remove programs from Windows XP startup that you recognize. Otherwise, Windows XP may not startup or run properly (or at all).

References

• Of Zen and Computing: How to Stop Programs That Start Up Automatically on Windows XP