I’m going to kick things off this week with some Q&A.
Q: It takes my Windows pc a long time to startup. Is there any way to speed up this process?
A: Yes. One of the first things I’d look at is the Windows System Configuration Utility. To access it click: start > run > type msconfig > choose the startup tab. This shows you all of the programs that are set to auto start when you booting Windows. In all honesty, you only need to have a few of these checked, but it will vary from machine to machine (it’s also based on the types of programs that you use). Windows is notorious for enabling a boatload of unessential programs when you first get a new machine. Also, nearly every time you download a new program it will add an entry into the Windows Registry enabling the program to run during startup.
Q: What is the purpose of having a program auto start?
A: Programs that auto start are actually running ‘in the background’ of Windows. The idea is that since they are already running, they will appear more quickly when called upon. Therefore, these programs are loaded during startup. Also, since you have a finite amount of RAM and CPU, your performance will suffer from having too many startup programs running in parallel. And yes, while these programs are running “behind the scenes,” they are using RAM, CPU, and draining the battery you’re not on AC power.
Q: How do I know which programs should be turned off during startup?
A: Since I’m not a big fan of Microsoft’s System Configuration Utility (because you can’t make heads or tails out of which processes do what). Here are some options to help you translate the startup programs:
- Go to http://www.processlibrary.com/directory/files/tpshocks/ and type in the file name to see if their database holds a description and recommendation for the .exe.
- Check Paul Collins’ site (aka Pacman) http://www.sysinfo.org/startuplist.php
- Or you can download Autoruns from Sysinternals (now owned by Microsoft) http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb963902.aspx
Autoruns is free software which easily allows you to modify your startup programs and provides numerous other options and system information. It provides you with a short description, the publisher, path, and with a quick right click (choose Search Online), it will auto query your default search engine with the process name.
Q: I’ve turned off several of my startup programs and I’m still experiencing slow boot times…are there any other options to consider?
A: Yes, there are a few other options to explore. In no particular order here are 2 options.
Option 1: Check the amount of RAM that you have on your Win XP computer. Right click My Computer > Properties. The System Properties window will come up and by default, it should place you within the General tab. Look toward the bottom right hand corner of the window and you will see the number of MB or GB that your computer is using. Forget what the minimum system requirements say…at minimum a Windows XP laptop should be running with at least 1.0 GB of RAM. Anything less will slowly eat away at system performance as well as your sanity. For most of us using the 32-bit platform our RAM limitation is 4 GB. This of course is PC dependent, so don’t think that every machine can utilize 4 GB of RAM. RAM allowance will vary by manufacturer, product line, and model.
To check the amount, type, and # of RAM slots that your machine can use go to the Crucial website and use their system scanner tool to get the details. It’s safe and it’s free. Crucial is also my company of choice when I’m in the market for some additional RAM.
Option 2: You could also look at the startup sequence within the BIOS (you must access the BIOS before booting Windows). The acronym BIOS stands for Basic Input/Output System and it is essentially firmware used during booting a system. Basically, you’d want to know if you had inadvertently changed the boot sequence from Hard Disk to DVD or something else. If you’ve never tinkered with the BIOS then this probably isn’t a problem. I won’t get into the details of this now, but feel free to Google it if you’re interested in learning more about the BIOS.
Q: Since we’re on the subject of RAM…what if I require more than 4 GB of RAM?
A: If you legitimately need more than 4 GB of RAM or you are just scaling for the future then I would check into purchasing a 64-bit computer. Compared to 32-bit, a 64-bit is theoretically 8 times faster than a 32-bit. The 64-bit platform is also capable of leveraging up to 128 GB of RAM. Normally…and I use the word cautiously, you would only need more than 4 GB of RAM if your were a super-user doing any of the following activities:
- Using multiple heavy apps that need to be up and running simultaneously and you need to switch back and forth between them frequently
- Doing heavy multi-media editing
- Heavy online gaming
Q: What makes a 64-bit computer so much faster than 32-bit? I thought RAM was used to store short-term memory?
A: You are correct in the fact that RAM is used to store temporary memory. However, 32 and 64-bit refers to the way the CPU handles and allocates data. By storing running processes in RAM rather than on the hard disk, this increases the machines overall multi-tasking capabilities because of the increase of the capacity of the CPU register. Since a 64-bit register is “deeper” than a 32-bit, it allows operations that calculate larger amounts of data to be processed more concurrently vs. having to “wait their turn.” The major advantage in 64-bit computing lies within the amount of memory or data that it’s able to utilize (think internal bandwidth) versus actual processor speed.
Other tidbits:
- The computing industry began shifting from 16-bit to 32-bit PCs back around the time that Windows 95 was coming out
- Windows currently has both 32 and 64-bit versions of
- The last time I checked - the percent of 64-bit Windows users was around 20% and rising
- Many of the specials that went on during Black Friday included 64-bit PCs that were on sale. One particular HP that was on sale came with 16 GB of RAM pre-installed.
- 64-bit apps can run 32-bit apps…and… some 32-bit apps can run on 64-bit OS’s, but I wouldn’t’ recommend it. If you wanted to have a small chance at the latter working you would (at minimum) need to have your drivers upgraded to be 64-bit compatible.
Tools of the Week:
Revo Uninstaller
Never use the Windows Add/Remove Programs feature again. Revo digs deeper into your system to remove not only left over registry settings but .dlls as well. It will remove all traces of just about any application. This is one of my favorite programs.
http://www.revouninstaller.com/
Backpackit
Ever wanted to build your own intranet? Here’s a cool little product for a small business user. I recommend watching the video tutorial to get a feel for what features it provides.
Gadgets of the Week:
Gesture-Controlled TV: Remember the movie “Minority Report?”
Custom built computers by Puget Systems
Decrease the heat output of your hardware by submerging it in mineral oil. Be sure to check out the video.
http://www.pugetsystems.com/submerged.php
EzVision Video Eyewear
http://www.gadgets-reviews.com/index.php?id=579&page=post
http://shopping.aol.com/ezvision-video-eyewear/31197957#
Video of the Week:
Condition 1 weather in Antarctica
http://videos.komando.com/2009/01/15/condition-1-weather/
News of the Week:
Apple's Steve Jobs takes a leave of absence.
Website of the Week:
Sysinternals
The Sysinternals site is a large assortment of tools that will help you manage and troubleshoot your OS and applications. The tools are developed by Mark Russinovich and were so well built that Microsoft offered to buy them in 2006. Mark agreed and is now an employee of Microsoft. I’m currently using 3 of these tools on a daily basis.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/default.aspx
Next Week:
Rootkits and Keyloggers
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