Windows XP Slow Startup

Experiencing Windows XP slow startup can be quite an annoyance, as this means that your computer takes very long to boot up. Waiting for 5-10 minutes for your computer to just start is something, that may not go down too well with many people. However, you can rest easy knowing that there are some easy answers to the question, "How to fix Windows XP slow startup?", and some easy ways to make computer faster.

Computers gradually become slower over time as more and more data is stored on them. Newer programs and applications also slow down a computer, because the machine takes longer to process the programs that were created after the computer was. This situation prompts you to think why is my computer so slow and most importantly, how to make a computer run faster. Though Windows XP is one of the most stable and reliable operating systems released by Microsoft, Windows XP slow startup problems are simply inevitable.

How to Fix Windows XP Slow Startup
Here are some possible solutions for you to fix this problem. You may have to try all of them in order to speed up your Windows XP startup, but the end result will be completely worth all that effort.

The first thing you should do is change the amount of time the computer takes before booting up. To achieve this, follow the steps mentioned here.

• Go to the 'Start' menu. Click on 'Run'.
• Now type 'msconfig' and hit the Enter button.
• Look under the tab called 'BOOT.INI'. You need to locate the option 'Timeout'.
• In front of this you will see the number '30'. This is the default setting for the number of seconds the system takes to boot up.
• Change this to '3'. Your slow startup Windows XP problem should be solved.

Another possible Windows XP slow startup fix is to increase the amount of RAM (Random Access Memory) on your computer. This will speed up the Windows XP slow startup by leaps and bounds. New laptops and desktop computers come loaded with at least 4GB of RAM nowadays, so if you are using anything below 1GB of RAM, you need to upgrade immediately.

Another cause for slow startup Windows XP is that there are too many programs starting automatically when you switch on the computer. You will find that this is a completely unnecessary task for most of these programs, so they are slowing down your computer for nothing. What you need to do is reduce the number of programs that start automatically when you startup your computer. Here's how you can do that.

• Go to the 'Start' menu. Click on 'Run'.
• Now type 'msconfig' and hit the Enter button.
• Look under the tab called 'Startup'.
• Now you can de-select all the programs that you feel are unnecessarily getting activated when you switch on your computer. This is a very effective way for troubleshooting Windows XP slow startup.

Another option for you to explore is to remove all the unnecessary programs from your computer completely. Sometimes we install new programs and then find that they are not as useful as we thought. Failure to remove unwanted programs, most certainly, lead to Windows XP slow startup. In order to remove unwanted programs, simply go to the 'Start' menu, 'Control Panel' and then 'Add or Remove Programs'. Now you can choose which programs you want to uninstall and remove completely from your computer. Note that you will have to restart your computer after this. This will also help you check, if the startup time has decreased or not.

Another way for you to cure slow startup Windows XP is by cleaning out your disk. In order to do this, you must go to 'My Computer', right-click on your local disk and then select 'Properties'. In the 'General' tab you will see an option called 'Disk Cleanup' next to the pie-chart that you see there. This is a great way of cleaning up temporary files and cookies from your disk, and may end up speeding your startup process. You can also choose the 'Tools' tab and then select the 'Defragment Now' option to speed up your computer. Slow speed in starting up Windows XP is something that can be cured easily using a variety of methods, with each method giving a different rate of success.

Trying these methods of fixing Windows XP slow startup should make your computer faster. This is a major boon for some people, as waiting for more than a couple of minutes for your computer to startup is a truly painstaking process.