Speed up the boot time of Windows XP

Some computers have a lot of problems, whether it is software, hardware or simple changes they need to make in their system BIOS. Here are a few tips on how to speed up the boot of your Windows operating system.

Please be aware that these tips are only suggestions, and if you do not feel comfortable with carrying out the actions yourself, do not hesitate to ask for help from someone more experienced in using computers. There are certain mistakes which can be made which can result in the computer becoming worse than before - which then may end up in you requiring to spend money on a technician.

System BIOS changes:

 You would be surprised how much changes in your system BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) can effect the amount of time it takes for your computer to load.

• 1.) Make sure your computer is switched off properly - you cannot do this if your computer is on stand-by.
• 2.) Keep your eyes peeled for any message which suggests how to access the BIOS screen, this can range from pressing the DEL key, F1, F10, CTRL-ALT-S, or many other keys or combinations of keys.
• 3.) Once the you have accessed the BIOS setup screen, look for the BOOT menu - use your keyboard arrows to change which menu you highlight and enter to select the one you want.
• 4.) Depending on how modern your computer is, you should find an option for QUICK BOOT. Enable this to skip memory tests and other minor Power On Self tests (POST)
• 5.) Now, you should try and find an option for BOOT DEVICE PRIORITY, change the first device to be the Hard Drive. (Please note that this action will stop your computer running from any floppy drive, or CD-ROM. If you DO boot your computer using any of these, please skip the step.) If at some point you need to boot your computer from a CD-ROM, simply re-enter the BIOS set up and make the first first boot device CD-ROM.
• 6.) Choose the option to Exit and Save Changes and the computer will reboot.

Changes to Windows Settings:

This set of changes will change certain settings on your Windows Operating System.

• 1.) Click on Start, Run and type MSCONFIG and press Enter
• 2.) Click on the STARTUP tab in the System Configuration Utility (located at the top right of the menu) - This will bring up a list of programmes which, if ticked, are set to load up on Windows Start-up. All of these programmes are using up valuable RAM on your computer when it loads up. It is your job to look for the ones you do not need straight away. These can include instant messenger services, Internet explorer, windows media player and many more. These will ALL slow down your computer. Of course, most of the time, there will be some programmes you want straight away, such as anti-virus software, so my advice is to disable all of the list, then tick anything which you know you need.

As simple as this technique is, it works wonders. It is so simple to do and has a great affect on the system boot. When you click apply, these settings will not automatically start, you will be asked to reboot your computer and only then will they take effect.

• 3.) Once your computer has rebooted, you will need to access the System Configuration screen again (Start - Run - ‘MSCONFIG’ - Enter) This time, click the ‘Services’ tab which is positioned next to the ‘Start-up’ one.
• 4.) At the bottom should be a button which says ‘Hide all Microsoft services’ - this will then show you all the unnecessary Windows Services which are running and can be removed. To make it simple, i will say anything suggesting the use of your graphics or sound card, or antivirus or firewall programs should be left alone, but anything you feel isn’t required, you can remove. Please make sure you are certain the services you are removing are unnecessary, otherwise you may result in having boot problems.

Reduce the Number of Fonts installed:

As stupid as this sounds, you wouldn’t believe that having a lot of fonts installed on your computer would have any effect, but it does. Every font windows has installed has to load up on the start-up. A good number to have is around 1000, because that doesn’t take up too much room, but if you are still experiencing problems, a big drop to around 400 should do the trick. Of course, some fonts are highly essential to your computer, such as Verdana, Arial, Trebuchet, Tahoma, Times New Roman, MS Sans Serif and Courier New. These should all be kept on your computer at all times.

To delete a wide variety of fonts from your computer, please follow these simple steps.

• 1.) Open ‘My Computer’
• 2.) Double-click on Drive C
• 3.) Click on File and then New Folder, title it something along the lines of ‘Fonts Backup’ so you know what it is
• 4.) Double-click on the Windows folder to open it
• 5.) Double-click on the Fonts folder to access the fonts you hav installed on your computer
• 6.) Highlight the fonts you wish to remove and copy them
• 7.) Navigate back to the C:\Fonts Backup folder and PASTE these fonts into your backup folder
• 8.) Return to the Fonts Folder and right-click on any fonts you previously copied to the backup folder, then choose Delete.

If you accidentally removed a font, simply reverse the procedure by copying and pasting the font back into the Windows\Fonts folder.

I must say, at first i didn’t really think i was going to enjoy using this set up, it didn’t look, to me, like something i would find comfortable. The shape didn’t look like the latest technology, anything futuristic like most designs we see today. surprisingly, it was quite comfortable, the buttons were very quiet and the shape of the mouse was fantastic for the natural position of the hand.

The buttons on the keyboard are slightly raised nearer to the space bar, which isn’t a bad idea - because it gives you reason to lift your wrists whilst typing, this is a major factor in the design of keyboards because certain usage can cause RSI (repetitive Strain Injury.) The mouse was also cleverly designed, usually it is raised in the centre to fit the natural hand position, where as this mouse is raised nearer to the back which gives you reason to stretch your fingers more, so everything remains intact whilst in use.

wireless really does make this set-up, there are no restrictions due to the length of wires, you are free to sit as far back (within reason) from your computer as you like, so if you’re like me and use the big screen projector for your computer, this really is ideal for you.

It’s not very often you come across a set like this. In this bundle you get a keyboard, mouse and 2 speakers for your personal computer. It’s great when you can purchase things in bundles because it usually works out cheaper, and it involves less searching. Meaning the customer gets the satisfaction they deserve.

The keyboard is very quiet indeed, no annoying clicks that everyone in the house can hear whilst typing. The buttons themselves are very comfortable and even though the shape doesn’t look fantastic, it seems to feel great to use. Along the top are also a few extra buttons, which can control volume, play/pause or go to your Internet browser homepage. The number pad is parallel to the rest of the keyboard - which helps you keep your wrists raised, helping against RSI (repetitive Strain Injury) because you end up using your elbows rather than wrists to move your hands.

The mouse is very tiny indeed, it may take some time to get used to, but once you do it is rather comfortable, and very easy to control. The laser picks up on all movements which is really both good and bad. Good because it gives you more control, bad because you need to be extra careful whilst clicking links. The buttons are very pleasant to use, and the wheel is neither to loose, nor too tight. This makes browsing the Internet and viewing web pages so much easier, because it gives you more freedom and control. The actual buttons are clever placed at angles from each other, and easier to click the further up to are, meaning you need to stretch your fingers to achieve maximum comfort.

Like the rest of the set-up, the speakers involved in the bundle are designed brilliantly, with power and volume control on one of them, as well as a headphone socket so you can listen to your music without the whole house hearing. The speakers themselves are not very loud, at only 2.5W (RMS) these speakers give solely a clear sound for you to enjoy.

I’m not really into dance music, it’s not that i hate it - i just prefer something a little more rockier. Saying this, i feel i really should give this DJ tool a bad review. However, i won’t, because i actually enjoyed using it - a lot!

This MP3 controller looks complicated, it looks very difficult to use. It isn’t, i picked it up after a short amount of time. The basic idea is to plug it into your computer and use the on screen tool to add MP3s to a play list, maybe for a party of some variety. You can then fade songs in and out to mix them so you then have constant music, but you are also able to fiddle with certain effects. You can increase the bass, treble, speed the track up, slow it down or increase the pitch to make it very high pitched. Not only is this a great tool for parties, it is great for a bit of fun as well, pick the deepest voiced band/artist you can and give them that pitch bend to reach the higher notes.

A great feature on this tool is the ‘Beatlock’ feature, which allows you to lock the beats of 2 songs together for constant dance music, simply lock the beats, fade one song out and the other one in - people won’t be able to tell the difference!