System Startup

[Cami A]

While I was at my SIL's house, her computer was becoming unstable nearly every time someone turned it on. Her hard drive had been replaced six months ago for the same symptoms. When I was trying to get it to run, I noticed that no fewer than 22 programs booted automatically at startup. Her teenagers had downloaded many things that insinuated themselves into the startup menu and had partially deleted a few of the programs, making things worse.

With some help from this link (http://www.google.com/search?q=cache:hurc_yDU-X0C:www.3dspotlight.com/tweaks/startup/index.shtml+windows+xp+startup+menu&hl=en&ie=utf-8), we cleaned out all the excess, cutting the boot time from over 6 minutes and eradicating the dreaded "system has become unstable" message.

Take a look at what programs are running right now by hitting Ctrl/Alt/Delete on your keyboard.

And if you've got teenagers...go to Add/Remove programs and get rid of the half-dozen Napster clones they've downloaded... :D

[Sponsored Links]

[jlbos83]

Then there's the !#$^@%& demo disks. The kids think they are great. I try not to let them in the house!

[Cami A]

The kids or the demo disks, Jeff?

:D :D :D

[jlbos83]

Well, I always seem to be uninstalling something! So I guess the kids are sneaking in somehow! Lately it's been more 'legit' software that seems to think I need a few new icons on the desktop, a start menu folder for every program, links to the net, etc., etc. Just reformatted the beast this weekend, I got tired of trying to figure out what was good and what wasn't. Saved the e-mail, documents, etc, and blew everything else away. i is nice to have my disk back, for a while!

A little off this topic...but since you are building your house, even as we type, what are you doing in the way of 'structured wiring'? Things have been changing so fast, and I was out of the country for five years, I feel like I don't even know the words!

[Cami A]

Hmmmm.... the term "structured wiring" hasn't made it to the sticks. Probably will end up with Cat5, from the miminal research I've done so far on the electrical system. Possibly in conduits to make the inevitable changes easier. Right now, cable isn't available at the house- there has to be some many homes per sqaure mile. We got the cable from the company and buried it with the electrical anyway. There's always hope...

As for the basics, we've put in two breaker boxes so we have room for later expansion, and went with about twice the code minimum for outlets, especially doubled up where ever there might be a tv. Jack's putting some outlets in the eaves for Christmas lights, along with extra on the porch. Extra phone jacks throughout the house- everywhere but the bathrooms.

[jlbos83]

Extra phone jacks throughout the house- everywhere but the bathrooms.

Guess you use the cordless in there?

My understanding of 'structured wiring' is that it is home runs with all of the TV, phone, and computer wiring to a central distribution box containing switches, combiners, hubs, gizmos, and whatsits. So you can watch the DVD being played in the garage from the master bath, while surfing the net and talking on three phones while send a fax, or somesuch.

We are going to put some outlets behind the roof parapets for Christmas lights, and definitely have extra outlets. and phone jacks. Probably try to run an empty conduit to as many places as possible to allow for the invention that will certainly come out the day after the drywall is up!

[JC]

There is even more programs running then just what you see with Cont+alt+del. Go into the msconfig and it is there the complete list.

Those startup programs irritate me to.

[Cami A]

Actually went there today during "spring cleaning" of programs and a defrag for good measure- it was what reminded me of it in the first place.