I'm reading about how to use mscomfig to get rid of items you don't need and it will speed up your slow computer. They say to look in your system tray first to see what your computer is starting up. They say just click on the icon. I can't find it anywhere. What icon? What a system tray?

Your system tray is the bottom right hand of the task bar (the clock etc) it has all the processes that start up when your pc starts up

I don't recommend using msconfig to control startup items. IMHO a better idea is to use Mike Lin's Startup Control Panel. It's free for personal use and does a great job.

I downloaded Mike lin's start up control panel on my win xp computer. I can't open it. Can you help?

Look in the control panel, Start, Control Panel, Startup

Originally Posted by HappyGoLucky

I downloaded Mike lin's start up control panel on my win xp computer. I can't open it. Can you help?

Is your question relating to opening a .zip file or the application itself?

The download was a .zip file. They need a "zip utility" to extract the compressed files.

Sorry I missed you were using xp. just right click the download & choose open with extract zip etc.

or; this is a good "free for personal use" zip utility:

http://www.ultimatezip.com/index.htm

after extracting the files:

Control Panel Applet: Run the setup program from the zip file.

EXE Version: Just extract the executable wherever you want.

let us know if we can help more


...edit for xp ... oops

Go it! Thanks Guys! It works! I'm learning! There is so much to learn and so little time, LOL. My biggest problem is AOL filling my computer up with ???#@^*&??? I'm from the deep south and have a problem understanding their "techs" on the phone, it takes talking to at lease 8 of them to solve simple problems. I also have compuserve on my computers and have no problem at all. I never had to call a tech. BUT I spend half my computer time shutting down AOL pop-ups and other stuff they some how send me. They have crashed one computer so far when I tryed to upgrade to 9.0. They clame it's was my falt. Are others having these problems with AOL? I'm off the subject sorry.
Thanks for all the help.

Your quite welcome

I got it to open. I also typed msconfig in run and then opened start up. They are almost the same. The download is better because it's in color. Now I have all the tools I need to stop those programs running in the back ground at startup. The PROBLEM is I can't figure out what is what??? I can identify some of them but I'm not sure about most of them. Can I mess things up by turning off items? I can identify my virous protection and a few others that I will leave on. What would happen If I uncheck all the others? Would my computer not startup properly?

Click & Click