when I turn my computer on I have a lot of things that load along the bottom right hand screen on the desktop ( start up menu ?? ) I don't need all these things to load straighaway and only need most of them very occasionally.
How do I 'unpin' them from the start up menu ??

You have many options. start > run > msconfig | startup is the built in XP device but CCleaner is much easier: http://www.ccleaner.com/ Go to Tools > Startup

If you want to know more than you ever wanted to know try Autoruns: http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/fr...autoruns.shtml

A couple other lists:

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tuto...utorial44.html

http://windowsxp.mvps.org/Startup.htm

thanks for your reply , I'm quite a novice so I hope you can bear with me.
when I go to run and type in msconfig do I then go to start up ??
I have found it and there is a list of things there with ticks next to them , I'm assuming that I untick the ones I don't want on the start up menu is that right ??
If I untick them I won't lose the programmes will I , I am right in thinking I will just go to start , programmes and use them from there ??
Thanks for bearing with me

You are correct.

When you reboot you will be warned that you are in a diagnostic mode.

Just tell the warning to go away and not come back

If you want to go back and re-tick those items you can always do that.