Best ways to improve startup and shutdown speed?

[rthings]

I run a full security suite and do regular scans, so I don't think my startup and shutdown speed issues are to do with malware. (Potentially bloated security programs aside.)

After a couple years of using my PC, the startup and shutdown speed has slowed quite a bit. What's a good series of steps (or scanning product) to use to optimize the speed?

I've tried to minimize the number of programs that actually load at startup, but I'm not really sure, aside from the tray in the lower right, whether more might be loading in the background? So some way to inventory would be helpful.

I'm presently defragging the hard drive. (Running Windows XP home on a system that has plenty of memory and disk space, etc.)

Thanks ever so.

 

[peterdiva]

For startup you can use Bootvis. Instructions can be found on page 64 of the TGTC.

You can use the following for a fast shutdown, but use at your own risk. SuperFast Shutdown.

 

[rthings]

For startup you can use Bootvis. Instructions can be found on page 64 of the TGTC.

You can use the following for a fast shutdown, but use at your own risk. SuperFast Shutdown.

Thanks muchly. By the way, I just used the Norton uninstall tool mentioned on the forum, and installed a different av vendor's security suite... suddenly, I've got waaaaayyy speedier startup/shutdown. (I may still seek to improve it, but what a relief.)