How to reduce Windows 7 boot time. Cleaning the system of junk

Good day.

Each user puts a different meaning into the concept of “fast”. For one person, turning on the computer in a minute is fast, for another it takes an extremely long time. Quite often I get asked questions from a similar category...

In this article, I want to give some tips and tricks that help me [usually] speed up my computer boot time. I think that by using at least some of them, your PC will boot a little faster ( those users who expect a 100-fold acceleration can not count on this article, and then write angry comments... And I’ll tell you a secret - such an increase in performance is unrealistic without replacing components or switching to other operating systems).

How to make your Windows computer boot faster (7, 8, 10)

1. Tweaking the BIOS

By default, in the optimal BIOS settings, checking the ability to boot from flash drives, DVDs, etc. is always enabled. As a rule, this feature is needed when installing Windows (rarely when treating viruses) - the rest of the time it only slows down the computer (especially if you have a CD-ROM, for example, some disk is often inserted).

What needs to be done?

1) Enter BIOS settings.

To do this, there are special keys that need to be pressed after turning on the power button. Usually these are: F2, F10, Del, etc. I have an article on my blog with buttons for different manufacturers:

Rice. 1. BIOS - Boot Queue (Dell Inspiron laptop)

3) Enable the Fast boot option (in new BIOS versions).

By the way, in new BIOS versions there is such a feature as Fast boot (accelerated boot). It is recommended to enable it to speed up the computer boot time.

Many users complain that after enabling this option they cannot enter the BIOS (apparently the boot is so fast that the time given to the PC to press the BIOS entry button is simply not enough for the user to press it). The solution in this case is simple: press and hold the BIOS entry button (usually F2 or DEL) and then turn on the computer.

HELP (Fast boot)

A special PC boot mode, in which the OS takes control even before the equipment is checked and ready (it is initialized by the OS itself). Thus, Fast boot eliminates double checking and initialization of devices, thereby reducing computer boot time.

In the “normal” mode, first the BIOS initializes the devices, then transfers control to the OS, which does the same thing again. If we take into account that the initialization of some devices can take a relatively long time, then the gain in download speed is visible to the naked eye!

There is also the other side of the coin...

The fact is that Fast Boot transfers control to the OS before USB initialization takes place, which means a user with a USB keyboard cannot interrupt the OS boot (for example, to select another OS to boot). The keyboard will not work until the OS is loaded.

2. Cleaning Windows of junk and unused programs

Slow operation of Windows OS is often associated with a large number of “junk” files. Therefore, one of the first recommendations in case of a similar problem is to clean your PC from unnecessary and “junk” files.

There are quite a lot of articles on this topic on my blog, so as not to repeat myself, I will provide a few links here:

2) Then in the system configuration window that opens, select the ““ section. Here you need to disable all programs that you do not need (at least every time you turn on the PC).

In Windows 8, you can configure startup in the same way. By the way, you can immediately open the “Task Manager" (CTRL + SHIFT + ESC buttons).

4. Windows OS optimization

Setting up and optimizing for a specific user helps significantly speed up the operation of Windows (including its loading). This topic is quite extensive, so here I will only provide links to a couple of my articles...

Rice. 5. Hard drive (SSD) - Kingston Technology SSDNow S200 120GB SS200S3/30G.

Main advantages over a regular HDD:

Speed of operation - after replacing the HDD with an SSD, you will not recognize your computer! At least, this is the reaction of most users. By the way, before the advent of SSDs, the slowest device in a PC was the HDD drive (as part of Windows boot);
There is no noise - there is no mechanical rotation like in HDD drives. In addition, they do not heat up during operation, which means there is no need for a cooler to cool them (again, noise reduction);
High impact resistance of SSD disk;
Lower energy consumption (not relevant for most);
Less weight.

Of course, such disks also have disadvantages: high cost, limited number of write/rewrite cycles, impossibility* of recovering information (in case of unforeseen problems...).

That's all. Fast PC operation to everyone...

This instruction will talk about methods that will be useful for speeding up your computer startup, even loading the desktop specifically for Windows 7 ( although they will fit other versions as well). Many users are annoyed by long loading times, especially often on older systems with weak specifications.

I'll start with the simpler methods and end with the more complex ones. Each action will be accompanied by a picture for clarity.

Cleaning your desktop

To do this, remove unnecessary shortcuts and folders from it ( for example, combine several folders into 1).
Disable background art. Can be replaced with a simple color, such as black.

To change the background, go to Start >> Control Panel >> Appearance. Next to the "Display" category, click on "Change Desktop Background" as shown below.

In the window that appears, select solid colors and save your changes.

Disabling the loading screen

Every time you start your computer, you've probably noticed a screen with the Windows logo and a loading bar. Instead, you can make the screen black and the computer will not waste time displaying graphics.

To do this, go to the Start menu >> Run or press Win + R. Enter the msconfig command.

Now go to the download tab and check the box “Without GUI” as shown in the image.

Do not close this window. You will need it in the next method.

Startup programs

Now you need to disable programs that start with the system. This will significantly speed up the computer startup.

Go to the startup tab and uncheck all applications if possible.

Using all processor cores

Typically, by default, the computer starts using 1 core. If you enable all cores at startup, performance will increase noticeably.

Attention! Before doing this, it is advisable to make a system restore point. Some users are having trouble turning on their computer.

Again in the system configurations from the boot tab, go to advanced options ( having previously selected the OS used).

Here, check the box next to the number of processors and select the largest number. I have 2, but you may have 4, 8 or even more.

Disk defragmentation

Changes the location of files on disk ( only physically, virtually all your files will remain in their places) and due to their sequential arrangement, their launch speeds up.

In this case, its execution will only be required for the system disk where the Windows 7 files are installed ( usually drive C) and for system files.

I recommend using the free Defraggler program. Download it and install it. Select the system disk and defragment it.

Now here you need to do the same thing, but with system files.

It will start the next time you start the computer.

Has your computer started up faster?

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After prolonged use of Windows OS, operation and installation of software, various unnecessary data often accumulates, which leads to slower system startup. Adequate maintenance is needed, and you can speed up the start and operation of your PC again.

There are various programs for cleaning the operating system to eliminate unnecessary startup applications or delay their start time in order to use Windows as soon as possible, and only then they begin their work. What programs are similar to those tasks is best, we will try to figure it out, and you can decide what suits you best.

Many users use the computer's sleep mode as they at least somehow try to speed up loading. Another group again recommends only using MSConfig systems, where you enable only the services that you need.

For less experienced users who are not confident in MSConfig, we offer some tips on programs that can solve a big problem in a simple and safe way.

CCleaner has received significant support among users. This is a very versatile and capable cleaning program, removing all unnecessary and incorrect entries in the registry, and will also clean temporary files and traces of your Internet browsing (systems and applications such as IE, Firefox, Opera, Netscape, MS Office and many others).

The application also has the advantage that you can use it absolutely free and you can always have a portable version with you on a flash drive. We recommend CCleaner for its good performance and convenience.
Even the average user can manage the program.

Auslogics BootSpeed.

A program with a full set of functions to start the system faster. Cleans the registry, defragments hard drives, clears space of previously deleted data, even restores accidentally deleted files and, of course, provides a wide range of useful information obtained from a thorough scan of the computer.

It also contains functions for working with programs that automatically start when Windows boots. You can disable or even delete applications that you consider unnecessary and are holding your system back.

A very simple utility with a clear mission - to prevent processes and programs from starting at startup. It comes in a table of these applications, categorized according to criteria in 17 different categories, so that the user can easily find the problematic process.

download:

Soluto is a specialized program for fast booting Windows. The main advantages of this program are free licenses, ease of use and a graphically pleasing interface. The application also provides backup in case of any damage done by the user in order to put the system back into working order. After the reboot, the program will indicate how long it takes to download each application.

You can easily choose which processes and programs to disable, and which ones to simply delay the start for (seconds, minutes, tens of minutes). This will allow you to use your computer normally and allow those applications to run slowly and smoothly.

It happens that when loading the operating system it takes a very long time to start or does not start as quickly as the user would like. Thus, his precious time is lost. In this article, we will identify various ways to increase the startup speed of the operating system on Windows 7.

You can speed up the startup of the OS either with the help of specialized utilities or by using the built-in tools of the system. The first group of methods is simpler and is suitable, first of all, for not very experienced users. The second one is suitable for those users who are accustomed to understanding what exactly they are changing on the computer.

Method 1: Windows SDK

One of these special utilities that allows you to speed up the startup of the OS is developed by Microsoft - Windows SDK. Naturally, it is better to use such additional tools from the system developer itself than to trust third-party manufacturers.

After you have downloaded the Windows SDK installation file, run it. If you do not have a special component installed that is necessary for this utility to work, the installer will offer to install it. Click "OK" to proceed to installation.

The Windows SDK Installer welcome window will then open. The interface of the installer and the utility shell is in English, so we will describe the installation steps in detail. In this window you just need to click on "Next".

The license agreement window appears. To agree with it, set the switch in the form of a radio button to the position. "I agree" and press "Next".

Then you will be asked to specify the path on your hard drive where the utility package will be installed. If you do not have a serious need for this, then it is better not to change these settings, but simply click "Next".

Next, a list of utilities to be installed will open. You can choose those of them that you consider necessary, since each of them has significant benefits when used correctly. But to achieve our specific goal, we only need to install the Windows Performance Toolkit utility. Therefore, we uncheck all other items and leave only the opposite "Windows Performance Toolkit". After selecting the utilities, click "Next".

After this, a message opens saying that all the necessary parameters have been entered and you can now proceed to download the utility from the Microsoft website. Click "Next".

Then the download and installation procedure begins. There is no need for user intervention during this process.

After the process is completed, a special window will open notifying you of its successful completion. This should be indicated by an inscription "Installation Complete". Uncheck the box next to the inscription "View the Windows SDK Release Notes". After this you can click "Finish". The utility we need has been successfully installed.

Now, in order to directly use the Windows Performance Toolkit in order to increase the OS startup speed, activate the tool "Run" by pressing Win+R. Enter:
xbootmgr -trace boot –prepSystem

Click "OK".

After this, a message will appear telling you to restart your computer. In general, during the entire period of the process, the PC will be rebooted 6 times. To save time and not have to wait for the timer to expire, after each reboot, in the dialog box that appears, click "Finish". Thus, the reboot will occur immediately, and not after the end of the timer report.

After the last reboot, the PC startup speed should increase.

Method 2: Cleaning startup programs

Adding programs to autostart negatively affects the speed of computer startup. This often happens during the installation procedure of these programs, after which they are automatically launched when the computer boots, thereby increasing its execution time. Therefore, if you want to speed up your PC boot, you need to remove from startup those applications for which this feature is not important to the user. After all, sometimes even those applications that you haven’t really used for months are registered in startup.

But programs can be added to startup not only through the registry, but also by creating shortcuts in the . Using the system configuration option described above, such software cannot be removed from startup. Then you should use a different algorithm of actions.

You can also remove other unnecessary shortcuts from the folder in the same way. Windows 7 should now start up faster.

Method 3: Disable autostart services

No less, and maybe even more, the system’s startup is slowed down by its various services that start when the computer starts operating. Similar to how we did this with regard to software, in order to speed up the startup of the OS, you need to find services that are of little use or useless for the tasks that the user performs on his computer, and disable them.

To go to the Service Control Center, click "Start". Then press "Control Panel".

In the window that appears, click on "System and Security".

Next go to "Administration".

In the list of utilities located in the section "Administration", find the name "Services". Click on it to move to "Service Manager".

IN "Service Manager" You can get there in a faster way, but for this you need to remember one command and a combination of “hot” keys. Type on the keyboard Win+R, thereby launching the window "Run". Enter the following expression:

Click Enter or "OK".

Regardless of whether you acted through "Control Panel" or tool "Run", a window will open "Services", which contains a list of running and disabled services on this computer. Opposite the names of running services in the field "State" value set "Works". Opposite the names of those that are launched along with the system in the field "Startup type" worth the value "Automatically". Carefully study this list and determine which services that start automatically you do not need.

After that, to go to the properties of a specifically selected service to disable it, double-click with the left mouse button on its name.

The service properties window opens. This is where you need to perform manipulations to disable autorun. Click on the field "Startup type" which currently contains the value "Automatically".

Select an option from the drop-down list "Disabled".

Then click on the buttons "Apply" And "OK".

After this, the properties window will be closed. Now in "Service Manager" opposite the name of the service whose properties were changed, in the field "Startup type" there will be a value "Disabled". Now, when Windows 7 starts, this service will not start, which will speed up the loading of the OS.

But it is worth saying that if you do not know what a particular service is responsible for or are not sure what the consequences of disabling it will be, then manipulating it is strictly not recommended. This can cause significant problems in the operation of the PC.

At the same time, you can read the lesson materials, which tell you which services can be turned off.

Method 4: Cleaning the system

Cleaning the system of “garbage” helps speed up the startup of the OS. First of all, this means freeing the hard drive from temporary files and deleting erroneous entries in the system registry. This can be done either manually by clearing temporary file folders and deleting entries in the registry editor, or using specialized software tools. One of the best programs in this direction is.

Details on how to clean Windows 7 from garbage are described in a separate material.

Method 5: Using all processor cores

On a PC with a multi-core processor, you can speed up the computer startup process by connecting all processor cores to this process. The fact is that by default, when loading the OS, only one core is used, even if you are using a multi-core computer.

Method 6: BIOS Setup

You can speed up OS loading by configuring the BIOS. The fact is that often the BIOS first checks the ability to boot from an optical disk or USB drive, thus wasting time on this every time. This is important when reinstalling the system. But, you must admit that reinstalling the system is not such a frequent procedure. Therefore, to speed up the loading of Windows 7, it makes sense to cancel the priority check for the ability to launch from an optical disk or USB drive.

Go to your computer's BIOS. To do this, when loading it, press the key F10, F2 or Del. There are other options. The specific key depends on the motherboard manufacturer. However, as a rule, the key indication for entering the BIOS is displayed on the screen when the PC boots.
It is impossible to describe further actions after entering the BIOS, since different manufacturers use different interfaces. Nevertheless, we will describe the general algorithm of actions. You need to go to the section where the order in which the system boots from various media is determined. This section is called on many BIOS versions). In this section, put booting from the hard drive first. For these purposes, the clause is often used "1ST Boot Priority", where the value should be set "Hard Drive".

After you save the results of the BIOS setup, the computer, in search of an operating system to boot, will immediately turn to the hard drive and, having found it there, will no longer poll other media, which will save time on startup.

Method 7: Hardware Upgrade

You can also increase the boot speed of Windows 7 by upgrading your computer hardware. Most often, a loading delay can be caused by a low hard drive speed. In this case, it makes sense to replace the hard drive (HDD) with a faster analogue. And it’s best to generally replace the HDD with an SSD, which works much faster and more efficiently, which will significantly reduce OS loading time. True, SSDs also have disadvantages: high price and limited number of write operations. So here the user must weigh the pros and cons.

Any computer, even if it is the newest and very powerful, begins to slow down over time. Programs take longer to launch and work more slowly. Sometimes you have to wait almost minutes for the browser to open, and then wait for it to load this or that Internet page... The computer also begins to load more slowly, and the PC user often begins to get nervous because of this.

Once I already wrote about what needs to be done to speed up its performance. This time I would like to talk about how to speed up your computer boot when you turn it on.

I note that you can significantly speed up Windows loading by installing an SSD drive in your computer. Although this is quite expensive in terms of money...

The first step is to remove all unnecessary and unused programs from startup. Pay attention to the area of the taskbar next to the clock, where program icons are located. Those that are not used must be disabled or even deleted. Firstly, they increase the loading time of Windows, and secondly, they take up RAM (which, as you know, is always in short supply), and if they are not needed, then they still take up space on the hard drive.

Speed up computer boot time using multi-core processor

By default, when loading the operating system, one processor core is used, but it is possible to use all of them at once. To do this, you need to run the Windows configuration program using the msconfg command. To do this, open the start menu, enter msconfig in the search bar and press Enter. Next, go to the “download” tab and click on the “advanced options” button.

In the window that appears, you need to click on the “number of processors” checkbox and specify 2 or 4 cores. Then save the settings and reboot. Loading will be a little faster.

P.S. For myself, I solved the question posed in the title of this article by installing a second Linux Ubuntu operating system on my laptop, which I use as my main one. It has been working for me for about one year and during this time it has not become more sluggish, as is usually the case with Windows operating systems. The laptop turns on and off quite quickly.