I have Microsoft Windows XP professional.

My PC takes at least 7 minutes before any of the icons displayed on my
Desktop become selectable and the System Tray shows a lot of applications are
being loaded.

How can I find out what applications are being loaded when my PC
starts?

If I go to Control Panel/Add or Remove programs and remove unwanted programs
that are being loaded at Start-Up, do I also need to edit the Start Up file
so Start Up won't have a problem when it doesn't find the removed program?

Start by R-clicking on the icons in the Notification Area (what you
called the System tray). Then go for "settings" or "preferences" to
change their start behavior. Also look in Start, Programs, Startup and
remove shortcuts to items there that you wish to stop.

gcotterl wrote:
> I have Microsoft Windows XP professional.
>
> My PC takes at least 7 minutes before any of the icons displayed on my
> Desktop become selectable and the System Tray shows a lot of applications are
> being loaded.
>
> How can I find out what applications are being loaded when my PC
> starts?
>
> If I go to Control Panel/Add or Remove programs and remove unwanted programs
> that are being loaded at Start-Up, do I also need to edit the Start Up file
> so Start Up won't have a problem when it doesn't find the removed program?

"gcotterl" <gcotterl@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:8CE5017B-047C-4E90-B7D1-7CE156B5D58D@microsoft.com...
>I have Microsoft Windows XP professional.
>
> My PC takes at least 7 minutes before any of the icons displayed on my
> Desktop become selectable and the System Tray shows a lot of applications
> are
> being loaded.
>
> How can I find out what applications are being loaded when my PC
> starts?
>
> If I go to Control Panel/Add or Remove programs and remove unwanted
> programs
> that are being loaded at Start-Up, do I also need to edit the Start Up
> file
> so Start Up won't have a problem when it doesn't find the removed program?

The Control Panel Add/Remove Programs does NOT directly relate to startup
programs. It shows you what's installed, that's all. To see what gets loaded
at boot time, run msconfig.exe via the Start/Run facility, then examine the
tasks under the Startup tab. Note that none of these tasks is essential for
a proper Windows boot-up although you lose your virus protection if you
untick the virus scanner.

"Bob I" <birelan******.com> wrote in message
news:epGyOBLXKHA.3504@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> Start by R-clicking on the icons in the Notification Area (what you called
> the System tray). Then go for "settings" or "preferences" to change their
> start behavior. Also look in Start, Programs, Startup and remove shortcuts
> to items there that you wish to stop.
>

Unfortunately many startup programs are not visible in the System tray or in
one of the Startup folders. The OP would need to examine the registry too,
which is best done via the msconfig.exe tool.

Pegasus [MVP] wrote:

> "Bob I" <birelan******.com> wrote in message
> news:epGyOBLXKHA.3504@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>
>>Start by R-clicking on the icons in the Notification Area (what you called
>>the System tray). Then go for "settings" or "preferences" to change their
>>start behavior. Also look in Start, Programs, Startup and remove shortcuts
>>to items there that you wish to stop.
>>
>
>
> Unfortunately many startup programs are not visible in the System tray or in
> one of the Startup folders. The OP would need to examine the registry too,
> which is best done via the msconfig.exe tool.
>
>

True, but the OP specifically mentioned all the "icons in the System
tray". Less likely to blow off foot by sticking to those two areas. ;-)

On Tue, 3 Nov 2009 09:49:02 -0800, gcotterl
<gcotterl@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>I have Microsoft Windows XP professional.
>
>My PC takes at least 7 minutes before any of the icons displayed on my
>Desktop become selectable and the System Tray shows a lot of applications are
>being loaded.
>
>How can I find out what applications are being loaded when my PC
>starts?
>
>If I go to Control Panel/Add or Remove programs and remove unwanted programs
>that are being loaded at Start-Up, do I also need to edit the Start Up file
>so Start Up won't have a problem when it doesn't find the removed program?

Antivirus boot scan ?

"gcotterl" wrote:

> I have Microsoft Windows XP professional.
>
> My PC takes at least 7 minutes before any of the icons displayed on my
> Desktop become selectable and the System Tray shows a lot of applications are
> being loaded.
>
> How can I find out what applications are being loaded when my PC
> starts?
>
> If I go to Control Panel/Add or Remove programs and remove unwanted programs
> that are being loaded at Start-Up, do I also need to edit the Start Up file
> so Start Up won't have a problem when it doesn't find the removed program?

Perform a "clean boot" using the following procedure:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310353

Does the machine start up faster? If so, check the boxes on the Startup tab
one at a time and reboot the machine until you find the ones that are slowing
down the boot. Google to find out what the applications are if you don't
already know. You may have conflicting antivirus and/or antispyware
applications. You decide if the slow boot is worth keeping the applications
that are causing it.

gcotterl wrote:
> I have Microsoft Windows XP professional.
>
> My PC takes at least 7 minutes before any of the icons displayed on my
> Desktop become selectable and the System Tray shows a lot of
> applications are being loaded.
>
> How can I find out what applications are being loaded when my PC
> starts?
>
> If I go to Control Panel/Add or Remove programs and remove unwanted
> programs that are being loaded at Start-Up, do I also need to edit
> the Start Up file so Start Up won't have a problem when it doesn't
> find the removed program?

After you've cleaned up your Start processes, investigate "Hibernate" as a
shut-down option.

Hibernate dumps memory to a scratch file on your hard drive, then
powers-down the comptuer. On the next start-up, the boot process looks for
this file and, if it finds it, loads it into RAM and you're back in business
at the point you left last night. Boot from a hibernate state takes maybe
ten seconds.

You can search for "hijackthis" that will help. You may want to post the log
file for help.
Neil
"gcotterl" <gcotterl@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:8CE5017B-047C-4E90-B7D1-7CE156B5D58D@microsoft.com...
>I have Microsoft Windows XP professional.
>
> My PC takes at least 7 minutes before any of the icons displayed on my
> Desktop become selectable and the System Tray shows a lot of applications
> are
> being loaded.
>
> How can I find out what applications are being loaded when my PC
> starts?
>
> If I go to Control Panel/Add or Remove programs and remove unwanted
> programs
> that are being loaded at Start-Up, do I also need to edit the Start Up
> file
> so Start Up won't have a problem when it doesn't find the removed program?