For a vast majority of us that use Windows on a regular basis, we have come across performance and stability issues from time to time, so it is important to find autorun programs in Windows. On a freshly formatted PC, everything seems to run pretty quick and the system doesn’t crash as often. After a few weeks, months, and years, the computer seems to get slower and less stable.
Many performance and stability problems can be traced back to programs that automatically run when Windows loads up. It seems that much of the software we install seems to want to run an application at startup. The problem is many people don’t know that there are free applications available that can help find autorun programs in Windows and stop those programs from automatically starting when Windows loads.
Three Programs to Find Autorun Programs in Windows
Every few weeks I look at what starts up when Windows loads. I do this to ensure the performance and stability of my system doesn’t become reduced. There are a few tools that you can use (all free!) to help you identify what applications are loading up during your system startup.
- System Configuration Utility. This tool is included with Windows so you should already have it installed. You simply run “msconfig.exe” at the “Run” command to launch it and it will show you which applications are loaded at startup by clicking the “Startup” tab. I use this one on a regular basis to control what runs as it is very easy to use.
- Autoruns This tool is from Sysinternals and is probably provides the most complete picture of what runs at Windows startup. If you are experienced with Windows, and know what to enable or disable, then you might want to check out Autoruns.
- HijackThis!. The HijackThis! application is used mainly by those who are trying to find malware on their computer. It analyzes your computer and provides a detailed report of registry and file settings that you can then use to determine what runs, and what settings have been changed. This is also for the more experienced Windows user.
Stability From Learning to Find Autorun Programs in Windows
While there are many applications available that can help find autorun programs when Windows starts, the above tools should provide a great overview of your system. It is also important to have an experienced Windows expert have a look at the information provided by the tools to determine what can be stopped or disabled. By learning how to find autorun programs in Windows, you can help keep the stability and performance to a high level.