You know how sometimes when you boot up it takes F-O-R-E-V-E-R to get to the startup screen? And you're tapping your foot, growling impatiently "come ON, COME ON!"

Well, if you're like me, you like to install new programs 100% of the time. The possibilities with computers are just seemingly endless...so let's keep installing stuff!

So, what's the problem? Well, a couple actually.

Problem one is pretty no-brainer. Programs take up space.

Problem two - Windows needs some room to dance. I mean breakdance...clear the floor!! (Like my prom date, 1992, he was breakdancing like a champion, only it wasn't popular in 1992. Sweet!)

When you have a bunch of new programs adding entries to the startup, you're forcing your computer to do the "white-guy-sway-back-and-forth-snapping-fingers" dance. It doesn't have room for much else. Loading programs will lock things up, running programs will seize. Your mouse cursor moves sooooo sloooow. AND if you're lucky you'll get the big BLUE SCREEN we all adore so much.

So give that lovely unit some dance floor. First, uninstall programs you don't need. If it's gratis software, you can always get it again, don't panic. Except for DVD Decryptor...that one you can't get. (Sorry Pirates!)

Then go clear out your startup files!

1. In your start menu there's a folder called "Startup". I am just convinced that NOTHING needs to be in there. Argue if you like, I'm sure there's *something, somewhere* that MUST be in that folder, but I have yet to find it. Delete those entries (not the folder).

2. Click Start > Run, then type "msconfig" and hit Enter. Click the Startup tab. See all that gunk? ALL of that stuff that has a checkmark next to it starts when Windows starts.

Eek, right? Yeah...I know. So, if you see something that just doesn't need to be there, like super obvious, uncheck it. If you're not sure, you can visit http://www.sysinfo.org/startuplist.php for a SUPER HANDY tool. It tells you what those entries are and if they're necessary.

The best part? All of the above is un-doable.

Dance on.