When your computer is locked (or first boots), by default, Windows 10 & 11 show you a lock screen with the time, a wallpaper and maybe (if you allow) some notifications. If you use Windows Hello facial or fingerprint recognition, you can log in by staring at the screen or putting one of your fingers on the scanner.

If you use a password or PIN, you have to click once to dismiss the lock screen before the OS will allow you to enter your credentials.

In our previous article we talked about removing items from the Task Scheduler. Now let’s remove items starting in another place, the ‘Startup’ folder.

Up through Windows 7 the Startup folder was a predominant location. Easy to use and easy to find. Beginning with Windows 8, Microsoft has made it more difficult to find. It’s still there and stuff gets placed in it.

When you add or remove a program from this folder, it simply just causes the program to start or not start when the computer is turned on. The program is still on the computer and can be run manually when you want or need it to.

There are two “Startup” folders you need to check. There are easy ways to get to the folders.

Removing Things that load and start when you turn the computer on.
In Part 4 we went over using MSConfig to prevent items from loading in the background. Unfortunately, Microsoft allows stuff to self-load in several other places too. This week I want to go over the Task Scheduler.

To get into the Task Scheduler, click on the Windows icon in the lower left and start typing in “Task Scheduler.” Make sure you get the Scheduler and not the Manager.

In this 4th part on our series of optimizing and speeding up your computer and laptops, we are going to stop items from loading as soon as you turn your device on.

Software developers love to have their programs and Apps grab some computer resources as soon as you turn your computer or laptop on. You really don’t need this stuff loading until you use the product. We are going to prevent some items from loading by stopping them with MSConfig.

MSConfig is a basic part of Microsoft Windows and has lists of what is running and started when Windows boots. It is a safe way to stop items from starting up when you run you computer because it doesn’t remove them. The program is still there and you can run it when you need it.

Let’s get to it.

In this weeks edition of The Weekly Geek and continuing on to part 3 of Tweaking, Speeding-up and Optimizing your computer, we are going to remove old printer drivers and software as well as unwanted and unneeded software.

In Part 2 (Tweaking, Speeding-up and Optimizing your computer: Part 2 – The Weekly Geek) we blogged about using REVO uninstaller. This week we are going to use it to remove any old printer software.