@Anonymous wrote:If you're on windows... off the top of my head.. I know there's a lot more but I'm tired, lol..
Built-in things you can do
Windows Key + R.. or Start > Run
Type "msconfig"
There's options to get rid of stuff at startup.
Toolbars, Add-Ons, etc. in browsers often are updated on _every_ call to a webpage, and this can make the internet d-r-a-g.. Disable anything like HotBar, Game bars, even AOL/Yahoo/Google toolbars (unless you ACTIVELY use them).
Tools
CCleaner is a free tool that can open up some space and do a little more than msconfig
+1 (with the caveat that CCleaner can be very dangerous to a box, if used by a novice who chooses to ignore certain defaults).
There's a whole lot of applications out there that are set by default to automatically check and/or upgrade. These all run right at startup, and they're competing for the same CPUs and bandwidth.
I upgrade/check for upgrades manually, but that won't work for people who do something other than computer-related work for a living.
The best idea (IMO) is to boot up about ten minutes before you think you'll really need to use that box. The auto upgrade apps will have fought it all out by then.
