Most probably you have already used the System Configuration tool in Windows (msconfig.exe). However, did you use all its functionality? Do you know about everything it has to offer?
Read this tutorial and be surprised by its versatility: How To Use the System Configuration Tool & All its Awesomeness!
Why does everyone seem to think that MSCONFIG is a configuration utility when even Microsoft says it’s a troubleshooting utility?
NO ONE SHOULD EVER USE MSCONFIG AS A PERMANENT FIX!!!
Even utilities like Piriform’s CCleaner should not be allowed to “edit” startup files unless those changes are made permanent (ie. either delete the startup entries altogether or re-enable them).
Here’s one such scenario why you may want to think twice before using msconfig: Go ahead and install something complex like Symantec’s latest antivirus suite. Reboot as suggested and then use msconfig to edit out all of Symantec’s startup items from being run at startup. Reboot again. Uninstall the Symantec product and reboot again. Now re-enable msconfig back to “normal” thus re enabling the Symantec entries that you previously edited out. Finally, reboot and watch your computer do some rather annoying things – anything from simple sluggish performance to regularly displaying a BSOD!
MSCONFIG is a very bad idea if you rely on it to permanently fix things. If you don’t remember to re-enable msconfig back to normal before uninstalling something then you run the risk of tying Windows up in knots that only a complete re installation can fix. SO DON’T DO IT! DON’T USE MSCONFIG AS A PERMANENT FIX!
Way too many people do this and it’s not a whole lot unlike forgetting to replace the spare tire! You may get better performance even. But what do you think is going to happen when that spare tire blows?! Here’s a hint: pretty much the same thing your computer is eventually going to do if you keep relying on msconfig as a permanent fix.