Computer Streamlining

I need to speed up my computer to improve boot up times and improve performance on the internet. I intend to edit the 'Start up' menu as the machine is very slow to 'log on' from it's initial log on screen. There appear to be many programs on the icon bar that I do not use regularly and I suspect that it is these that are causing this problem.

I then itend to look at the registry as although the motherboard, processor, memory and dvd drive are all new, the hdd is an older 140gb drive supplemented by a secondary 120gb data storage drive internally and an 850gb external backup dirve. However the system drive has had many different programs installed and uninstalled and I suspect that there are lots of problems there so I intend to analyse and try to sort it using a number of tools which I will review.

As I completed my PG diploma in Software Engineering some 18 years ago I fell somewhat left behind in the matter of op systems under DOS I could install and manage the system quite easily, writing config.sys files etc with my eyes closed but now that we have automated install and uninstall systems they are much less transparent and I feel that using tools such as Registry Repair tools is almost essential.

We shall see!