Disable Data Execution Prevention (DEP) in Vista.

Data Execution Prevention (DEP) is a security feature that can help prevent damage to your computer from viruses and other security threats. Harmful programs can try to attack Windows by attempting to run (also known as execute) code from system memory locations reserved for Windows and other authorized programs. These types of attacks can harm your programs and files. DEP can help protect your computer by monitoring your programs to make sure that they use system memory safely. If DEP notices a program on your computer using memory incorrectly, it closes the program and notifies you. It is as such a security feature.
Type cmd in Vista's search bar. Rt click on search results 'cmd' and click on Run as Administrator. Then copy paste
bcdedit.exe /set {current} nx AlwaysOff
and hit enter. Reboot.
To enable back DEP, type instead:
bcdedit.exe /set {current} nx AlwaysOn
Thats it !

Security Tips and Fraud Prevention

For any User, maintaining the account's security is the top priority. To augment the security measures that the Online Service Provide on your behalf, there are steps that you can take to help protect your account from fraud and scams. Note: Here we will be using the URL www.WebsiteName.com for explaining you. This can be the Domain name of the Online Service you are Using. But for Explanation Purpose we will be using WebsiteName as the Name of the Website and www.WebsiteName.com as the URL. Website Security
Use SSL Connection: To safely and securely access your account, open a new web browser (e.g., Internet Explorer or Netscape) and type the URL in the following way:
https:// www.WebsiteName.com/.
As you can see I have written https:// instead of http:// which you use normally. This can be used in those website which provide SSL Authentication. Not all Websites provide SSL( Secure Sockets Layer) but most of the Online Services like GMail, Yahoo, MSN, Orkut, Facebook, eBay etc provide SSL.
Password Safety
Never share your password: Any Website representative will never ask you for your password. If you believe someone has learned your password, please change it immediately.
Create a secure password: Choose a password that uses a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols. For example, $coo!place2 l!ve or 2 Barry5 Bonds#1. Avoid choosing obvious words or dates such as a nickname or your birth date.
Keep your password unique: Don't use the same password for all the online services such as AOL, eBay, MSN, or Yahoo. Using the same password for multiple websites increases the likelihood that someone could learn your password and gain access to your account.
Email Security
Look for a Greeting: Any Website will never send an email with the greeting "Dear WebsiteName User" or "Dear WebsiteName Member." Real WebsiteName emails will address you by your first and last name or the business name associated with your WebsiteName account. If you believe you have received a fraudulent email, Send a copy of the spoofed e-mail you received to your ISP's abuse desk. The e- mail address for this is usually abuse@yourisp.com or postmaster@yourisp.com but if you are not sure, visit your ISP's Web site and search for the information - it will be there.
Don't share personal information via email: Any Website will never ask you to enter your password or financial information in an email or send such information in an email. You should only share information about your account once you have logged in to your Account.
Don't download attachments: Any Website will never send you an attachment or Software update to install on your computer.

Pc Maintainance Guide part 2

Look for Trouble
Give your PC a periodic checkup with a good hardware diagnostic utility. Two excellent choices are Sandra Standard from SiSoftware and #1 - TuffTest-Lite from #1 -PC Diagnostics. Download the free version of Sandra (the full version of the application costs $35 ) or to download #1 - TuffTest-Lite (the fully functional version is $10).
Sandra Standard:
CODE
http://www.pcworld.com/down loads/file_description/0 ,fid,4005 ,tk,ur,00.asp
#1-TuffTest-Lite:
CODE
http://www.pcworld.com/down loads/file_description/0 ,fid,7725 ,tk,ur,00.asp
Adding and removing system components leaves orphaned entries in the Windows Registry. This can increase the time your PC takes to boot and can slow system performance. Many shareware utilities are designed to clean the Registry.
Windows stores files on a hard drive in rows of contiguous segments, but over time the disk fills and segments become scattered, so they take longer to access. To keep your drive shipshape, run Windows' Disk Defragmenter utility. Click Start, Programs (All Programs in XP), Accessories, System Tools, Disk Defragmenter. If your drive is heavily fragmented, you could boost performance. Defragging may take hours, however. Disable your screen saver and other automatic programs beforehand to keep the defrag from restarting every few minutes.
Disk Defragmenter won't defragment the file on your hard drive that holds overflow data from system memory (also known as the swap file). Since the swap file is frequently accessed, defragmenting it can give your PC more pep. You can defragment your swap file by using a utility such as the SpeedDisk program included with Norton SystemWorks 2004, but there's a way to reset it in Windows.
In Windows XP, right-click My Computer and choose Properties. Click Advanced, and then choose the Settings button under Performance. Click Advanced again and the Change button under Virtual Memory. Select another drive or partition, set your swap file size, and click OK.
If you have only one partition and no way to create a second one, and you have at least 256MB of RAM, disable the swap file rather than moving it: Select "No paging file" in the Virtual Memory settings. If you have trouble booting, start Windows in Safe Mode and re- enable this option.
Hard-Drive Checkup
Windows XP offers a rudimentary evaluation of your hard disk's health with its error-checking utility: Right-click the drive's icon in Windows Explorer and select Properties, Tools, Check Now. (Windows can fix errors and recover bad sectors automatically if you wish.) If the check discovers a few file errors, don't worry, but if it comes up with hundreds of errors, the drive could be in trouble.
To conduct a more thorough examination, download Panterasoft's free HDD Health utility, which monitors hard- drive performance and warns of impending disaster:
CODE
http://www.pcworld.com/down loads/file_description/0 ,fid, 22945 ,tk,ur,00.asp
The program works only with drives that support S.M.A.R.T technology, but nearly all drives released since 2000 are S.M.A.R.T.-compliant.
Many hardware and software designers humbly assume you want their program running on your PC all the time, so they tell Windows to load the application at startup (hence, the ever-growing string of icons in your system tray). These programs eat up system resources and make hardware conflicts and compatibility problems more likely. To prevent them from launching, just click Start, Run, type "msconfig" and press Enter. The programs listed under the Startup tab are set to start along with Windows. Uncheck the box at the left of each undesirable program to prevent it from starting automatically.
Four Tips for Longer PC Life
1. Keep your PC in a smoke-free environment. Tobacco smoke can damage delicate contacts and circuits.
2. Leave your PC running. Powering up from a cold state is one of the most stressful things you can do to your system's components. If you don't want to leave your PC running all the time, use Windows' Power Management settings to put your machine into hibernation rather than completely shutting down. In Windows XP, right-click the desktop and select Properties. Click the Screen Saver tab and select the Power button. Choose the Hibernate tab to ensure that hibernation is enabled, and then select a time beneath "System hibernates" under the Power Schemes tab. (Note that this option is not available on all PCs.) Computers running older versions of Windows may or may not provide similar power- management features. Look under the Power Management icon (Power Options in Windows 2000) in Control Panel to evaluate your machine's capabilities.
3. Don't leave your monitor running. The best way to extend your display's life is to shut it off when it's not in use.
4. Avoid jostling the PC. Whenever you move your system, even if it's just across the desktop, make sure the machine is shut down and unplugged.
uhh....It is long but usefull

PC Maintenance Guide part 1

"Take good care of your PC, and it will take good care of you."
It's a nice sentiment, but reality is more like "Take good care of your PC, and it won't crash, lose your data, and cost you your job--probably." Follow these steps to stop PC problems before they stop you.
Your PC's two mortal enemies are heat and moisture. Excess heat accelerates the deterioration of the delicate circuits in your system. The most common causes of overheating are dust and dirt: Clogged vents and CPU cooling fans can keep heat-dissipating air from moving through the case, and even a thin coating of dust or dirt can raise the temperature of your machine's components.
Any grime, but especially the residue of cigarette smoke, can corrode exposed metal contacts. That's why it pays to keep your system clean, inside and out.
If your PC resides in a relatively clean, climate-controlled environment, an annual cleaning should be sufficient. But in most real-world locations, such as dusty offices or shop floors, your system may need a cleaning every few months.
All you need are lint-free wipes, a can of compressed air, a few drops of a mild cleaning solution such as Formula 409 or Simple Green in a bowl of water, and an antistatic wrist strap to protect your system when you clean inside the case.
Think Outside the Box
Before you get started cleaning, check around your PC for anything nearby that could raise its temperature (such as a heating duct or sunshine coming through a window). Also clear away anything that might fall on it or make it dirty, such as a bookcase or houseplants.
Always turn off and unplug the system before you clean any of its components. Never apply any liquid directly to a component. Spray or pour the liquid on a lint-free cloth, and wipe the PC with the cloth.
Clean the case: Wipe the case and clear its ventilation ports of any obstructions. Compressed air is great for this, but don't blow dust into the PC or its optical and floppy drives. Keep all cables firmly attached to their connectors on the case.
Maintain your mechanical mouse: When a nonoptical mouse gets dirty, the pointer moves erratically. Unscrew the ring on the bottom of the unit and remove the ball. Then scrape the accumulated gunk off the two plastic rollers that are set 90 degrees apart inside the ball's housing.
Keep a neat keyboard: Turn the keyboard upside down and shake it to clear the crumbs from between the keys. If that doesn't suffice, blast it (briefly) with compressed air. If your keys stick or your keyboard is really dirty, pry the keys off for easier cleaning. Computer shops have special tools for removing keys, but you can also pop them off by using two pencils with broken tips as jumbo tweezers--just be sure to use a soft touch.
Make your monitor sparkle: Wipe the monitor case and clear its vents of obstructions, without pushing dust into the unit. Clean the screen with a standard glass cleaner and a lint-free cloth. If your monitor has a degauss button (look for a small magnet icon), push it to clear magnetic interference. Many LCDs can be cleaned with isopropyl alcohol; check with your LCD manufacturer. Wipe your LCD lightly: The underlying glass is fragile.
Check your power protection: Reseat the cables plugged into your surge protector. Check the unit's warning indicator, if it has one. Surge protectors may power your PC even after being compromised by a voltage spike (making your system susceptible to a second spike). If your power protector doesn't have a warning indicator and your area suffers frequent power outages, replace it with one that has such an indicator and is UL 1449 certified.
Swipe your CD and DVD media: Gently wipe each disc with a moistened, soft cloth. Use a motion that starts at the center of the disc and then moves outward toward the edge. Never wipe a disc in a circular motion.
Inside the Box
Before cracking open the case, turn off the power and unplug your PC. Ground yourself before you touch anything inside to avoid destroying your circuitry with a static charge. If you don't have a grounding wrist strap, you can ground yourself by touching any of various household objects, such as a water pipe, a lamp, or another grounded electrical device. Be sure to unplug the power cord before you open the case.
Use antistatic wipes to remove dust from inside the case. Avoid touching any circuit-board surfaces. Pay close attention to the power-supply fan, as well as to the case and to CPU fans, if you have them. Spray these components with a blast of compressed air to loosen dust; but to remove the dust rather than rearrange it, you should use a small vacuum.
If your PC is more than four years old, or if the expansion cards plugged into its motherboard are exceptionally dirty, remove each card, clean its contacts with isopropyl alcohol, and reseat it. If your system is less than a couple years old, however, just make sure each card is firmly seated by pressing gently downward on its top edge while not touching its face. Likewise, check your power connectors, EIDE connectors, and other internal cables for a snug fit.
While you have the case open, familiarize yourself with the CMOS battery on the motherboard. For its location, check the motherboard manual. If your PC is more than four or five years old, the CMOS battery may need to be replaced. (A system clock that loses time is one indicator of a dying CMOS battery.)
read part 2 to continue...

Make your pc faster

1. First, run a scandisk or checkdisk. Let Windows fix any errors.
2. Run a disk cleanup utility...this will flush your temporary internet folder, trash can, temp system files, etc.
3. Delete any garbage files or data...if possible, run a Duplicate File Finder program.
4. Run Defrag on all partitions (NOTE: run this after you have deleted all trash and excess files!)
5. Run a registry cleaner utility and delete or get rid of any orphaned entries in that registry.
6 . Check your exisiting swap file for it's size and location (*will explain location later in the post). If you have alot of ram (i.e. 1 gig and over) set this swap file to something small, like 250 mb. The reason is that this will force Windows to load more into memory, resulting in faster performance (note: some games and applications actually require a certain sized swap file so check your applications performance after making a size adjustment for any error messages.)
7. Under XP, you can tell Windows to use Classic Style on your desktop, - this will remove the neat single click and internet-style desktop but for lower end systems this will improve performance in other areas, such as gaming and multi-tasking.
8. Run msconfig and under startup and only keep the programs that are essential to load in the tray icon (and hence stay resident in memory). Uncheck anything else non- essential, like an ATI or Nvidia control panel, Quicktime utility, Real Audio, etc.
9 . Upgrade drivers! Check for the latest BIOS, video, motherboard, sound, etc drivers from the manufacturers. Alot of my friends had chipsets on their motherboard that had advanced disk management capabilities or AGP port settings but the drivers weren't loaded for them so they were never being used. A simple upgrade realized a noticeable difference. For instance, they didn't have the latest driver for their AGP port so it was set to 1 x, instead of being used at 4x!
10. (OK, so this won't speed up your PC but it could save you alot of time and trouble later on!) After making all these improvements, make a working backup! I use Ghost, but for XP users you can also use System Restore...
-FOR ADVANCED USERS-
1 . Take a look under the hood (for IDE owners). How are your IDE devices configured? If you have more than 1 hard drive, put the master hard drive on the primary IDE channel and the secondary hard drive on the secondary IDE channel (most motherboards have two IDE channels).
2. Place all CDROM drives, DVD readers etc. on the secondary IDE channel (or SCSI bus, etc). This will reduce I/O contention with your master hard drive which should have your OS and apps installed...
3 . Remember when I mentioned the location of the swap file? OK, if you have 2 hard drives and you have one on the primary IDE channel and the other on the secondary IDE channel, move the swap file to a partition ON THE SECOND hard drive (on the secondary IDE channel). This will greatly improve system performance as the PC can write to the swap file while loading and running OS and system commands without I/O contention on the primary IDE channel!
4 . Take a look under the hood (for SCSI owners) What kind of SCSI do you have? If it's the newer Ultra 160 /320 etc cards then guess what? Any devices placed on the same bus will automatically default to the slowest drive on the chain...this means that if you have say, an Ultra 160 SCSI card, and it has an Ultra 160 drive (capable of transferring 160 mb/sec) on the same chain as a SCSI cdrom drive (capable of only 40 mb/sec) then the whole bus slows down to the 40 mb/sec speed...use different chains for the slower devices and maximize those hard drives!
5. Run a utility like WCPUID and check the settings...is your CPU/front speed bus/AGP port running as fast as they should be? If not, check your drivers and BIOS configuration options. Also, are all of your chipset features enabled? If not, then enable them! (usually done in your BIOS!)
6. Dig in to the BIOS...check settings like boot order, for example...is it checking the floppy first? Change this! Select your order to reflect the hard drive first, then CD, then floppy for a noticeable boot time improvement. Also disable any non-used on board peripherals...for instance, - does your motherboard come with an on-board NIC card? Guess what, if you don't use that NIC card and it is enabled it will eat up valuable CPU cycles and can be detrimental to your systems' performance. DISABLE THAT MUTHA! Also, see if you can play with memory timing and CPU clock frequencies (NOTE! This is for expert users only!) Set these timings to "Aggressive" and see what happens in your games and apps...Also, check to see what your video aperature is set to. If you have a video card with 128 megs of on-baord memory, your aperature should be set to this amount too. Read the BIOS owner manual for further non-general performance tricks or improvements! Do you have the latest BIOS firmware version?
7. Under hardware properties, check to see that everything is working properly, and fix any hardware contention issues. You'll see the dreaded yellow exclamation point (!) beside any hardware componenet that is not working correctly.
8 . Evaluate the potential for system/hardware upgrades...usually, the best bang for the buck is adding memory so buy all that you can afford (don't go much above 512 megs for Win 98 or ME). If you have a motherboard with an 8 x - capable AGP port but you are using an older 4 x video card, update it..

Fixing slow logon time

My problem was a 1 min login delay due the aktiveds.dll that loads at startup (thanks to NicTech Networks Inc.). The following advice worked for me so I guess it works for any.dll made by NicTech since they all use the same registry folder....
Open up regedit.exe and find THIS folder. Navigate to it by clicking the +'s to expand
things like you would in Windows explorer:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWA RE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\No tify\Guardian
Right click over "Guardian" in the left pane.
Left click on "Permissions"
Left click "SYSTEM" once to highlight it.
Check "deny" in all boxes that you can at the bottom (Probably only 2)
Left click Apply
Left Click OK
Say "OK" to any warnings about permissions
**Reboot** the system
then problems solved
I got this information from another forum. I had this problem for about six weeks and was just about ready to reformat my hard drive. Worked great for me, hope this helps out somebody else.

Disabling Unneeded Windows Features

There are likely Windows Features running on the computer you don't need. To see what these may be and make any changes you want:
Start / Control Panel
Programs and Features
Click on Turn Windows features on or off
It typically takes a little while for this window to populate
Hovering the mouse over an entry gives a short description of it
From here you can check or uncheck any entries you want.
For example, you may not need Windows Fax and Scan
Click the OK button when you are done

5 Things to Do as Soon as You Purchase a New Computer

Increase your computer security and reduce potential headaches later by doing these five things as soon as you purchase a new computer.
Have you just purchased a new desktop or laptop computer? Congratulations, and hopefully you will get plenty of use out of your new machine, whether it is for business, finance, research, multimedia, or purely entertainment (or a little of all the above).
But wait - don't open the boxes, plug in the cords, and try to start surfing the Internet just yet! Take a few minutes and follow these 5 steps that can help increase your computer security and possibly remove some potential headaches down the road.
1. Emergency Disks
Some computers come packaged with CDs or DVDs you can use to reinstall the operating system and pre-installed software in case something goes wrong, such as a hard drive hiccup, malware infestation, or an itchy trigger finger that loves pressing the 'Del' key. If such discs are included, place them in a safe place and make copies once the computer is set up.
If these did not come with your computer, read its manual for instructions on how to create them, if possible. Do so ASAP - before you go online, install new software, uninstall software that came pre-packaged but you do not need, etc. Better yet, make a second copy of these disks for safe keeping.
2. Install Security Software
Before connecting to the Internet, either via a wired or Wi-Fi connection, make sure you have a working firewall and antivirus software at a BARE minimum; surfing without such programs can open your computer up to all types of nasty malware. If your operating system has a built-in firewall, turn this on if nothing else is available, but do consider downloading a replacement.
If you have another computer, use it to download a firewall, anti-virus, and anti-malware applications. Either burn a CD/DVD or use a USB flash drive to copy them to the new machine. Install this software before you ever connect to the Internet to reduce the chances of problems. Once you are online, immediately download updates as needed.
Note that if your computer comes built-in with security software, you may need to remove these packages first if you decide to install alternatives (see below).
3. Uninstall Software
Go through the list of installed software through the computer's "Add/Remove Programs", "Uninstall or change a program", or similar tool (check the Control Panel). Remove any pre-installed " bloatware ", software you may not need such as trial games, photo applications you may never use, website toolbars, links to Internet Service Providers you will never access (especially if you already have one), etc. Do keep the installed security software unless you are offline and ready to install different applications.
4. Consider a New Web Browser
When you go online, you are not stuck with your operating system's default web browser if you want to surf the web. There are plenty of alternatives available such as Mozilla Firefox , Opera, and Google Chrome , and using another web browser may increase your overall security.
Even if you install a new web browser, be sure to keep the one that came with your operating system up-to-date to help prevent malware from attacking your system via an exploit.
5. Update All Software
Speaking of doing software updates, after going online but before browsing the web, immediately update your operating system (including the built-in web browser). Check for updates to document readers such as Adobe Acrobat Reader and any installed multimedia players. Plus, look for updates to installed browser plug-ins such as Adobe Flash, Adobe Shockwave, Java, QuickTime, and RealPlayer. Exploits can potentially be found in any software installed on your system; keeping everything up- to-date helps reduce the risk of your computer getting infected by malware.
While you may immediately be ready to unpack and use your new computer, following these five steps will help increase your security when going online. Create or find emergency recovery discs and store them in a safe place in case 'stuff' happens. Install security software such as firewall, antivirus, and anti-spyware applications before you connect to the Internet. Remove unneeded "bloatware" and consider installing an alternate web browser. Finally, before general web surfing or other activities, ensure your operating system and all installed software are up-to- date. By performing these steps, you can start your computer off right, blocking malware and operating well for hopefully years to come.....

Make shortcut to shut down ur pc directly

First, create a shortcut on your desktop by right- clicking on the desktop, choosing New, and then choosing Shortcut. The Create Shortcut Wizard appears. In the box asking for the location of the shortcut, type shutdown. After you create the shortcut, double- clicking on it will shut down your PC. But you can do much more with a shutdown shortcut than merely shut down your PC . You can add any combination of several switches to do extra duty, like this: shutdown -r -t 01 -c "Rebooting your PC"
Double-clicking on that shortcut will reboot your PC after a one- second delay and display the message "Rebooting your PC." The shutdown command includes a variety of switches you can use to customize it. Table 1-3 lists all of them and describes their use. I use this technique to create two shutdown shortcuts on my desktop-one for turning off my PC, and one for rebooting. Here are the ones I use: shutdown -s -t 03 -c "Bye Bye m8!"
shutdown -r -t 03 -c "I ll be back m8 ;)!" Switch
What it does -s
Shuts down the PC. -l
Logs off the current user. -t nn
Indicates the duration of delay, in seconds, before performing the action. -c "messagetext"
Displays a message in the System Shutdown window. A maximum of 127 characters can be used. The message must be enclosed in quotation marks. -f
Forces any running applications to shut down. -r
Reboots the PC

TOP ten Tips to increase System Speed

1 .Let your PC boot up completely before opening any applications. 2 .Refresh the desktop after closing any application. This will remove any unused files from the RAM. 3 .Do not set very large file size images as your wallpaper. Do not keep a wallpaper at all if your PC is low on RAM (less than 64 MB).
4 .Do not clutter your Desktop with a lot of shortcuts. Each shortcut on the desktop uses up to 500 bytes of RAM 5 .Empty the recycle bin regularly. The files are not really deleted from your hard drive until you empty the recycle bin. 6 .Delete the temporary internet files regularly. 7.Defragment your hard drive once every two months. This will free up a lot of space on your hard drive and rearrange the files so that your applications run faster. 8 .Always make two partitions in your hard drive. Install all large Softwares (like PSP, Photoshop, 3DS Max etc) in the second partition. Windows uses all the available empty space in C drive as virtual memory when your Computer RAM is full. Keep the C Drive as empty as possible.
9.When installing new Softwares disable the option of having a tray icon. The tray icons use up available RAM, and also slow down the booting of your PC. Also disable the option of starting the application automatically when the PC boots. You can disable these options later on also from the Tools or preferences menu in your application. 10. Protect your PC from dust. Dust causes the CPU cooling fan to jam and slow down thereby gradually heating your CPU and affecting the processing speed. Use compressed air to blow out any dust from the CPU. Never use vacuum. RAM IS THE WORKING AREA (DESKTOP) OF THE CPU, KEEP IT AS EMPTY AND UNCLUTTERED AS POSSIBLE!

Tricks to make XP FASteR

Boot XP faster:
1. Open notepad.exe, type "del c:\windows\prefetch\ntosboot- *.* /q" (without the quotes) & save as "ntosboot.bat" in c:\
2. From the Start menu, select "Run..." & type "gpedit.msc".
3. Double click "Windows Settings" under "Computer Configuration" and double click again on "Shutdown" in the right window.
4. In the new window, click "add", "Browse", locate your "ntosboot.bat" file &
click "Open".
5. Click "OK", "Apply" & "OK" once again to exit.
6. From the Start menu, select "Run..." & type "devmgmt.msc".
7. Double click on "IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers"
8. Right click on "Primary IDE Channel" and select "Properties".
9 . Select the "Advanced Settings" tab then on the device 0 or 1 that doesn't have 'device type' greyed out select 'none' instead of 'autodetect' & click "OK".
10 . Right click on "Secondary IDE channel", select "Properties" and repeat step 9.
11. Reboot your computer.
Increase ur Computers Response time
Indexing services is a small little program that uses large amounts of RAM and can often make a computer endlessly loud and noisy. This system process indexes and updates lists of all the files that are on your computer. It does this so that when you do a search for something on your computer, it will search faster by scanning the index lists. If you don't search your computer often, or even if you do search often, this system service is completley unnessesary.
1.Go to Start
2.Click Settings
3.Click Control Panel
4,Double-click Add/Remove Programs
5,Click the Add/Remove Window Components
6.Uncheck the Indexing services
7.Click Next
That's it, you have now uninstalled the Indexing service, you system will not have more RAM and be more responsive
Correcting System Hang at Startup
If your system hangs about 2 or 3 minutes at startup, where you can't access the Start button or the Taskbar, it may be due to one specific service (Background Intelligent Transfer) running in the background. Microsoft put out a patch for this but it didn't work for me. Here's what you do:
1. Click on Start/Run, type 'msconfig', then click 'OK'.
2. Go to the 'Services' tab, find the 'Background Intelligent Transfer' service, disable it, apply the changes & reboot.
Enhance ur Computers Gaming performance
For Users with 256 MB RAM or more this tweak will boost their Windows- and Game-Performance.
What it does: It tells Windows not to use any Swap File until there is really no more free RAM left.
Open the System Configuration Utility by typing msconfig.exe in the RUN command. There in your System.ini you have to add "ConservativeSwapfileUs age=1 " under the 386enh section.
Restart your Windows and enjoy better Game performance.
[ soon i ll add more tips] roney