Step 1: msconfig

How long does it take your computer to power on?  Go ahead...time it....I'll wait....  Why does it take so long?  Simple, there are probably 100's of services and programs that are instructed to run when you power on your computer and log in.  Many of those items are not required to operate your machine normally.  Assuming you’re running Windows XP or Windows 7 click on your start-menu -> run box and type “msconfig” (minus the quotes).  On the Startup tab you can see most of what gets opened when you boot up.  99% of this is unnecessary and only succeeds in slowing down the login process and decreasing general performance.  Even if something here is important, you can always come back later and select individual items.  For now, click “disable all” then “OK”.  You will get prompted to reboot, go for it.  How long does it take your computer to power on now? Improvement guaranteed.

Stayed tuned for Step 2: Getting Internet Explorer under control