Close Down Processes Using the Task Manager

• 1). Press the "Ctrl," "Alt" and "Del" keys on your keyboard simultaneously.
  
  
• 2). Launch the "Task Manager" from the menu.
  
  
• 3). Navigate to the "Processes" tab. At the bottom, you can see how many processes are running and the amount of CPU usage.
  
  
• 4). Click the CPU header in the list to put the processes in order by the amount of CPU they use. This will tell you which processes are using up the most resources.
  
  
• 5). Click the process once to highlight it, then click "End Process" to stop the process. Only do this if you know what the process is or know that it is not a process your computer needs to run.
  
  
• 6). Click "End Process" if you are prompted to end the process.
  
  
• 7). Repeat this step to shut down any programs that are using too many computer resources.
  
  

Restrict Startup Programs

• 1). Click the "Start" button to launch the "Start" menu, then select "Run."
  
  
• 2). Type "msconfig" in the text box and press the "Enter" key on your keyboard. This will launch the "System Configuration" window.
  
  
• 3). Navigate to the "Startup" tab. This will provide you with a list of programs that start up each time you turn on your computer. Some of these may run without you knowing it and constantly take away from your computer's available resources.
  
  
• 4). Uncheck the boxes next to program names you are certain you do not need to run on computer startup. If you aren't sure what a program is, it is better to leave it checked.
  
  
• 5). Click the "Apply" button, then the "OK" button when you have completed.
  
  
• 6). Reboot your computer to allow the changes to take effect.