Can I make startup faster? Win7

[Lau-Lau]

Hello all you smart people...
(Im posting here as Im not sure which board this would fall under)

I have a toshiba laptop (belongs to the boss-man) and we are trying to make startup quicker.
Specs:
Processor Intel Core i3
RAM: 4GB
HDD: 1TB
OS: Win 7 Pro

Mr boss-man says that it takes too long from the time he switches on to the time his Outlook and Skype open. I've checked for anything unnecessary and removed or stopped it. The time is takes after showing Starting Windows until Outlook opens is 6 minutes, it then takes another 4 minutes to open Skype. I dont think that this is too bad, but he insists it needs to be faster.
I have run antivirus scans and removed all infections.

Is there anything else I can check for?

Thanks a ton!

[Allan]

1) You can use an app such as ccleaner (https://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/download) to disable unnecessary startup items (run ccleaner, click on "Tools" and then "Startup")

2) The fact that there were infections is troublesome. The fact that you believe you "removed" them does not mean there is no lingering effect. Two possibilities here: you didn't get all of them, or even if you did - they have caused damage that is affecting startup speed. You can do the following if you like:  follow the instructions in the following link and post your logs in the thread you create (NOT in this thread):
http://www.computerhope.com/forum/index.php/topic,46313.0.html

[patio]

I use Startup CPL from Mike Lin....

NOTE: Do not disable anything from startup if you don't know what it is...

[DaveLembke]

Additionally to what Allan stated, if he doesn't need 1TB storage, another option is to purchase and install a SSD drive and install clean to that using the factory system recovery software that you might have or may still be able to burn to a set of DVD-R's or make a bootable usb stick.

There is a drastic performance increase between a HDD and a SSD. I have had Windows 7 to desktop ready to roll on a Dual-core 6 year old 2.3Ghz system 13.5 seconds with a 90GB SSD, and with 500GB HDD it took 52 seconds prior.

[Allan]

I use Startup CPL from Mike Lin....

NOTE: Do not disable anything from startup if you don't know what it is...

So do I patio, but it's almost impossible to find for download anymore. Either ccleaner or Autoruns are my new recommendatios (with Autoruns preferred, but complex for some)

[patio]

Startup CPL

It's also still available at MajorGeeks DLoad page...

[Salmon Trout]

it's almost impossible to find for download anymore

It's just as available as it always was. It is not on the current mlin.net but Mike has linked to where it is now, (hosted on the Wayback Machine).

On the current http://www.mlin.net he says:

You can still view the classic mlin.net, but the software is now largely obsolete.

In that above, 'classic mlin.net' is actually a link:

https://web.archive.org/web/20131109164426/http://www.mlin.net/index.shtml

That page contains links to download Startup Control Panel and Startupmonitor, which many people install together. I have installed these on Windows 10 32 and 64 bit.

[Salmon Trout]

Beaten by Patio!

[patio]

 

[Lau-Lau]

Hey Everyone

Thank you for all the replies! I'l try out your recommendations and report back - Boss is currently away.

Thanks again