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5 Ways to Speed Up Slow Law Firm Computer Boot Times

By Edward Tan, JD | Last updated on

Slow law firm computers are the bane of most attorneys' existence. The only thing worse is having to endure needlessly long boot times beforehand. The time loss can be brutal, but there are ways to speed up the process.

While buying a new computer or more RAM can obviously solve the problem, not every lawyer or firm is willing to shell out for the upgrade.

Thankfully though, there are alternative ways for attorneys to cut down their PC's boot time.

1) Turn Off or Delay Startup Programs and Services

Startup programs are one of the main causes for slow boot times. Turn off unnecessary launch applications using MSConfig.

On the other hand, disabling some startup services might do more harm than good. Many launch services are important, as they control things like printer drivers and wireless cards. A better alternative is to set Windows to start them later once your computer is booted up. You can do this through the Services menu.

2) Adjust Your BIOS

Your PC's BIOS determines the priority in which your system accesses hardware at startup (among other things). Most are set to detect CD and USB drives first. While this makes things easier when you're first setting up your computer, afterward it's unnecessary and can slow down boot times.

You can access your BIOS by holding down the DEL key (or whichever key your PC uses) once you turn on your computer. You'll be presented with the blue BIOS text screen. Navigate through it and turn on the "Quick Boot" option and set your hard drive as the first boot device.

3) Delete Unnecessary Fonts

Most people load their computer with tons of fonts. What many don't realize is that your PC actually has to load up each one of them when you turn your system on. Though it might not shave off a huge chunk of time, getting rid of useless fonts can quicken the startup process.

4) Disable Unused Hardware

Much like with fonts, computers also have to load drivers and other hardware-related software at boot up. The slowdown here is much more noticeable. So if you still have a floppy drive in your PC, go to your system's Device Manager and shut it off along with any other unused hardware.

5) Get a Solid State Drive

While upgrading hardware can generally speed up any slow computer's boot time, nowhere is the change more drastic than with a solid state drive. These devices aren't cheap and have smaller capacities, but their read times are faster than any traditional hard drive. So if your law firm can swing it, get an SSD. Otherwise, just try to keep your computer virus-free. That helps, too.

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