Computer takes forever to start up

My husbands computer is taking forever to start up lately. It gets to the desktop ok but it is forever until you can do anything- I think background programs are opening up or something to that effect. Is there a way I can test or check for this (windows xp) and tell which ones are necessary to start and which ones are not? Or do I just need to put up with his whining because my computer is faster at startup?

He does have a tendency to add prograns and pick up spyware and such during his internet travels , but I do have all the spyware cleaned up and his pc better protected at this point and I deleted any program that has not been used since 2004.

What should my next step be? Except to throw it at him? (Actually I am kidding about that, I just hate listening to a grown man whine.)

 

Start by running all of the necessary virus/spyware scans. I'd then empty your prefetch (C:\Windows\System32\Prefetch ...* I think*). Then disable any programs which are not necessary to start up. Check your Start/All Programs/Startup folder first. Next open msconfig and check the startup programs there. Disable only if you know what they do and that they are not necessary. Finally, I'd disable unneeded Services. There are some tutorials floating around on this site for that.

http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=25835

P.S. - Please note that the first start up after emptying your prefetch will be a little slower than normal, but after that it will be fast.