How to Speed Up Laptop Boot Time: A Step-by-Step Guide

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Introduction

When I bought a new MSI Katana laptop, I expected it to run fast and without delays. However, I encountered an unexpected issue — slow Windows boot time and sluggish program launches. This was surprising since the laptop is powerful and shouldn’t take so long to load. In this article, I will share ways to speed up laptop boot time that worked for me, and I’ll provide as many solutions as possible.

1. Disable Unnecessary Startup Programs

Why is this important?

Many programs start automatically when the laptop boots, slowing down Windows startup.

How to disable startup programs?

  1. Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc).
  2. Go to the Startup tab.
  3. Disable unnecessary programs (Right-click → Disable).

2. Optimize Windows Startup

Disable Visual Effects

  1. Press Win + R, type sysdm.cpl, and press Enter.
  2. Go to the Advanced tab → Performance → Settings.
  3. Select “Adjust for best performance”.

Disable Unnecessary Services

  1. Press Win + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
  2. Look for services you don’t use (e.g., Xbox Live, Windows Telemetry).
  3. Stop them and set their startup type to Disabled.

3. Update Drivers and BIOS

Update Drivers

  1. Open Device Manager (devmgmt.msc).
  2. Find outdated drivers and update them from MSI’s official website.
  3. Make sure to update chipset, SSD, and graphics card drivers.

Update BIOS

  1. Visit MSI’s website and download the latest BIOS version.
  2. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to update BIOS.

4. Enable AHCI Mode for SSD

If your laptop has an SSD drive, ensure it runs in AHCI mode instead of IDE.

  1. Open BIOS (usually F2 or Del at startup).
  2. Go to Storage Configuration.
  3. Select AHCI Mode.
  4. Save changes and exit.

5. Clean and Optimize Your Drive

Delete Unnecessary Files

  1. Open Disk Cleanup (cleanmgr).
  2. Select drive C: and click OK.
  3. Delete temporary files, cache, and old update files.

Disable Indexing

  1. Open C: Drive Properties.
  2. Uncheck “Allow files on this drive to have contents indexed”.
  3. Apply changes.

Optimize SSD

  1. Open Defragment and Optimize Drives.
  2. Select SSD drive.
  3. Click Optimize.

6. Scan for Viruses and Malware

Use Antivirus Software

  1. Run Windows Defender or a third-party antivirus.
  2. Scan your system for malware.

Remove Unwanted Software

  1. Open Control Panel → Programs and Features.
  2. Uninstall suspicious programs.

7. Disable BitLocker Encryption (If Not Needed)

If your drive is encrypted with BitLocker, Windows boot time may be slower.

  1. Open Control Panel → BitLocker Drive Encryption.
  2. Disable BitLocker.

8. Optimize RAM Usage

Check RAM Usage

  1. Open Task Manager → Performance tab.
  2. Check how much RAM is being used.

Increase Virtual Memory (Page File)

  1. Open System Properties → Advanced → Performance.
  2. Manually set the page file (1.5-2x your RAM size).

Add More RAM

If you have 8GB or less, consider adding another RAM stick.

9. Switch to “High Performance” Power Mode

How to Enable It?

  1. Open Settings → System → Power & Sleep.
  2. Click “Additional Power Settings”.
  3. Select “High Performance”.

10. Reinstall Windows (If Nothing Helps)

If your laptop is still booting slowly, try a clean Windows installation.

  1. Download the official Windows ISO file from Microsoft.
  2. Create a bootable USB drive using Media Creation Tool.
  3. Install Windows from scratch, deleting the old partition.

Conclusion

After applying these steps, my MSI Katana laptop now boots significantly faster. It now loads in seconds, and programs open instantly. If your laptop is also slow to boot, try these solutions—I’m sure they will help!

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