If you run into problems right after you installed or downloaded new software or you are suddendly experiencing issues that you hadn't previously you might want to try a System Restore. A System Restore sets your computer back to a previous installation.

You will not lose anything. It just sets your computer back to a previous day before the problem began and hopefully resolves the problem. You can select how many days you want to go back to.

Here's how it's done:

 

Go to Start / Help and Support / Undo Changes to computer with System Restore / Click how far back you want to go on the calendar. If that doesn’t work go back a few days more.

What can you do if your computer takes a long time to start up. Over time, as you add more and more programs to your computer, many of these applications automatically add themselves to your Windows Start-up folder.  Additionally, these applications can add themselves quietly to a hidden area  of your Windows Start-up system (accessed via the MSCONFIG run command). In extreme cases your PC will appear completely frozen.

Limiting the number of applications loading themselves at start-up can speed boot times considerably and increase overall system performance.

Here's how it's done. Click on Run. Type in MSCONFIG. Click on OK. Go to your start menu. Select the Start Up Tab. This is a list of all of the applications that load on start up. Uncheck unnecessary programs and click on OK.

 If you are having problems burning DVD’s, for example, all of a sudden it really slows down -  try doing this: Change a setting in your Device Manager (right click on My Computer, then go to properties, then hardware and device manager). There is a secondary Channel that changed from DMA mode to TIO mode. Try switching back to DMA mode.  It should fix the long burn time.