To cut back on the number of programs starting at boot, check the
programs themselves for an option not to load.  You might have to double
click an icon in the tray (others might require a right click) and then
look for preferences or options.   If you cannot find an option, look
for the program in the following start up points and remove the
reference to it:

Start up folder on the start menu, the load= and run= lines in the
win.ini and these registry run keys (use regedit.exe):

1. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

2. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

3. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce

4. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce

5. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
RunServices

6. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
RunServicesOnce

7. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
RunOnce\Setup

If poking around in the registry is not for you, there is a freeware
program that makes this process a lot easier to manage: Startup Manager,
http://home.ptd.net/~don5408/toolbox/startupcpl/

You can use msconfig.exe, startup tab, to disable programs; however, by
doing so, you may lessen its value as a troubleshooting tool.  There
might be some double entries in msconfig--leave those for your AntiVirus
program and load power profile alone as they are required.  If you
disable an entry in msconfig or remove it from the start up point and
the program loads again after a reboot, that is an indication that you
missed an option on the program itself.  If you don't know what an entry
is, check here:  http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_index.htm