How should I disable the background applications?
Many applications set themselves up to start automatically when your computer boots. Some processes must run at startup, but many do not require this in order for the application to run properly.
Unnecessary background applications can cause:
- Slow performance.
- Errors during the installation.
- Issues with Audio/Video in the game.
- Crashes and other errors.
To resolve the issue, we suggest you close all the unnecessary background applications for testing. Use the following instructions to disable the background applications:
Note:
The following procedure is a temporary troubleshooting step used to disable the non-Microsoft services, which may include security programs like antivirus and firewall programs. To revert the changes made follow the steps documented at the end of the article. While the steps provided below are descriptive, we recommend you contact your system administrator before following the steps listed.
For Windows XP/Vista/7
- Click the Start button and select Run.
- Type msconfig and click Ok.
If your computer is in Normal Startup do the following:
- Click the Selective Startup button.
- Uncheck the Load Startup items (or Load Startup Group items) box.
- Select the Services tab and check Hide all Microsoft services.
- Click Disable all.
- Click Apply and Close.
- Restart the computer when prompted.
- Once restarted, if the system configuration window appears, close the window. Select No to restarting if prompted.
If your computer is set for Selective Startup do the following:
- Click the Startup tab at the top.
- Make a note of the items that have checkmarks next to them.
- Select Disable all.
- Go to the Services tab and check Hide all Microsoft services.
- Make a note of the services that have checkmarks next to them.
- Click Disable all.
- Click Apply and Close.
- Restart the computer when prompted.
- Once restarted, if the system configuration window appears, close the window. Select No to restarting if prompted.
If the program is working fine then it can be concluded that some of the background applications running in the system were causing the issue.
To identify the program that is conflicting with the program follow the steps given below:
- Click Start, click Run, type msconfig and click Ok.
- Click the Startup tab and click Enable all. If the computer was in Selective startup enable the items that correspond to the items noted earlier.
- Click the Services tab, check the option Hide all Microsoft Services.
- Click Enable all. If the computer was in Selective startup enable the items that correspond to the services noted earlier.
- Uncheck one of the services from the list.
- Click Apply, click Close and restart the computer when prompted.
- Play the game and test the performance.
Conclusions
- If the issue is resolved, the service disabled above (step 5) is the cause of the issue. To play the game you must disable this software.
- If the issue is still unresolved then uncheck a different service from the list and repeat steps 1 to 7
If the issue is still not resolved check for Start up items which may be conflicting with the game.
- Click Start, click Run, type msconfig and click Ok.
- Click the Services tab and click Enable all. If the computer was in Selective startup enable the items that correspond to the services noted earlier.
- Click the Startup tab and click on Enable All. If the computer was in Selective startup enable the items that correspond to the items noted earlier.
- Uncheck one of the startup items from the list.
- Click Apply, click Close and restart the computer.
- Play the game and test the performance. If the issue doesn't occur, this confirms that the particular service running on the system is causing issue.
- If the issue occurs, check the startup item unchecked in the previous attempt.
- Uncheck another startup item and repeat the steps 1 to 5.
If the above steps do not help to resolve the issue, follow the steps given below to, revert the changes made in your System Configuration Utility (msconfig):
- Click Start, click Run, type msconfig and click Ok.
- Click the Startup tab and click Enable all. If the computer was in Selective startup enable the items that correspond to the services noted earlier.
- Click the Services tab, check the option Hide all Microsoft Services.
- Click Enable all or enable the items that correspond to the items noted earlier.
- Click Apply, click Close.
- Restart the computer when prompted.
