Windows Defender

• 1). Check the system tray in the Windows taskbar at the bottom of the home screen after starting the computer to see which programs are running without being opened manually.
  
  
• 2). Select the Windows 7 "Start" button, located in the bottom left of the home screen. Select "All Programs" and choose "Windows Defender," the Windows software used to remove spyware on the PC.
  
  
• 3). Select "Tools," then "Software Explorer" when Windows Defender opens. Choose "Startup Programs" from the "Category" Menu.
  
  
• 4). Select "Disable" next to each program you wish to stop from running on computer startup. Select "Yes" to verify that you want to remove the program from the startup list when prompted in the new window.
  
  
• 5). Close the Windows Defender program by clicking on the "X" in the upper, right-hand corner. Restart the computer.
  
  

AutoRuns Program

• 1). Download the free Microsoft Windows support program "AutoRuns" (see Resources).
  
  
• 2). Click the "Start" button and choose "AutoRuns" from the list in "All Programs."
  
  
• 3). Uncheck the boxes next to any programs you wish to remove from the startup list. Close out of AutoRuns and restart the computer.