Windows only: Freeware application BootVis analyzes your Windows startup, tracking the programs that automatically run and the drivers Windows loads, to show you what processes are slowing down your startup. To use it, just run the app and select one of the options from the Trace menu. BootVis will restart you computer, track your startup, and analyze the results. You can even ask BootVis to optimize your boot time, but I’d suggest hunting down your worst-offending startup apps and disabling them with msconfig if you don’t absolutely need them. Originally a Microsoft software, this abandoned freeware, Windows XP only tool is the perfect tool for troubleshooting a slow-to-boot system.