How to perform a clean boot procedure on a Windows computer A clean boot lets ONLY Windows start, no third-party (meaning non-windows) software boots. Be aware that this will temporarily turn off your antivirus. (the main suspect in game issues, btw) How to perform a clean boot procedure on a Windows Vista-based computer 1. Click Start, type msconfig in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER. If you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the password, or click Continue. 2. On the General tab, click Selective Startup. 3. Under Selective Startup, click to clear the Load Startup Items check box. 4. Click the Services tab, click to select the "Hide All Microsoft Services" check box, note settings, and then click Disable All. 5. Click OK, and then click Restart. After the computer starts, test your game and see whether the problems occur. How to perform a clean boot procedure on a Windows XP-based computer 1. Click Start, click Run, type msconfig in the Open box, and then click OK. 2. On the General tab, click Selective Startup. 3. Under Selective Startup, click to clear the following check boxes: � Process SYSTEM.INI File � Process WIN.INI File � Load Startup Items 4. Click the Services tab, click to select the "Hide All Microsoft Services" check box, note settings, and then click Disable All. 5. Click OK, and then click Restart. After the computer starts, test your game and see whether the problems occur. After the computer starts, test the game and see whether the problems occur. If the problem does not occur, there is some program that was booting with Windows, and causing the problem. To determine which one, do repetitive clean boots, adding a new check with each one. When the problem returns, the last check-box you clicked is the app thats doing it. Start with the antivirus. Cracked games have code the AV softwarez see as "malicious". I certainly hope so! A clean boot lets ONLY Windows start, no third-party (meaning non-windows) software boots. Be aware that this will temporarily turn off your antivirus. (the main suspect in this issue) On the other hand, with no load on the system, your machine will run like a banshee in heat!! Make careful note of all settings, especially in the Services and the Selective startup menu, so you can "un-do" the clean boot. The check-boxes will be in alpha-numeric order after the clean boot, so don't bother noting the check-box's positions. But, do pay careful attention to which processes are checked How To Undo the Vista clean boot: 1. Click Start, type msconfig in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER. If you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the password, or click Continue. 2. On the General tab, click Normal Startup. 3. Click OK, and then click Restart. How To Undo the XP clean boot: 1. Click Start, click Run, type msconfig in the Open box, and then click OK. 2. Using the notes you made of all your settings, return all check-boxes on the General tab, the Services tab, and the Selective Startup menu to original. 3. Click OK, and then click Restart. good luck