| Author |
Topic: what really needs to be running |
jim milewski
From:
stowe, vermont
|
Posted 13 Oct 2003 4:24 am |
|
| when I hit CTRL ALT DELETE, a list of running programs comes up that are running, some I recognize, like a program running monitoring my ink levels, I end that one, but there are a whole lot of them, and my PC is slow, so what ones actually need to be running, how can I prevent them from launching in the first place, will this speed up my PC, also has anyone tried one of those internet speed up programs, supposed to speed up transfer of loading pages etc. I'm using Windows XP [This message was edited by jim milewski on 13 October 2003 at 05:25 AM.] |
|
|
|
Mark Ardito
From:
Chicago, IL, USA
|
Posted 13 Oct 2003 6:08 am
|
|
Jim,
You posted an excellent question! I think a lot of people will get some use out of this question. OK here is the deal...
Go to your start menu, then scroll to the "RUN" option. Once that window opens up, you should type "msconfig" (without the quotes).
This will open up a window on your screen. The very last tab on the right side is called "STARTUP". Go ahead and click on that.
Now in Windows XP, most of the items listed are "optional" item. A good rule of thumb is this: If you don't know what it is or what is does...leave it turned on. You will "uncheck" the programs that you do not want to run when Windows boots up. I like to turn off MusicMatch Jukebox, Quicktime Player, RealPlayer and all that other stuff. If I want to use one of those applications, I will just open up the application. Once you uncheck all the ones you don't want to start, then click "APPLY" and then "OK". Windows will ask you to reboot and then click "YES" to reboot.
Now, if you turned off a program by mistake, you can run MSCONFIG again and put the check mark back in the box.
Good Luck and let me know if you need any more help!
Cheers!
Mark
------------------
Sho~Bud Pro I, Fender D-8 (C6&E13) http://www.darkmagneto.com
|
|
|
|
Gere Mullican
From:
LaVergne, Tennessee, USA (deceased)
|
Posted 13 Oct 2003 7:32 am
|
|
Jim, that was a good reply about the programs that are running. That procedure will prevent programs from running each time you start or re-start your computer. After you press CTL-ALT-DEL you can select any thing listed and highlight it then click on END TASK. That will stop it from running then and they will run again the next time you boot up. That is unless you run MSCONFIG and remove the check mark from them. There are only 2 things that must be running for your computer to operate properly and they are EXPLORE and SYSTRAY. Be sure you dont END TASK those 2.
Gere |
|
|
|
Michael Haselman
From:
St. Paul
|
Posted 13 Oct 2003 10:09 am
|
|
Great advice Mark. Is there anything else a person can do at msconfig, say on win.ini, etc. to improve performance?
------------------
Marrs D-10, Webb 6-14E |
|
|
|
jim milewski
From:
stowe, vermont
|
Posted 13 Oct 2003 11:08 am
|
|
| thanks a million you guys, I forgot about msconfig, I've got almost 400 megs of ram and was getting memory low on certain tasks, I think because of all the un needed programs |
|
|
|
Ray Minich
From:
Bradford, Pa. Frozen Tundra
|
Posted 13 Oct 2003 11:18 am
|
|
And for a real treat, if you find processes running that you have absolutely no idea their origin, or what purpose they serve beyond slowing down your PC, you can go to: http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_pages/startup_full.htm, and click on the link to get the full list.
This is a large list of many of the annoying processes that can be installed on your machine (without you knowing it) and what they are for, and how to get rid of them.
Their is also a link to "Answers That Work" and LIUtilities.
Regards... |
|
|
|
Ernie Renn
From:
Brainerd, Minnesota USA
|
Posted 14 Oct 2003 12:35 am
|
|
Jim;
Push "Ctrl+Alt+Delete" and write down the names of the stuff running. Then check: Answers That Work to see what they are. They also tell you if it should stay running or can be turned off.
------------------
My best,
Ernie
www.buddyemmons.com
|
|
|
|
John Hawkins
From:
Onalaska, Tx. on Lake Livingston * R.I.P.
|
Posted 15 Oct 2003 2:14 pm
|
|
Ernie,
That is a super -dooper site and is in plain old English that a computer dummy like me can understand . I run Windows 98 and when I
hand wrote all the programs my system was using as startup, I went to your suggested site looked them up and FINALLY found out what was making my defrag re-start and take nearly and hour and 15 min. to run ! After making the recommended moves appearing on a particular program , I ran Defrag. in 30 min. I am on dial up ( old Aptiva IBM Computer )Running Windows 98 . That has never happened in that short of a time before because this particular program was causing it to re-start many times as well as scan disk . It corrected re-starts on scan disk also !
Thanks for your suggestion on the site. It works !!!!!
Regards,
John |
|
|
|
