How to manage Start up Programs ???

[Mystique]

My computer is very slow booting up and in the past few weeks I've noticed a definite slowness in the overall running of the pc. I haven't a clue how to manage my start up programs as I am quite nervous that I may delete something that might turn out to be important. So at the moment I have a feeling that various task list programs that do not need to be there and has outlived its usefulness are just clogging the pipes of my pc (so to speak) and it is finding it hard to breathe anymore.

Can you help?

A very good friend recommended this site and I found it really useful.

http://www.answersthatwork.com/Tasklist_pages/tasklist.htm

Any more tips/sites you can share?

I would really like to sort out my start up programs.

Thank you,
Mystique

[GlobalForce]

Hi Mystique,

You may want to look here (http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=6341) for some answers.
While you're at it, have a look at this poll (http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=13888&highlight=startups). It's a starting point...

GF

[Tassie_Devils]

Hi Mystique. :)

That Answers That Work site is very good. ;)

Here is another site that gives you a lot of information on startups, how to, etc.

PAC PORTAL (http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_content.php)

Here are some tools that monitor/control StartUp apps also.

START UP APPS (http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_content.php#Startup_managers)

If you run Spybot, there is a 'StartUp' manager in there, must use Advanced Mode though.

See screenie.... there are lots and lots of StartUp apps out there. :)

HTH,
Cheers, TAS

edit: If unsure of an StartUp .exe go HERE (http://www.sysinfo.org/startuplist.php) and type in the name.

I see GF already linked you to my list, :) so there are more options in there.

TAS

[Tassie_Devils]

Actually one of the very best you can use is from DiamondCS.

DiamondCS AutoStartViewer FREE (http://www.diamondcs.com.au/index.php?page=asviewer)

It will tell you what is running in autostart and you can terminate apps from autostarting easily.

I'd recommend this one personally.

TAS

[Mystique]

GF,

WOW :o

That first link you gave me, Tassie's tips/ tutorials was like discovering a mine of jewels. And the poll was helpful too. Thanks so much.

Tassie_Devils,

WOW. That was an amazing job you did there :D . That was a pretty impressive and exhaustive list. Thank you very much. I will now see what I can pick up from that. Like they said, I'd like to save your page in my pc if ok with you for present and future reference.

So that is why I can't figure out why my spybot doesn't do start-ups list, I got it in default mode.

Will now process all this info you gave me. So much to learn, so little time. ::)

Thank you guys. You are all geniuses in here. ;D

Oh and BTW, how do you shortcut a link like that, like instead of typing in the full url address you just type "here" and then it opens up to a new link, that always baffles me.

Thanks :) ,
Mystique

[GlobalForce]

Glad you found all those links useful. Also, always consider Tassie's recommendations first rate.

When you're ready to install a link (enhanced mode, my pref), get the cursor where you want and hit the globe with the goggles (hyperlink), a script bar will appear prompting you to add the word you want to represent the hyperlink. After you clk OK, just drop in the url and hit OK again,
then you'll see the format, OK ;)

GF

[Tassie_Devils]

To insert hyperlink word like .... HERE.... as GF exlained.

I thought I'd add a screenie also, to help understand.

Hope you figure out all the info. Lot to take in as you say, but there's no rush to learn it all. It's an ongoing process like anything PC related. :)

Cheers, TAS

[Cochise]

Thanks Tas for all the info......I had alook in PAC PORTAL on your recommendation and found 'Windows Startup Inspector' by William Yang, D/Ld it and used it....must say, it's an excellent piece of kit for someone like me who doesn't quite know what he's doing because it does most of the thinking for you....I'm amazed as to how much unneeded dross I have unloaded from my Startup.....Thanks to all for a most enlightening tutorial.......... :-*



Regards, Cochise, 8)

[GlobalForce]

Thanks for the screenies Tas. I would have offered, but I'm not on my pc ;D.

Oh and Mystique, if you're ever wondering "how'd they do that", hit the reply button, take a look at the code, then shut the window to cancel.

And Cochise, I'm glad you got something out of it also... ;)

GF

[nod32_9]

Make a list of your STARTUP items and I will provide my 5 cents. WXP will run just fine will all items unchecked in MSCONFIG's Startup tab. However, I would advise that you enable the FIREWALL and ANTIVIRUS programs.

[Cochise]

Sorry GF, run that by me again......What reply Button??.....



Cochise, 8)

[Mystique]

Cochise, I think what GF probably meant was if I do start to be baffled again in the future and ask, "how the heck did they do that in their post?," then I should hit the quote button to find out how they posted what they posted and then learn from there.

I may be wrong though. :-[

[Mystique]

If you want to visit the loveliest site to grace the web ever, where people are so clever, click here (http://www.wilderssecurity.com/index.php?).

Haha, I think I may have learned something new here.

Yay!!! ;D

Thank you so so much to all of you wonderful people. :D

That screen shot was very helpful, how do you do that?

Oh oh here I go again, I did click on quote but I couldn't see how tassie devils did it.

Sorry for asking too much. ???

Nod32_9. Thank you so much for that. I'll try and see what I can do. :)

[GlobalForce]

Cochise, exactly as Mystique said in reply twelve.

As for how Tas pulled that off, take a look at this (http://www.snapfiles.com/get/hoversnap.html). Light, fast, and real simple. For my needs, works great.

For another, probably more popular and versatile, look here (http://www.snapfiles.com/get/irfan.html). Though I can't vouch for this one, also light.
Tas uses something I forgot, but it's not free.

I suspect all this will generate still more questions ???

GF ;)

[zarzenz]

Hello Mystique,

Reading your posts here made me think about something quite important.

I recommended Spybot to a good friend of mine a little while back, and I now realise that I failed to inform my friend that to get to the extra features in Spybot... the advanced mode has to be selected. This being where the excellent startups manager is located along with many other fantastic tools this program provides. There is so much to this wonderful program that it's easy to forget these details.

I am no longer in contact with my friend, but I must remember to advise other people of this fact if I ever recommend Spybot again... thank you.

By the way... what you can do... now that you can use Spybot's startup tool is use it to disable all the startups for a test boot... it won't harm your system to do this as you can re-enable them later, but what it will do is show you if the sluggish boot up is indeed due to maybe having too many programs calling for memory and process power at this critical time for your computer.

However... don't use the 'net in this period unless you leave your firewall and anti-virus programs enabled, or simply manually enable them before you do.

The main thing would be in this test boot however would be to check your boot time and then re-enable them one, or a few at a time, to see what effect they actually have on your system.

Spybot is perfect for doing this.

Also any bold entries you may see in there are ones that have been added since the last snapshot, which will probably be the one Spybot made when you first ran it... you can make a fresh snapshot by right clicking in the startup pane and then clicking create snapshot.

I hope this helps you... good luck.

[Mystique]

Thank you very much for that zarzenz :D . Just got in here just as you posted your reply. I'll study your post and will re-read again to absorb it.

Spybot is a gem, your friend must be very happy you told him about it.

Thanks for the concern,
Mystique

[Mystique]

-{ Quote: "
I suspect all this will generate still more questions ???
GF ;)" }-

Thank you GF,

;D LOL. I think these questions will do me for now. I got enough on my plate already as it is. I've been looking at the links and need to have a few days/?? weeks ??? to sort this out once I have time.

Thank you all for all your help.

Mystique :D

[zarzenz]

-{ Quote: "
Spybot is a gem, your friend must be very happy you told him about it.

Thanks for the concern,
Mystique" }-

Oh yes... my friend was very happy to have this amazing program. :)

You will find the startups section so useful as you try out the tests with it.

It does much the same as msconfig... but it's easier and gives you all the info you need in the one interface... it's perfect.

Have fun... you seem to be doing very well there and all those links from Tassie's tips will keep you busy for ages.

[Mystique]

-{ Quote: "
By the way... what you can do... now that you can use Spybot's startup tool is use it to disable all the startups for a test boot... it won't harm your system to do this as you can re-enable them later, but what it will do is show you if the sluggish boot up is indeed due to maybe having too many programs calling for memory and process power at this critical time for your computer.

However... don't use the 'net in this period unless you leave your firewall and anti-virus programs enabled, or simply manually enable them before you do.

The main thing would be in this test boot however would be to check your boot time and then re-enable them one, or a few at a time, to see what effect they actually have on your system.

Spybot is perfect for doing this." }-

Re-reading your post zarzenz, this actually made a lot of sense. Of course, elimination to arrive at the solution. Sheesh ??? I wonder why I haven't thought of this?

You must excuse me as I am not technical at all.

Still learning ... getting there ;D .

Thanks again. :)

[zarzenz]

-{ Quote: "
You must excuse me as I am not technical at all.

Still learning ... getting there ;D .

Thanks again. :)" }-

Well... I reckon you are doing just fine... and if you ever need help... there are so many wonderful guys and gals here that will always give loads of good advice. When you start getting into these things... it suddenly drops into place.

You'll be doing registry cleaning next... I love going in there... but that's a whole new ball game... and does need some care.

Anyways... you enjoy now... you are doing ok.

Zarzenz 8) :)

[Mystique]

Bless you ZZ 8)

Thank you. :)

[zarzenz]

My pleasure M. :D

Thank you too. :)

[zarzenz]

Mystique,

I just remembered something else about the Startup manager in Spybot.

If you have the additional window enabled... by clicking on the two blue arrows if they are fully to the right of the pane and pointing left... then you will get loads of useful advice about the highlighted startup entry in question if there is known info available for it.

This is so good... it's pretty amazing in fact and may help you loads when trying to decide if you need particular ones etc.

Hope this helps a little bit more.

[Mystique]

As people in Tescos (that's a big supermaket store) says;

Every Little Helps. ;D

Thanks.

[zarzenz]

-{ Quote: "As people in Tescos (that's a big supermaket store) says;

Every Little Helps. ;D

Thanks." }-

LOL... I'll be in there tomorrow morning doing my weekly shop.

Yeah... just thought I'd throw that one at you coz it can sometimes get missed if the arrows are fully right, and it's so useful, but must also be read fully as there are sometimes "pretend" entries that are mentioned that try to disguise themselves as the real thing... powerprofile being one.

Ok... gotta go now for some rest... been a long day for me.

Nite to you,

Zarzenz :)

[Mystique]

Nite ZZ 8) :)