Windows XP Windows Task Manager List

[Mully2438]

I have a TON of things listed in my "Processes" tab in the Task Manager. Is there a certain "must have" list of things that need to be in there and the others listed there aren't necessarily needed? If I'm not making any sense....I mean, for example, in the start-up...you only really need a few things. Such things as Real Player isn't necessary for start-up and doesn't have to be in the list or checked off in the list. This is my question for the Task Manager. Do I NEED that HUGE list of programs or files or whatever they are? Is there any reason to think that that slows my computer down at all? And if I don't need them, can I simply delete them or is there another way that I have to get rid of them?

Do I make any sense at all?

Thanks!

 

[V_R]

Not all of it will be needed, but i cant tell you what to remove without looking.

Your best bet would be to download process explorer from sysinternals, It tells you a bit more about whats running and what it does.

Just be careful what you delete/remove because some is needed for windows to run correctly.

http://www.processlibrary.com/ is a good place to cross reference what is what. Or you can just right click the process in PE and click on 'google'.

Go to Start>all Programs>startup, whats in there?

 

[muckshifter]

Vendors & their insistence to have an unnecessary "process" running gets right up my nose ... Process Explore is a great little tool.

You can simply use Ctrl Alt Del (CAD) to see what general processes are running ... Start Windows Task Manager, CAD is the easy way, click Processes tab and click on User Name to sort ... do not be tempted to stop a service that is not listed under your name, you can leave them for windows to deal with ...

Here is an example for you ...

BTHelpNotifier.EXE

It was "installed" as part of my BT broadband, I really see no reason why I need it but the simple solution was to un-install the offending program. One does not actually "need" any of their "bundled" software, but I needed to know what crap they dish out, so that I can easily say ... bin it.

Anything in your Start/All Programs Startup folder can be simply removed, either by just dragging it out or by uninstalling the program ... there are some exceptions, but if something does not now work, drag it back, or re-install.

I am not too fussed with Logitech's newish mouse software, SetPoint ... but if I take it out of the startup folder, I have no mouse ... never needed that crap before.

If you open Windows Task Manager, it will stay on top of any other open window, great to see what is going on as you do it.

I would stay well clear of websites that tell you it is safe to uninstall or 'stop' a lot of Windows Services because they say you do not need them ... crap ... just "play" with what you find running under your name in CAD ... that way you should not do any damage to Windows itself ... it can always be fixed in safe mode.

There is no ... you need to get under 30 running processes ... every PC will be different, though you can have an excess that can be pruned.

Enjoy!