91 processes??!!

[Guest]

After I boot up, I looked at the process list. Unbelievably I had 91
processes running. Is this normal?

Which ones are necessary and which ones can I kill without problems? I am
finding that my memory usage is upwards of 70% at all times. I have 1GB of
ram. I am using the vista home premium.

Thanks

Don

 

[Mike Hall - MS MVP Windows Shell/User]

My, you have been busy downloading and installing stuff.. Vista makes more
efficient use of memory than ever XP did, so expect it to leave less memory
kicking around doing nothing.. free memory is wasted memory..

Re, the processes, look at what you have auto starting, decide if you really
need it to auto start, and if the answer is no, then look for options within
the program to stop it..

 

[Mhzjunkie]

Donald Shelton spewed out this bit, and i'll scatter a few bits myself:

After I boot up, I looked at the process list. Unbelievably I had 91
processes running. Is this normal?

Which ones are necessary and which ones can I kill without problems?
I am finding that my memory usage is upwards of 70% at all times. I
have 1GB of ram. I am using the vista home premium.

Oh my ! You need to do a little trimming there sir. I can't see your list of
running processes, so I can't tell you. Google them up.

I've 52 processes running, on a fully loaded system. Although I think that's
to many, it seems to run along swimmingly.

--
Mhzjunkie

1 PRINT "Windows Vista ERROR"
GOTO 1
END

 

[Tom]

After I boot up, I looked at the process list. Unbelievably I had 91
processes running. Is this normal?

Which ones are necessary and which ones can I kill without problems? I am
finding that my memory usage is upwards of 70% at all times. I have 1GB
of
ram. I am using the vista home premium.

Thanks

Don

You have to many programs loading up when you boot into Vista. You need to
clean them up. I only have 30 at start up. As I have learned also, Vista
seems to handle memory better than XP did for me, and I am running more
graphics than I did with XP too, and still have my system running
seamlessly. I have 2 gigs of RAM, so that helps. The install over XP-Pro was
almost seamless too. I have had to work out a few bugs, but nothing major,
and a few little ones remains that will have to be fixed by the program
makers and one by the maker of my soundcard.

 

[f/fgeorge]

After I boot up, I looked at the process list. Unbelievably I had 91
processes running. Is this normal?

Which ones are necessary and which ones can I kill without problems? I am
finding that my memory usage is upwards of 70% at all times. I have 1GB of
ram. I am using the vista home premium.

Thanks

Don

New OS's and cpu makers are racing to see who can outdo the other
first. MS makes a new OS that can do LOTS more so the cpu makers make
a cpu that can do more so MS makes a new OS that can do more ,etc etc
etc. Each new OS will do more in the background so you and I do not
have to wait as long for things to happen. It is a never ending cycle.
And the reason your older machine does not do well as the SP's get
distributed.

 

[Otter]

In

Donald Shelton spewed out this bit, and i'll scatter a few bits
myself:

Oh my ! You need to do a little trimming there sir. I can't see your
list of running processes, so I can't tell you. Google them up.

I've 52 processes running, on a fully loaded system. Although I think
that's to many, it seems to run along swimmingly.

That's "too" many, you illiterate yokel.

 

[Chad Harris]

Speed PC and Control CPU Tips/Steps

SPEED AND CPU:

_______________

1) Trim processes you don't need in TM. Google them or "search engine of

your choice them" if you have to.

2) Go to

services.msc in run box and turn off services not needed and there are some.

SERVICE CONFIGURATION REFERENCES*

*Vista Services*

Part One

http://www.tweakvista.com/article38662.aspx

Part Two

http://www.tweakvista.com/article38664.aspx

Windows Vista Services Tweak Guide v1.0

http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?showtopic=87443


3) Run System File Checker.

SFC: http://www.updatexp.com/scannow-sfc.html

In Vista run it from an elevated command prompt. Right click command on

start and run as administrator.

4) Run 3 or so spyware scans Windows Defender, , Adaware, and Spybot

5) Probably the most important for speed consistently and efficient resource

use DEFRAG with www.raxco.com or www.diskeeeper.com with 15% free space on

drive if DK and or >5% if Raxco's Perfect Disk.

http://groups.msn.com/windowsxpcentral/spyware.msnw

Download Adaware and

Spybot from here.

GOOD Overall Review for Defending Your PC:

http://defendingyourmachine.blogspot.com/

MSFT Defense Site MSFT Security:

http://www.microsoft.com/security/default.mspx

Protect Your PC from MSFT Security:

http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.mspx

MSFT Windows Defender

http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx

MSFT MSRT: (Malicious Software Removal Tool)

http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove/default.mspx



MSFT "Windows One Care" in Wings (AV and Spyware Scans)

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2005/may05/05-13WindowsOneCarePR.mspx

6) Unck items from msconfig start tab you don't need starting and some

won't start--peoiple who think just uncking for many are naive because there

are 12 places things can be started including several reg keys like Run Once

keys and there are serveral.

7) Turn off Messaging service--it's a security vulnerability and it slows

you

8) Defrag very often every other day actually.

9) Turn off indexing.

10) Clear TIF and %temp% files (delete) and go to safe mode to get as many

as u can.

10) Do troubleshooting with msconfig.

11) Do Clean boot with msconfig utility and search for the directions here:





Vista RTM Tweak Guide (Tweaks to Improve Performances)

http://www.google.com/search?source...,GGLJ:2006-47,GGLJ:en&q=vista+rtm+tweak+guide



1) Task Manager lists the services on the services tab in Vista.

2) Type services.msc in run box and using the list of services, click the

service and you'll get a description of services.

3) There is a list here of the default services and a description>>click

"default settings for services" in the left pane.

http://technet2.microsoft.com/Windo...afb8-43ce-b39d-50e6d5b89bf81033.mspx?mfr=true



4) To view service dependencies

1.

Open Services.

2.

In the details pane, right-click the service that you want to view

dependencies for, and then click Properties.

3.

Click the Dependencies tab.

4.

To view services that are associated dependencies of the selected service,

in the list on the Dependencies tab, click the plus sign next to the

service.

Many of the services but not all in Vista are the same as in XP, so in that

context:

http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/services.htm


Also see the extremely helpful site:

Black Viper's Service List

http://www.dead-eye.net/WinXP Services.htm


Black Viper's Site (Many of the same services in Vista)

http://www.dead-eye.net/WinXP Services.htm


http://www.z123.org/techsupport/xpservices.htm


http://www.geocities.com/ziyadhosein/xpserv1.htm


http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_content.php

This will be helpful

http://web.archive.org/web/20041128084144/www.blackviper.com/WinXP/servicecfg.htm

______________________________________________________________________________________________

How to troubleshoot by using the System Configuration utility in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310560/

Resources for troubleshooting startup problems in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308041/

How to perform advanced clean-boot troubleshooting in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;316434

How to perform a clean boot in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310353/

How to Disable a Service or Device that Prevents Windows from Starting

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310602/



Also ck out these references:

http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1558,5155,00.asp



http://www.speedupyourcomputer.windowsreinstall.com/index.htm

and

http://www.extremetech.com/search_r...=how+to+speed+windows+xp&filterapp=&site=4P.S.



Defragging with a decent defrag every day will make a huge dent inefficient

resource/CPU use.

Perfect Disk has a 5 month full functionality trial on now for Windows

Vista.

Good luck,

CH

 

[Kerry Brown]

After I boot up, I looked at the process list. Unbelievably I had 91
processes running. Is this normal?

Which ones are necessary and which ones can I kill without problems? I am
finding that my memory usage is upwards of 70% at all times. I have 1GB
of
ram. I am using the vista home premium.

Thanks

Don

I'm guessing you have Vista Ultimate which as the name implies has
everything. I have Vista Business on this computer and even with Outlook,
Windows Mail, and Nod32 running I still only have 46 active processes. Even
with Ultimate or Home Premium 91 is a lot. What programs do you have running
on startup?

As for the memory, I don't see what the obsession with free memory is.
Ideally an OS and programs will use the memory. Why would you want to have
the OS keep unused memory available? If you want to see if the memory is
being used efficiently look to your page file statistics.

 

[Rock]

After I boot up, I looked at the process list. Unbelievably I had 91
processes running. Is this normal?

Which ones are necessary and which ones can I kill without problems? I am
finding that my memory usage is upwards of 70% at all times. I have 1GB
of
ram. I am using the vista home premium.

You shouldn't be as concerned with how many are running as what is running.
Do you need all those? That said 91 is a bit above the norm which might be
in the 40-60 range. Open Task Manager, show processes for all users, do
some research using Google on what's running and then stop those you don't
want to run. Look first to the program itself for an option to not run on
startup. If nothing's there uncheck the startup folder:

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

Otherwise uncheck it's entry in msconfig.

 

[Scott]

After I boot up, I looked at the process list. Unbelievably I had 91
processes running. Is this normal?

Which ones are necessary and which ones can I kill without problems? I am
finding that my memory usage is upwards of 70% at all times. I have 1GB of
ram. I am using the vista home premium.

I'm here with 62 processes, 2 GB RAM and 56 % Memory usage on Vista
Ultimate x64.

Everything seems normal here.

91 seems high, but who knows? It may or may not be.

 

[Scott]

..... I don't see what the obsession with free memory is.
Ideally an OS and programs will use the memory. Why would you want to have
the OS keep unused memory available? If you want to see if the memory is
being used efficiently look to your page file statistics.

I think there's a misunderstanding when it comes to free memory. I
used to worry that if my OS was using "too much" that it wouldn't have
any to spare for any other apps I launched.

 

[Guest]

Yes! As everyone is telling you, you have far too many programs running at
startup.

Many software makers believe their stuff is the most important stuff and
think you will be using their software every time you boot up, so they have
part of their program start with bootup, which, if you let everyone do this,
will zap all your resources, slow your computer and perhaps conflict with
other startup software.

I have 4GB of RAM with 33% of 3GB being used most all the time by Vista.
Windows doesn't get to use the extra 1 GB - hardware uses it. So Vista does
seem to need the 1GB to operate.

I have 57 processes running, which is slightly more than most people, but
that's because I use a software network program that must load at startup so
I can keep track of our home network.

 

[Lang Murphy]

This ain't the "Proper English" NG...

Lang

In

That's "too" many, you illiterate yokel.

 

[Lang Murphy]

I was monitoring my free RAM last night. There were times when my free RAM
was, I kid you not, 0 (as in zero). PC chugged along quite nicely through it
all. Vista's memory management is completely different, at least in terms of
reporting free memory, than prior versions of Windows. Almost makes it
useless to gauge one's performance from the amount of free RAM available.
Which, to my way of thinking, ain't a bad thing.

Lang

 

[Ken Gardner]

I was monitoring my free RAM last night. There were times when my free RAM
was, I kid you not, 0 (as in zero). PC chugged along quite nicely through
it all. Vista's memory management is completely different, at least in
terms of reporting free memory, than prior versions of Windows. Almost
makes it useless to gauge one's performance from the amount of free RAM
available. Which, to my way of thinking, ain't a bad thing.

Free RAM is wasted RAM.

The XP and Vista memory managers attempt to use every available byte of RAM,
either to run processors or to cache recently accessed file or data. The
Vista memory manager does a significantly better job of this than XP. Your
"free" RAM going to zero is Vista's new "SuperFetch" feature in action. It
works behind the scenes to load the programs and (I think) data you use most
often into physical memory BEFORE you need it. Then when you load those
programs, it loads from much faster RAM rather than the slower hard drive.
When you exit these programs, the code and data remain in RAM, ready when
you are ready to use it again. Of course, if you need the physical memory
for something else instead, Visa will release it to you.

If you really want to know if you have optimized memory usage on XP or
Vista, open Task Manager. On XP, the key gauge is the system cache. When
it exceeds available memory, you are doing a good job. This means that most
"available physical memory" is on the standby list rather than the free
list. Available standby memory is a component of both "available memory"
and the system cache as reported in Task Manager. When a process can access
data on the standby list, it need not retrieve it off the much slower hard
drive. Generally, system file cache memory should increase as you run more
processes and open more files. Just make sure that your Total Commit Charge
is well below your physically installed RAM.

On Vista, the key Task Manager number is free physical memory. You want it
to be as close to zero as possible. It's that simple. Again, free RAM is
wasted RAM.

Ken

 

[Otter]

In

This ain't the "Proper English" NG...

....or you would be sorely challenged, you top-posting wanker.

 

[Lang Murphy]

You're preaching to the choir, Ken. And... good post.

Lang

 

[Ken Gardner]

Thanks. I

You're preaching to the choir, Ken. And... good post.

Lang