Installing New Programs Info

[Erehwon]

With my previous Win95 machine, it was recommended to close all programs
before installing new software. This included using CAD to go into the
close programs box and shut down everything except Explorer and Systray.
What about XP? Should I go into Task Manager and shut down some/most/all of
the running processes prior to installing new software?

 

[Sharon F]

With my previous Win95 machine, it was recommended to close all programs
before installing new software. This included using CAD to go into the
close programs box and shut down everything except Explorer and Systray.
What about XP? Should I go into Task Manager and shut down some/most/all of
the running processes prior to installing new software?

It's pretty much the same thing with XP, however, I would suggest
concentrating only on the items that are listed in the Applications page.
Close the windows for open/running programs. For programs that run as a
tray icon, try a right click for an "Exit" menu. Then, if there's items
left on the Application page, use End Task with them.

The only times that I end task on an item on the Processes page, is if I'm
upgrading that item and it needs to be stopped so that the upgrade will be
successful. Usually if you need to do this, it is mentioned in the
installation directions.

 

[Guest]

XP is robust enough to allow the running of programs during installation of others. This is not the recommended way of doing it though. You have mixed apples and oranges in your post so here goes. You do not need to close any processes at all. You should close any "running" programs. By running I mean those that are actually using CPU clock time and are not dorment or merely sitting in your system tray doing nothing. I constantly install programs with the Norton Anti-virus running and have no ill effect on them what so ever. On the other hand many tell you to close all running programs even your anti-virus while installing. If you follow this suggestion do so only if and when you are not connected to the internet. I have even been downloading one program while installing another and had no ill effects at all. Good luck.

 

[Erehwon]

It's pretty much the same thing with XP, however, I would suggest
concentrating only on the items that are listed in the Applications page.
Close the windows for open/running programs. For programs that run as a
tray icon, try a right click for an "Exit" menu. Then, if there's items
left on the Application page, use End Task with them.

The only times that I end task on an item on the Processes page, is if I'm
upgrading that item and it needs to be stopped so that the upgrade will be
successful. Usually if you need to do this, it is mentioned in the
installation directions.

Thanks. Appears to make things simpler than 95 then. Just questioned
because of a fair number of tray icons, including Phone Tools, Norton
Security, etc. that show up as processes but not applications. Figured
there may be other processes I'd want to shut down if I knew what they were.
But if applications and tray icons are all that's recommended it makes life
simple.