I think i have too many PROCESSES running but how can i determine which ones i need vs which i can END?

Question

I run Windows XP Home SP2 and have cleaned and defragmented and compressed and removed etc etc. I have the latest Norton Anti Virus and a recent version of Norton Internet Security enabled. My computer is still too sluggish. Is Running Processes the same thing as what Loads at Startup? I've manually removed from Startup the few programs i could identify but there is 70 processes running and lord only knows how many things that load at startup. How can i tidy up this mess? i cannot figure out how to tell what other files/services/programs/??? are connected with each listed process.

i have followed many of your suggestions and ran the various cleaners/checkers. However, none of them provides any meaningful guidance as to which applications and processes i can safely delete or turn off. I'm on a 7 year old Thinkpad T20 which has had ram and memory upgrades recently. Many of the running items are Lenovo or Thinkpad related. But do i NEED the EZEject Utility running or the Batttery power saver etc? i am afraid to do too much tampering. I don't even dare to muck around with the HKey registry items. I notice that the "free" reg cleaners will 'identify' problems but then only 'fix' 10 or so for free. If i want it to fix the other 9,990 items i have to pay $60 or something.
Basically, i want my computer to run faster. I cannot believe Windows XP does not already come with some 'autodetect and repair' utility that will clear out the molasses.
if anyone is willing to volunteer i can email the system reports generated from all your suggested utilities. ???

i see most of you respondents are not big fans of Norton AntiVirus. Literally the day before i asked this question i paid Symantec the $30 to renew/upgrade my AV to Norton AV 2006. The files are enormous. I have applied to them for a refund and if granted will uninstall the new package and put my faith in your recommendations that there are freebies just as effective.

Answer 1

I noticed you didnt mention anti-spyware clean... try using Windows defender/OneCare and Ad-Aware...

Also a good booster is http://www.ccleaner.com/ .. run both hard disk and registry cleaner.. it did wonders for me.

run start / run / msconfig / ok .. look at startup items there.. do you really need them? (you probably already have done this but covering ground just in case)

have a look at your list of processes. if you dont know what it is, KILL IT off and see if it affects your computer in any way. You can google the process filename if you want to know what it might be.

if all that doesnt work .. you might need a RAM upgrade..

also as a final note, using norton will always eat up pc resources..

Answer 2

To begin with I have removed all Norton items from my computer for the same reason you are talking about. I know Norton has a great reputation and all. I kept looking to find what was my problem and finally dumped all Norton and now my computer runs much better. I have anti virus but not Norton. I have mentioned this to a couple of friends and now they tell me they found the same with their computers and now use a different anti virus program. There are a few free anti virus items out there and I am using one of them. They seem to do just as good a job and I think even better than Norton but the computer does work much better. I won't mention the name because people have to find what suits them and may not like what I would recommend. I am not saying Norton is bad I am just saying what I have had experience with. Some people still say Norton is the very best. Before dumping Norton Disable it and then see how things go for you and go from there. Be sure to disable all of their programs.

Answer 3

Here are some tricks to speed up the computer. The sequence is important.

Go to Control Panel/ Windows Firewall/ Exceptions/ Uncheck everything but File and Printer Sharing
Reboot

Get rid of Norton. Ancient history. Completely and seriously.

Start/Programs/Control Panel/ Add Remove Programs/

Remove anything with the words Symantic, Norton and Live Update.
Download and run Hijackthis until everything is removed. Don't be too cautious, just wipe them all out it's harmless. If something is not working then reinstall the program.

Have you used msconfig?
Start/Run/ "MSCONIG" enter
In the startup tab uncheck all.
In the Services tab check hide all microsoft and uncheck all
Reboot

Run Hijackthis until everything disappears.
Reboot
Start/Programs/Assesories/System Tools/Disk Clean Up
ditto/Defrag

Download Yahoo Toolbar with Antivirus and do a scan.
Multi scan until it's clean

Download IE7
Download Windows Defender
Download Yahoo Toolbar (with Antivirus)
Yes good advice for these too:
ccleaner
hijack this
Google each of these to find them. OK?

Use phising filter in IE7 and pop up blocker. Yahoo pop up blocker can run also.

Scan with Windows Defender
Also try Ad Aware for a final virus check.

Go to Control Panel/ Windows Firewall/ Exceptions/ Uncheck everything but File and Printer Sharing
Reboot
Final ccleaner and defrag.

Answer 4

Running processes means all the process which you can view in the Task Manager (CTRL+ALT+DEL). Normally when we talk about "programs load at startup", we are referring the user programs which Windows loads automatially at startup. The complete running processes contains both system processes and user processes. Normally when we talk about "programs load at startup", we mean the user processes.

For user processes, you can use some tool to view them and choose what to run. If you don't want to download anything extra, MSConfig is the tool inside Windows and you can use it. I used a tool called CleanMyPC Registry Cleaner and it has a startup manager inside it. The startup manager let you view very detailed information for each startup program, and enable, disable, or delete the startup program.

CleanMyPC Registry Cleaner: http://www.registry-cleaner.net

For system processes, many are service process and it's better to just leave them there if you are not a computer guru.


-Brian

Answer 5

first of all your compter is sloooooooooow because of norton software. i hate norton software because of that..

70 processes?!!?!?! 70???!!! that is rediculus!
Most compter runng xp and and lots of garbage on top will usually only have 35 to 40 running processes. Mine usually only has 20 or so going, but that is because if disabled stuff that i dont need or use.

here is how to speed things up

1) download & install Crap cleaner software from here
http://www.filehippo.com/download_ccleaner/

2) open the crap cleaner and press "analyse" .this will take a FEW minutes
after it is done, press "run cleaner"

3) after that click on "tools" then "startup" delete every entry

4)click on "uninstall" run the uninstaller for everything that you don't actually use .

5)uninstall all norton software( dont worry youll replace it with somthing much lighter and faster.)

reboot

download this little tool for identifying processes from the task manager from here-

http://www.processlibrary.com/quickaccess/

also now that obese norton is gone(all of it! the firewall/internet security/ anti virus) youll definitly notice how much faster start up and network acess is!

replace the anti virus with avg free. honestly its all you need
you can down load it from here:
http://www.filehippo.com/download_avg_antivirus/

windows xp has a firewallbuilt in.

6) defragment hard drive(s)

use the crapcleaner often to keep clean in there. think of it as its daily shower

Un clog your system MANN!!!

Answer 6

Go to Start - Run - type Msconfig - Go to the startup tab. Obviously you've been here before based on your post. Visit Sysinfo and type in the name of the process and it will tell you what it is then you can decide if you want to leave it checked or not. As an example I have over 90 items in my list but only 14 are checked.

Answer 7

Don't mess with the processes in device manager (if that is what you are asking, its late and I'm drunk so I could have misread) if you aren't trained, it can mess your computer up to the point that you have to format your hard drive and start all over. My friend thought he knew enough about computers and did this before I got there to fix his computer, despite me telling him not to, and learned this the hard way.

Answer 8

do a google search and download and run "HijackThis"
It will scan your computer and tell you what all programs start when your computer starts, even if they aren't listed in your startup folder.
Then you can click on each one and it will give you a little hint as to what types of things each entry will usually be associated with.
Just be careful and don't be too aggressive in deleting entries.

Answer 9

go to google and type in the name of the process in question.
when it gives you the extremely long list of sites...look for liutilities.com. It will give you some info about it.
The site is trying to sell you some software...but for your immediate purpose...just read the description.
then if you want to keep it...keep it...if not go to
Control Panel->Admin tools->Services and turn them off

Answer 10

Goto www.ewido and run the free scan to see you have spyware on your PC.
Here are some more free ones.
Spybots search and Destroy http://www.download.com/3000-8022-10122137.html?tag=pao
adaware se> http://www.download.com/Ad-Aware-SE-Personal-Edition/3000-8022_4-10399602.html?tag=lst-0-1
http://www.webroot.com/land/freescan.php
a-squared Free> http://www.emsisoft.com/en/software/free/
http://housecall.antivirus.com/housecall/start_frame.asp
http://housecall65.trendmicro.com/
X -Cleaner Micro Edition scan http://www.spywareguide.com/onlinescan.php
http://www.kaspersky.com/virusscanner
http://www.windowsecurity.com/trojanscan/
http://www.bitdefender.com/scan8/ie.html
http://www.pandasoftware.com/products/activescan/com/activescan_principal.htm

http://www3.ca.com/securityadvisor/virusinfo/scan.aspx
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html
Spywareguard too.
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareguard.html
http://www.ewido.net/en/onlinescan/
I would get rid of Norton and get AVG fr free at www.grisoft.com
Norton is a resource and useless