How do I get rid of "background" programs/icons?

Question

Trying to clean up my computer...need to get rid of the icons and background/start-up programs that come up on the bottom right-hand of the screen in Windows after turning on the computer. Need to know how how to remove programs that automatically come on....Windows 2000.

Answer 1

To control what starts with Windows:

Click Start and then Run. (Vista – Start>All Programs>Accessories>Run). In the run box, type "msconfig" without the quotes and then hit "Enter". This will open the System Configuration Utility. Click the "Startup" tab. Now remove the check mark from any and all programs that you do not want to start or "boot" with Windows. Now click apply and then click OK.

You will need to restart your system. When the system starts you will see a box stating that you used the Config. utility, put a check in "Don't show this box at startup".

That should do it.

Do not remove any check marks from your security software. You want it to load with your operating system.

Answer 2

Icons;Show or Hide:

right click start
select properties

XP:
taskbar
customize
choose show or hide

Vista:
notification area
choose show or hide

from the "Run" command in the "start" menu, type "msconfig".

XP or Vista:
press windows key + letter R
enter msconfig
press enter

Then click on the "Startup" tab [ XP ]
and you will see everything that gets loaded on boot.
All of those things are candidate to turn off.
turn off ONLY those items that you yourself have added
You may need to start something later if it happens to be a service that is needed for a program or app.
But check it out and you should be able to get your boot speed back up to par.
Run disk cleanup, and de-fragmenter.
These applications are built-in with windows and will help you remove any unwanted files etc.

XP:
Disk Cleanup:
start
all programs
accessories
system tools
Disk Clean:
click disk drive [c] to clean
place a check in each box that shows any numbers on the right
CAUTION ,RECYCLE BIN WILL BE ON THIS LIST.
IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO EMPTY IT,...DO NOT CHECK IT !
click delete
click ok in confirmation dialog box

Disk Defragmenter:
start
all programs
accessories
system tools
Disk Defragmenter:
click analyze
if it shows that you need to defrag,click defrag now

Vista:

Disk Clean:
start
control panel
performance-information & tools
click Disk Clean
click disk drive [c or o.s. (c)] to clean
place a check in each box that shows any numbers on the right
CAUTION ,RECYCLE BIN WILL BE ON THIS LIST.
IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO EMPTY IT,...DO NOT CHECK IT !
click delete
click ok in confirmation dialog box

Disk Defragmenter:
start
control panel
performance-information & tools
advanced tools
open Disk Defragmenter
click analyze
click defrag if you're told you need to do so

faster icon load:
XP:
start
my computer
local disk drive [c]
tools
folder options
view
uncheck auto search for network folders/printers

Connections:
start
connect to
right click connection
select properties
click networking
check print/file sharing
click uninstall
[ don't do this if you use printers ]

Internet Options:
start
control panel
internet options
general
connections
check always dial default connections [ DIAL UP ONLY ! ]
SETTINGS:
check auto detect settings
DIAL UP SETTINGS:
properties
general
configure:
uncheck show terminal window
uncheck enable modem speakers [ to get rid of electronic squeal on boot up ]
general:
options:
check include windows domain

Redial: 5 times
attempts: 1 minute
idle time: never
Redial if dropped: check

General:
security:
check typical

networking:
properties:
check obtain ip address automatically
check use dns server address
[ you need to get these from your i.s.p. and add them into the 2 boxes here.
localnet is:
207-251-201-10
207-251-201-11
DIAL UP ONLY ]

Dial up settings:
Advanced:
connect 10 times
wait time 15 seconds
uncheck:
disconnect if idle
disconnect when not needed

Dial Up Options:

What's a modem initialization string?
Before your modem software dials a phone number, it initializes (inits) the modem by sending it a series (string) of commands, typically Hayes commands. These commands configure the modem's options for things like error correction, data compression, flow control, and many other parameters. The modem manual should list the Hayes commands the modem recognizes, and what effect each command has.
The important thing about modem init strings is that having the right one often makes the difference between connecting and not. Init strings are fairly specific to each modem. The string that made your friend's modem fly may not work at all for your modem.
Not all programs use simple init strings. Some use settings files, such as Windows 95 .inf files, Mac CCL modem scripts, etc.
Tip: You may also want to try one of these generic init strings:

* AT&F
* AT&F1
* AT&F&C1&D2
* AT&F1&C1&D2

modem strings:
http://www.west.net/~jay/modem/...

Tip 2: For K56flex modems, try one of these generic init strings:

* AT&F+MS=56
* AT&F+MS=56S202=32
* AT&F1+MS=56
* AT&F1+MS=56S202=32

Where do I put the modem init string?

start
control panel
phone & modem options
modems
properties
advanced
INITIALIZATION

enter initialization string in box provided
close and reboot

in addition,install RegSeeker and delete obsolete entries from here
http://browseraddons.friendpages.com

Answer 3

yep what he said