Startup configuration question

[SilverSurfer]

Ok, I am trying to minimize the number of programs I have running in the background, and also the amount that automatically launch on startup. When I run msconfig, and go to the "startup" option, here is a list of boxes that are checked. Can I uncheck any of these without it interfering with my computer's operation??

 

[the Yeti]

you have to figure out which programs are not needed. some of the prog on that looked like they would be needed to run properly. find these and uncheck the rest.

 

[barracuda]

1. need to know what OS you are running.
2. check the startup group for programs
3. right click on the programs that are running and see if they can be disabled
3. search the registry for "startup" (regedit), some programs are autorun from there instead of the start up group

BUT it all depends on what OS you are running

 

[SilverSurfer]

I'm running Windows 98. Actually the picture is just part of the ones that are listed, but I pretty much know about the others. These are the ones I don't know about. How do you find out if they are running and if they can be disabled? Will it prompt me or give me a warning? I don't want to uncheck something that will keep the computer from re-booting or functioning properly.

 

[BearBryant]

Go to "find files" and type in each one of those files and see what each one is related to. If you are not sure, go to google.com and type in the name of the file. I think I juast read somewhere that the only 2 you need is that Rundll and systray.

 

[mathmajors]

Found this about the 'alogserv'. It's useless. Then again, I prefer Norton.

Background task installed with McAfee VirusScan and whose purpose is to log all McAfee background virus scanning activities. As of February 2002 there is nothing positive we can say about this program ! Since its introduction with VirusScan 5.x, this program has caused end-users endless problems and McAfee has had to issue fixes and help documents for it. It has been responsible for gobbling up all resources, with the result being a PC which slows down to a crawl and eventually locks up completely. In other instances ALOGSERV appears many times in the Task List. This is silly : antivirus protection is necessary these days, it is not optional, and the least one would expect from an antivirus software publisher is higher standards of testing to ensure that its antivirus software does not behave.......... like a virus !!!

Recommendation :
If you have McAfee VirusScan, visit their website to ensure you have the very latest software updates (as opposed to virus updates). If you are experiencing performance related problems, lockups, or other problems which you cannot explain, then disable ALOGSERV with Startup Manager – VirusScan will still work fine without it.

 

[mathmajors]

Everything else I would leave, because they're all placed in a system folder. But if you're going to remove them, do it one by one to see what might be affected.

 

[PantherMills]

You can uncheck all of them but systemtray if you like. They're only preloaded driver and/or programs. They're only there to either help the programs load faster or to completely load them @ startup. Unchecking them only removes them from the startup of your computer, not the computer itself.

 

[PantherMills]

To clarify, if you want some of the unchecked programs to load @ startup, you can always go back and re-check them. They'll still be there. If not, they will load when you start them normally (ie. when you start the program under program files or explorer).
Some of the "boxes" you may want to keep checked, as mentioned above, would be any virus scan software or internet protection type software. These are not required to boot-up your computer, as was your concern, but are there for protection.

 

[SilverSurfer]

Thanks ya'll - good advice. I HAVE had problems with the computer locking up some recently, so I'll see what that does.