in my XP Pro system are systray, registry, my printer, Office, my antivirus, and everything related to my satellite modem service because unchecking any of them (there are like 8-10 items) stops me from getting on the net.
Everything else, I load manually via shortcuts to the programs as I need the program. I start up Adware first thing in the morning or run it as the last thing at night before calling it a night. I do the same for the SpyBlaster, MS Spyware program. If I'm getting on the net, I start up the spyware programs that run in the background continuously and leave them running, but turn them off if I get off the net and start doing other work, such as cd burning or graphics stuff and website things.
I don't use Real Player or Quick Time so those items aren't an issue for me as I use the Media Player for everything I need. I have many programs installed but they are task specific and don't get called on unless I need that program via a shortcut.
I don't know about other people, but except for Critical Updates, Autoupdates for MS, and MS InstantMessenger, I leave all other XP services alone and defaulted to whatever they were during installation. These few are disabled (I re-enable Auto updates when I go to the Update Center and then disable it again when I'm done there)
TONI
NOTE: you are advised that the info here may not be useful to anyone. I?m not sure why I?m posting it.
Well, I started this post with the idea of asking how I should deal with msconfig>startup in XP. I remember that I was often told in 98 to uncheck everything (unless I didn?t want to) except ScanReg, SysTray, and antivirus. I wondered how I should deal with msconfig>startup in XP.
I read that in XP, ?all of Windows essential programs are loaded through something called "Windows Services?; which I guess means that things like ScanReg and Systray or their XP equivalents are in the startup list. It also said that ?This means that most of the startup items you see in XP are completely optional and can be turned off. Still, the rule of thumb applies: disable only those programs that you recognize and don't need to have running al the time. When in doubt, leave it on.?
I have such a long list of msconfig>startup items for XP that I thought maybe I could benefit from unchecking a number of them. But since I didn?t understand what many of them were about, I googled them, which resulted in my going to a place called Security Task Manager, or auditmypc. I ended up thinking that I needed to keep several and had questions about some others.
Anyhow, I have uncertainty about whether I need to keep some of the items checked and I have indicated those items below. But since I spent a fair amount of time checking on all of my items, I thought I?d give the results on a number of them, even if I consider them keepers, just in case someone might find the info useful.
Just for the record, Security Task Manager would ask ?What is *.exe? Is *.exe spyware or a virus??, and then usually give a vague comment that left me uncertain as to whether I should keep it, and usually gave the process a low security rating.
The following processes are located at HKLM\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\CURRENTVERSION\RUN
1. Sgtray Security Guard ?The sgtray.exe process will provide a system tray icon which provides you with quick acces to some of the features of Backup Exec. This process will also notify you if you have not performed a backup for some time. If you use Backup Exec to backup your data, you should not terminate this process.? I recently downloaded something called Backup.exe which I guess provides online storage. Since I don?t plan to use it currently I guess I can uncheck it and later check it if I want to use it.
2. Wkfud http://www.auditmypc.com/process/wkfud.asp says this is an MS Marketing tool and that I can safely remove it.
3. Sbautoupdate I presume this is for updating SpywareBlaster so I should keep it checked.
4. Wkssb this has to do with MS Works Porfolio. I will uncheck it cause I don?t use it and I guess I can check it later if I want to start using it.
5. Fixture ? I don?t know what I lose if I uncheck it.
6. Hkcmd Intel Hotkey command activator, which has something to do with graphics and the keyboard. I don?t know what I lose if I uncheck it. I don?t know if this has anything to do with it, but I find that often when I hit the wrong key when I am posting or emailing, the page gets erased. I was told that I might have some kind of hotkey problem. So I am wondering if getting rid of this might be something I should do or if it is useful to keep.
7. Isi ismp something to do with math. I don?t know what I lose if I uncheck it.
8. Qttask launches quicktime. I presume I need to keep this for use of Quicktime.
9. Tfswctrl Enables me to read Cds I burn. So I?ll keep it checked.
10. Jusched Has to do with Sun?s Java so I?ll keep it checked.
11. Msmsgs http://www.neuber.com/taskmanager/process/msmsgs.exe.html says that if I don?t use MS Messenger I can disable this, with instructions as to how. But if I disable it, and later want to use MS Messenger, can I restore it?
12. Wkdetect updates MS Works; says I can remove it if I?m not having problems with Works.
This one is located at Common Setup, whatever that is:
13. Winzip quick pick (common setup) I don?t know what this is about or whether I have a need for it.

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