Reducing my unnessary startup programs

[Emrys Davies]

I have Win7 Home Premium 64 bit.

I have twenty programs in Startup and I would like to remove or disable
those which are not necessary.

If I go to msconfig.exe > startup and use 'Print Screen' and Wordpad how can
I get the latter to this forum for advice, or is there a better way. Many
years ago I used to compare my Startup programs with an internet site which
classified them as either Y, N, U, X or ?, but the latter has not been
updated and no longer seems to be the answer.

 

[Dave-UK]

I have Win7 Home Premium 64 bit.

I have twenty programs in Startup and I would like to remove or disable
those which are not necessary.

If I go to msconfig.exe > startup and use 'Print Screen' and Wordpad how can
I get the latter to this forum for advice, or is there a better way.

You could use CCleaner.
Tools > Startup > Save to text file.
Post the text file here.

 

[Emrys Davies]

You could use CCleaner.
Tools > Startup > Save to text file.
Post the text file here.

Just done that. Where is the text file stored?

 

[Emrys Davies]

Just done that. Where is the text file stored?

Will this suffice?

Yes HKCU:Run IE New Window Maximizer jiiSoft C:\Program Files (x86)\IE New
Window Maximizer\iemaximizer.exe
Yes HKCU:Run SpybotSD TeaTimer Safer-Networking Ltd. C:\Program Files
(x86)\Spybot - Search & Destroy\TeaTimer.exe
Yes HKCU:Run SUPERAntiSpyware SUPERAntiSpyware.com C:\Program Files
(x86)\SUPERAntiSpyware\SUPERAntiSpyware.exe
Yes HKCU:Run swg "C:\Program Files
(x86)\Google\GoogleToolbarNotifier\GoogleToolbarNotifier.exe"
Yes HKLM:Run Adobe ARM Adobe Systems Incorporated "C:\Program Files
(x86)\Common Files\Adobe\ARM\1.0\AdobeARM.exe"
Yes HKLM:Run Adobe Reader Speed Launcher Adobe Systems Incorporated"C:\ProgramFiles (x86)\Adobe\Reader 9.0\Reader\Reader_sl.exe"
Yes HKLM:Run avast AVAST Software "C:\Program Files\Alwil
Software\Avast5\avastUI.exe" /nogui
Yes HKLM:Run avast5 AVAST Software "C:\Program Files\Alwil
Software\Avast5\avastUI.exe" /nogui
Yes HKLM:Run Easybits Recovery EasyBits Software AS C:\Program Files
(x86)\EasyBits For Kids\ezRecover.exe
Yes HKLM:Run HotKeysCmds Intel Corporation C:\Windows\system32\hkcmd.exe
Yes HKLM:Run HP Remote Solution %ProgramFiles%\Hewlett-Packard\HP Remote
Solution\HP_Remote_Solution.exe
Yes HKLM:Run HP Software Update Hewlett-Packard c:\Program Files (x86)\HP\HP
Software Update\HPWuSchd2.exe
Yes HKLM:Run hpsysdrv Hewlett-Packard c:\program files
(x86)\hewlett-packard\HP odometer\hpsysdrv.exe
Yes HKLM:Run IgfxTray Intel Corporation C:\Windows\system32\igfxtray.exe
Yes HKLM:Run Persistence Intel Corporation C:\Windows\system32\igfxpers.exe
Yes HKLM:Run SmartMenu C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\HP
MediaSmart\SmartMenu.exe /background
Yes HKLM:Run SoccerInferno Browser Plugin Loader SoccerInfernoC:\PROGRA~2\SOCCER~2\bar\1.bin\j2brmon.exeYes HKLM:Run UpdatePRCShortCut CyberLink Corp. "C:\Program Files
(x86)\Hewlett-Packard\Recovery\MUITransfer\MUIStartMenu.exe" "C:\Program
Files (x86)\Hewlett-Packard\Recovery" UpdateWithCreateOnce
"Software\CyberLink\PowerRecover"
Yes Startup Common Microsoft Works Calendar Reminders.lnk C:\Program Files
(x86)\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Works Shared\wkcalrem.exe
Yes Startup User OneNote 2007 Screen Clipper and Launcher.lnk Microsoft
Corporation C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office12\ONENOTEM.EXE

 

[Dave \Crash\ Dummy]

I have Win7 Home Premium 64 bit.

I have twenty programs in Startup and I would like to remove or
disable those which are not necessary.

If I go to msconfig.exe > startup and use 'Print Screen' and Wordpad
how can I get the latter to this forum for advice, or is there a
better way. Many years ago I used to compare my Startup programs
with an internet site which classified them as either Y, N, U, X or
?, but the latter has not been updated and no longer seems to be the
answer.

Nothing in the Start>All Programs>Startup menu is necessary. They are
all user selected options. There is nothing in my Startup menu that I
didn't put there myself, and none of them are Microsoft programs.

 

[SC Tom]

These would be my suggestions (read in line):

Will this suffice?

Yes HKCU:Run IE New Window Maximizer jiiSoft C:\Program Files (x86)\IE New
Window Maximizer\iemaximizer.exe Not familiar with this, so it's
your call.

Yes HKCU:Run SpybotSD TeaTimer Safer-Networking Ltd. C:\Program Files
(x86)\Spybot - Search & Destroy\TeaTimer.exe I haven't used Spybot in
years, but when I did, I remember having problems with TeaTimer, so I
dropped it.

Yes HKCU:Run SUPERAntiSpyware SUPERAntiSpyware.com C:\Program Files
(x86)\SUPERAntiSpyware\SUPERAntiSpyware.exe I would use either this or
Avast, but not both.

Yes HKCU:Run swg "C:\Program Files
(x86)\Google\GoogleToolbarNotifier\GoogleToolbarNotifier.exe" Can't stand
toolbars, myself, so this one's your call also.

Yes HKLM:Run Adobe ARM Adobe Systems Incorporated "C:\Program Files
(x86)\Common Files\Adobe\ARM\1.0\AdobeARM.exe" No real need for this
to be running in the background. I'd get rid of it (already did on mine).

Yes HKLM:Run Adobe Reader Speed Launcher Adobe Systems
Incorporated"C:\ProgramFiles (x86)\Adobe\Reader 9.0\Reader\Reader_sl.exe"
Same as above.

Yes HKLM:Run avast AVAST Software "C:\Program Files\Alwil
Software\Avast5\avastUI.exe" /nogui Yes HKLM:Run avast5 AVAST Software
"C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast5\avastUI.exe" /nogui
See SuperAntiSpyware.

Yes HKLM:Run Easybits Recovery EasyBits Software AS C:\Program Files
(x86)\EasyBits For Kids\ezRecover.exe Don't have any kids at home,
so . . . Your call.

Yes HKLM:Run HotKeysCmds Intel Corporation C:\Windows\system32\hkcmd.exe
I have this one running on my Acer laptop.

Yes HKLM:Run HP Remote Solution %ProgramFiles%\Hewlett-Packard\HP Remote
Solution\HP_Remote_Solution.exe Yes HKLM:Run HP Software Update
Hewlett-Packard c:\Program Files (x86)\HP\HP Software Update\HPWuSchd2.exe
I deleted both of these items on all my systems. HP isn't "remoting" into
my PCs, and I'll check for updates on my own, TYVM

Yes HKLM:Run hpsysdrv Hewlett-Packard c:\program files
(x86)\hewlett-packard\HP odometer\hpsysdrv.exe I don't know this one.

Yes HKLM:Run IgfxTray Intel Corporation C:\Windows\system32\igfxtray.exe
Yes HKLM:Run Persistence Intel Corporation
C:\Windows\system32\igfxpers.exe I have both of these on my laptop.

Yes HKLM:Run SmartMenu C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\HP
MediaSmart\SmartMenu.exe /background Unless this is controlling some of
your Fn keys, I'd drop it.

Yes HKLM:Run SoccerInferno Browser Plugin Loader
SoccerInfernoC:\PROGRA~2\SOCCER~2\bar\1.bin\j2brmon.exe
Yes HKLM:Run UpdatePRCShortCut CyberLink Corp. "C:\Program Files
(x86)\Hewlett-Packard\Recovery\MUITransfer\MUIStartMenu.exe" "C:\Program
Files (x86)\Hewlett-Packard\Recovery" UpdateWithCreateOnce
"Software\CyberLink\PowerRecover" Not familiar with these.

Yes Startup Common Microsoft Works Calendar Reminders.lnk C:\Program Files
(x86)\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Works Shared\wkcalrem.exe I'd keep
this one if you have appointments, etc., scheduled .

Yes Startup User OneNote 2007 Screen Clipper and Launcher.lnk Microsoft
Corporation C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office12\ONENOTEM.EXE
I don't have this one.

I would say on the ones that I'm not familiar with that you research what
they are and see if you feel that you really need them. Plus, I think
running Spybot, SAS, and Avast is a little bit of overkill, and could cause
conflicts. I have my desktop PC down to 8 startup items, but my laptop
(which is fairly new) has 15 items, most of which came with it. I just
haven't researched them myself whether or not they're really necessary or
not. It's an ongoing thing, IYKWIM
If you use MSCONFIG to not load anything, it will leave the items in the
list with just a blank check box so you can re-enable them if you find out
you need any of them.

 

[charliec]

I see CCleaner mentioned a lot. How good is this program and how safe
is it? What are the primary functions of the program? I'm running
Win7 Home.
charliec

 

[Emrys Davies]

I see CCleaner mentioned a lot. How good is this program and how safe
is it? What are the primary functions of the program? I'm running
Win7 Home.
charliec

I definitely would not be without CCleaner. I run it every day and it
cleans up my PC very very quickly. It is self explanatory once you have
downloaded it. You simply tick the boxes of the items you want it to clean
and when I run it I find that it speeds up my machine instantly. I cannot
speak too highly of it and there is far more to it than what I have said.
It is free, simple to setup and a delight to those who want a 'clean' PC
within less than a minute. Give it a try Charlie.

 

[Nil]

I see CCleaner mentioned a lot. How good is this program and how
safe is it? What are the primary functions of the program? I'm
running Win7 Home.

CCleaner's cleaning functions are pretty safe. I don't see anything
there that would be fatal, although some of them might alter your
system in ways you might not want, so you must be careful, as always.

The Startup utility looks reasonably safe in that it doesn't give up
access to the deepest startup functions, but I bet you could still
screw your system up to a fair-thee-well if you were careless. You
shouldn't mess with anything there you don't understand the function
of.

 

[Ken Blake]

I see CCleaner mentioned a lot. How good is this program

It's very good. Everything it does can be done without it, but putting
them all in a single place makes doing those things easier.

and how safe is it?

One of its functions is registry cleaning. As long as you don't use
that, it's perfectly safe. Here's my standard post on registry
cleaners:

Registry cleaning programs are *all* snake oil. Cleaning of the
registry isn't needed and is dangerous. Leave the registry alone and
don't use any registry cleaner. Despite what many people think, and
what vendors of registry cleaning software try to convince you of,
having unused registry entries doesn't really hurt you.

The risk of a serious problem caused by a registry cleaner erroneously
removing an entry you need is far greater than any potential benefit
it may have.

Read http://www.edbott.com/weblog/archives/000643.html
and http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?t=28099
and also
http://blogs.technet.com/markrussin.../02/registry-junk-a-windows-fact-of-life.aspx

Let me point out that neither I nor anyone else who warns against the
use of registry cleaners has ever said that they always cause
problems. If they always caused problems, they would disappear from
the market almost immediately. Many people have used a registry
cleaner and never had a problem with it.

Rather, the problem with a registry cleaner is that it carries with it
the substantial *risk* of having a problem. And since there is no
benefit to using a registry cleaner, running that risk is a very bad
bargain.

What are the primary functions of the program?

Rather than tell you, why don't you just download it, install it, and
run it. You can see for yourself. You can use any of its functions or
as many of them as you want to. If you don't like what you see, don't
use any of its functions and just uninstall it.

 

[...winston]

You could probable uncheck all of them except your AV client.



--
....winston
msft mvp mail


"Emrys Davies" wrote in message

Just done that. Where is the text file stored?

Will this suffice?

Yes HKCU:Run IE New Window Maximizer jiiSoft C:\Program Files (x86)\IE New
Window Maximizer\iemaximizer.exe
Yes HKCU:Run SpybotSD TeaTimer Safer-Networking Ltd. C:\Program Files
(x86)\Spybot - Search & Destroy\TeaTimer.exe
Yes HKCU:Run SUPERAntiSpyware SUPERAntiSpyware.com C:\Program Files
(x86)\SUPERAntiSpyware\SUPERAntiSpyware.exe
Yes HKCU:Run swg "C:\Program Files
(x86)\Google\GoogleToolbarNotifier\GoogleToolbarNotifier.exe"
Yes HKLM:Run Adobe ARM Adobe Systems Incorporated "C:\Program Files
(x86)\Common Files\Adobe\ARM\1.0\AdobeARM.exe"
Yes HKLM:Run Adobe Reader Speed Launcher Adobe Systems Incorporated"C:\ProgramFiles (x86)\Adobe\Reader 9.0\Reader\Reader_sl.exe"
Yes HKLM:Run avast AVAST Software "C:\Program Files\Alwil
Software\Avast5\avastUI.exe" /nogui
Yes HKLM:Run avast5 AVAST Software "C:\Program Files\Alwil
Software\Avast5\avastUI.exe" /nogui
Yes HKLM:Run Easybits Recovery EasyBits Software AS C:\Program Files
(x86)\EasyBits For Kids\ezRecover.exe
Yes HKLM:Run HotKeysCmds Intel Corporation C:\Windows\system32\hkcmd.exe
Yes HKLM:Run HP Remote Solution %ProgramFiles%\Hewlett-Packard\HP Remote
Solution\HP_Remote_Solution.exe
Yes HKLM:Run HP Software Update Hewlett-Packard c:\Program Files (x86)\HP\HP
Software Update\HPWuSchd2.exe
Yes HKLM:Run hpsysdrv Hewlett-Packard c:\program files
(x86)\hewlett-packard\HP odometer\hpsysdrv.exe
Yes HKLM:Run IgfxTray Intel Corporation C:\Windows\system32\igfxtray.exe
Yes HKLM:Run Persistence Intel Corporation C:\Windows\system32\igfxpers.exe
Yes HKLM:Run SmartMenu C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\HP
MediaSmart\SmartMenu.exe /background
Yes HKLM:Run SoccerInferno Browser Plugin Loader SoccerInfernoC:\PROGRA~2\SOCCER~2\bar\1.bin\j2brmon.exeYes HKLM:Run
UpdatePRCShortCut CyberLink Corp. "C:\Program Files
(x86)\Hewlett-Packard\Recovery\MUITransfer\MUIStartMenu.exe" "C:\Program
Files (x86)\Hewlett-Packard\Recovery" UpdateWithCreateOnce
"Software\CyberLink\PowerRecover"
Yes Startup Common Microsoft Works Calendar Reminders.lnk C:\Program Files
(x86)\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Works Shared\wkcalrem.exe
Yes Startup User OneNote 2007 Screen Clipper and Launcher.lnk Microsoft
Corporation C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Office\Office12\ONENOTEM.EXE

 

[Jeff Layman]

CCleaner's cleaning functions are pretty safe. I don't see anything
there that would be fatal, although some of them might alter your
system in ways you might not want, so you must be careful, as always.

The Startup utility looks reasonably safe in that it doesn't give up
access to the deepest startup functions, but I bet you could still
screw your system up to a fair-thee-well if you were careless. You
shouldn't mess with anything there you don't understand the function
of.

+1

That's good advice. If you want to remove *any* startup program it's
best to do it one at a time, and make sure system restore is working
first (or you can boot to the "last known good"). It may take a bit
longer to do it one program at a time, but if the computer suddenly
won't boot, you'll know which one is causing the problem, and shouldn't
be removed from startup.

 

[Dave-UK]

Will this suffice?

Yes HKCU:Run IE New Window Maximizer jiiSoft C:\Program Files (x86)\IE New Window Maximizer\iemaximizer.exe
Yes HKCU:Run SpybotSD TeaTimer Safer-Networking Ltd. C:\Program Files (x86)\Spybot - Search & Destroy\TeaTimer.exe
Yes HKCU:Run SUPERAntiSpyware SUPERAntiSpyware.com C:\Program Files (x86)\SUPERAntiSpyware\SUPERAntiSpyware.exe
Yes HKCU:Run swg "C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\GoogleToolbarNotifier\GoogleToolbarNotifier.exe"
Yes HKLM:Run Adobe ARM Adobe Systems Incorporated "C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Adobe\ARM\1.0\AdobeARM.exe"
Yes HKLM:Run Adobe Reader Speed Launcher Adobe Systems Incorporated"C:\ProgramFiles (x86)\Adobe\Reader
9.0\Reader\Reader_sl.exe"
Yes HKLM:Run avast AVAST Software "C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast5\avastUI.exe" /nogui
Yes HKLM:Run avast5 AVAST Software "C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast5\avastUI.exe" /nogui
Yes HKLM:Run Easybits Recovery EasyBits Software AS C:\Program Files (x86)\EasyBits For Kids\ezRecover.exe
Yes HKLM:Run HotKeysCmds Intel Corporation C:\Windows\system32\hkcmd.exe
Yes HKLM:Run HP Remote Solution %ProgramFiles%\Hewlett-Packard\HP Remote Solution\HP_Remote_Solution.exe
Yes HKLM:Run HP Software Update Hewlett-Packard c:\Program Files (x86)\HP\HP Software Update\HPWuSchd2.exe
Yes HKLM:Run hpsysdrv Hewlett-Packard c:\program files (x86)\hewlett-packard\HP odometer\hpsysdrv.exe
Yes HKLM:Run IgfxTray Intel Corporation C:\Windows\system32\igfxtray.exe
Yes HKLM:Run Persistence Intel Corporation C:\Windows\system32\igfxpers.exe
Yes HKLM:Run SmartMenu C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\HP MediaSmart\SmartMenu.exe /background
Yes HKLM:Run SoccerInferno Browser Plugin Loader SoccerInfernoC:\PROGRA~2\SOCCER~2\bar\1.bin\j2brmon.exeYes HKLM:Run
UpdatePRCShortCut CyberLink Corp. "C:\Program Files (x86)\Hewlett-Packard\Recovery\MUITransfer\MUIStartMenu.exe"
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Hewlett-Packard\Recovery" UpdateWithCreateOnce "Software\CyberLink\PowerRecover"
Yes Startup Common Microsoft Works Calendar Reminders.lnk C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Works
Shared\wkcalrem.exe
Yes Startup User OneNote 2007 Screen Clipper and Launcher.lnk Microsoft Corporation C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft
Office\Office12\ONENOTEM.EXE

As others have posted you could get rid of most of your entries.
You've got too many security programs running at once.
Just have one, Avast.
Google any entries you are unsure about for more individual info.
If you are unsure of which items to remove you can use CCleaner
to disable the entries instead of deleting them. Disable one at
a time, run your computer for a few days, then disable the next.
If you experience any problems re-enable the last entry.

 

[Emrys Davies]

Dave UK, when you said "You've got too many security programs running at
once.
Just have one, Avast" did you mean too many in Startup or too many as a
whole?

 

[Emrys Davies]

Nothing in the Start>All Programs>Startup menu is necessary. They are
all user selected options. There is nothing in my Startup menu that I
didn't put there myself, and none of them are Microsoft programs.

--
Crash

"When you want to fool the world, tell the truth."
~ Otto von Bismarck ~

Have I sensed correctly that the programs which start Windows at bootup are
not included in Startup menu?

 

[Dave \Crash\ Dummy]

Have I sensed correctly that the programs which start Windows at
bootup are not included in Startup menu?

Yes.

 

[Char Jackson]

+1

That's good advice. If you want to remove *any* startup program it's
best to do it one at a time, and make sure system restore is working
first (or you can boot to the "last known good"). It may take a bit
longer to do it one program at a time, but if the computer suddenly
won't boot, you'll know which one is causing the problem, and shouldn't
be removed from startup.

I can't think of anything typically found in Startup that would
prevent, or even affect, the basic booting capability of the system.
The system has essentially already booted by the time it looks in
Startup.

 

[Dave-UK]

Dave UK, when you said "You've got too many security programs running at
once.
Just have one, Avast" did you mean too many in Startup or too many as a
whole?

I think you have too many being run together at start-up.
You can keep the others installed if you want to and run them
manually if or when you think you need to.

 

[Don Phillipson]

I have twenty programs in Startup and I would like to remove or disable
those which are not necessary.

If I go to msconfig.exe > startup and use 'Print Screen' and Wordpad how
can I get the latter to this forum for advice, or is there a better way.

Iolo System Mechanic appears very good at this. It identifies more TSR
modules than MSCONFIG lists, and briefly assesses the burden of each
before it lets users select which to keep and which to unload (which it
does on the spot. not requiring a reboot.)

 

[Ken Blake]

I can't think of anything typically found in Startup that would
prevent, or even affect, the basic booting capability of the system.

Ditto!