A Quick-and-Dirty 5 Step Method for Identifying and Removing Unwanted Win XP Startup Programs

Let's face it: after a couple of years, chances are you've got a lot of extra programs running that you DON'T need and that are probably eating away at your performance.

Windows XP users can rejoice: it's not TOO difficult to identify and remove (if necessary) startup programs that slow and age your PC. After reading several guides and regularly purging my own computer of these slowing extra's for the past couple of years, I decided to write my own simple guide. Before reading on, please note what Anti-virus program(s) you have installed on your computer and MAKE SURE you don't accidentally turn them off.

BEFORE READING ON

Make sure you acknowledge any hardware and/or peripheral devices you have connected to your computer and make certain you're aware of any processes related specifically to those and only those items. For instance, some printers require additional programs to run properly. I can't print anything from my Lexmark printer unless the Lexmark-specific utility is running in the background. However, I will tell you that in many cases, software that came bundled with your peripherals probably isn't required since Windows XP has a fairly sophisticated driver management system.

For simplicity's sake, there are a couple of concerns/issues I couldn't touch up on. The method below will functionally remove unwanted startup processes. That said, please understand that In many cases, there might still exist registry values for processes/programs, that is, even after deactivating them. The Windows registry (accessed by the typing regedit at the command prompt) should only be altered by advanced users. Please consult another resource before attempting to modify any registry value.

STEP 1:

Click on Start, and then Run. Type in "msconfig" in the box (without the quotes) and press Enter. Congratulations, you are now making use of the System Configuration Utility program.

STEP 2:

Click on the Services tab. Check the "hide all Microsoft services" and note that many (if not ALL) of these non-Microsoft services can be safely unchecked so that the next time you boot your computer, they won't start. Look at the items that remain. Jot down any suspect, "not readily apparent" or otherwise unknown item.

STEP 3:

Click on the Startup tab. Now you're to the meat and potatoes of your PC's non-essential, third-party programs--many of which are probably running right now--quite unnecessarily!

Again, jot down suspect items. Items that (i) have gibberish names or (ii) are NOT characterized as 'Microsoft software' or (iii) are located either in PROGRAM FILES or feature an unknown location (i.e. items which have absolutely nothing indicated under the location header) are PROBABLY (at the very least) third-party programs are aren't necessary for the proper functioning of Windows.

STEP 4:

Look up any and all of the suspect programs/services you jotted down in steps 3 and 4. I use the following sites to look up any programs that are unfamiliar to me:

www.processlibrary.com
process.networktechs.com

STEP 5:

After reviewing the entries you jotted down, and determining which are truly unnecessary or just plain detrimental to your system, go ahead and load the System Configuration Utility again and UNCHECK all of the appropriate entries. After clicking OK it'll ask you if you want to reboot. Click Yes and make sure that your system boots properly. Write down any errors you get if and when you attempt to use a given peripheral device or when you try to run a particular program.

You SHOULD notice a significant increase in performance, in particular startup/boot time. Finally, after a successful reboot, consider looking at your task manager by pressing CTRL-ALT-DELETE. You should notice a dip in the number of processes you have running. To give you a sense of where you might be, under the best circumstances I can have about 18-20 processes running without any loss of function. Depending on the peripherals attached to your computer and/or network-related features you want to use, this number will vary.

RESOURCES YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT

Before actually making use of this method, consider adding the following resources to your favorites list:

www.tweakguides.com: great resources for extremely in-depth guides covering any troubleshooting info you'll need. Best part is the guides are FREE.

http://www.kayodeok.btinternet.co.uk/favorites/kbasewinxp.htm: directory of Windows XP-related informational sites and/or troubleshooting resources.