How to safely reduce Processes in Task Manager (55)

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Answersthatwork
http://www.answersthatwork.com/Tasklist_pages/tasklist.htm

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You can continue using their site for reference whether or not you use their utility.

Best Regards

Thanks for your post, been there, done that, does not help as the trial offer is restricted and does not tell a cadet/newbie enough to make a decision…………..any other thoughts from this forum…….thanks and regards to you

go into google and open up your task manager… pick a task and search it in google… if it sounds reasonable to stay keep it… if it needs to go ditch it… to ditch either go to start run mscofig and uncheck some boxes or go to start run regedit and dig into the registry to get rid of the programs.

I decided to give you some of my "opinions" and "recommendtions" to get you started with reducing the number of programs and processes you have active at StartUp.

You should, however, google the items, read and research yourself, and make your own decisions.

You appear to have two (2) Anti-Virus programs running active. Both AVG and Norton/Symantec are decent programs. AVG consumes far fewer resources, but that's only one consideration.
However! It is very bad practice to have more than one Anti-Virus Programs running active on your machine! They will create conflicts that will possibly compromise their useful performance, and other conflicts that reduce your machine's functionality.

You have Ewido, Spysweeper, and CounterSpy all running active.
I love these programs and read at their source sites frequently for additional information.
I use these programs in various machines.
But I NEVER leave them running in the background, because they consume so much in the way of resources. They can be run for scanning on a manual basis as necessary.

Instead, I'd recommend that you install
SpywareBlaster - Blocks known-bad sites without consuming resources
IE-SpyAds -Blocks known-bad sites and processes without consuming resources
MVPS Host Files - The best blocker of known-bad sites and does not consume resouves
You can load all three onto the same machine for good result without conflict.
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/tutorial53.html

Running processes:

C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Ahead\InCD\InCDsrv.exe————–Not necessary unless when reading/writing on CD-RW disks otherwise it is a huge resource hog
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccSetMgr.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccEvtMgr.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgamsvr.exe———-AVG Anti Virus related
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgupsvc.exe———-AVG Anti Virus related
C:\Program Files\Diskeeper Corporation\Diskeeper\DkService.exe Not necessary at StartUp,
C:\Program Files\ewido anti-malware\ewidoctrl.exe GEARSec.exe
C:\Program Files\ewido anti-malware\ewidoguard.exe GEARSec.exe C:\WINDOWS\System32\GEARSec.exe———————–Valid but non-essential
C:\Program Files\Norton Ghost\Agent\VProSvc.exe————Valid but non-essential
C:\Program Files\Analog Devices\SoundMAX\SMAgent.exe——Valid but non-essential
C:\Program Files\Webroot\Spy Sweeper\WRSSSDK.exe———good program but you can run it manually——since you also have CounterSpy select only one to be running in background if any at all. I use these for Manual scans only and don’t have them running in background at allC:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\CCPD-LC\symlcsvc.exe Norton Security Suite
C:\Program Files\UPHClean\uphclean.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ZoneLabs\vsmon.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgemc.exe——————–AVG Virus Scan
C:\PROGRA~1\Grisoft\AVGFRE~1\avgcc.exe———————-AVG Virus Scan
C:\PROGRA~1\BILLPS~1\WINPAT~1\WinPatrol.exe
C:\Program Files\Norton Ghost\Agent\GhostTray.exe—Valid, but you can launch it manually
C:\Program Files\Zone Labs\ZoneAlarm\zlclient.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\realsched.exe— Junk One of my favorites to disable, But I prefer to uninstall all RealMedia products completely.
C:\Program Files\Sunbelt Software\CounterSpy\Consumer\sunserver.exe —- main real time protection
C:\WINDOWS\System32\keyhook.exe—————valid item but not essential
C:\WINDOWS\LTMSG.exe—————————–valid program but not essential
C:\Program Files\Sunbelt Software\CounterSpy\Consumer\SunProtectionServer.exe
C:\Program Files\Ahead\InCD\InCD.exe————————————Resource Hog and non-essential except when you are reading and writing CD-RW capable disks
C:\Program Files\D-Link\DSL-200\dslstat.exe——————————Non-essential
C:\Program Files\D-Link\DSL-200\dslagent.exe
C:\Program Files\Sunbelt Software\CounterSpy\Consumer\sunThreatEngine.exe—good program but resource hog.
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccApp.exe Norton Suite
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\dllhost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\Program Files\Hyjackthis\HijackThis.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\vssvc.exe

So, as you read up on these items, consider what various authorities have to say, and then try disabling them from MSCONFIG - StartUp by removing the "checkmark" form in front of the item.

If later, you find that your machine is unable to perform some application or service, you can go back to MSCONFIG and Enable the item by replacing the checkmark in front of the item.

Best Regards

Hi Dough - Good of you to offer some real help. Let me say I have had some help since posting here. All you suggested has been accomplished with one exception. *realsched.exe* I have disabled it in msconfig/startup three times but everytime I use Realplayer it appears back in Task Manager even when I don't open Realplayer that day. Even gone into Mycomputer/manage/services and Applications/services but what in there would be running it? Otherwise I am down to 38 processes running on boot up, but go up to about 45 when doing the things I like to do on this computer. Thanks again and hope you have a solution for *realsched.exe*. I do not want to uninstal Realplayer as I use it daily………thanks I am only running one Antivirus which is AVG, and Norton's Ghost 10 which is running a 160GB internal Seagate, removable hard drive which clones this computer. I have never purchased any other Norton's software.

Hi Tallin, Yes, RealPlayer keeps insisting on being included back in StartUp list every time it gets used. Don't want to uninstall it – OK. But you'll have to live with it "calling home" all too frequently. I use MS Windows MediaPlayer. I do believe that Media Player will accomodate all file extension formats, and codecs that you might commonly use. AND media Player allows the user to set preferences to avoid "calling home" and prevent contact to the RIAA. Other programs that "act" like RealPlayer….. for instance "QuickTime" Hopefully you'll never be called upon to install the darn thing, but if you do and you use it…. It will insist on placing itself into the StartUp list, every time you use it. The only remedy is to Uninstall it…. And that is a terribly hard chore in itself and deserves a whole new topic post. You will also notice that when you use SpySweeper, CounterSpy or Ewido, they will also try to be placed into StartUp…. They have "some" settings to decline the default of "start at reboot/StartMenu", but I predict that you will have to (and should) use MSCONFIG to "uncheck" these programs from the StartUp list after using them. In my opinion, I don't mind, since each of them is such a fine program, that it is worth it. Sorry about misreading your Symantec. Hopefully, your machine has seen a performance boost as a result of your good work. Let us know after a week or so. Best Regards

Dough, Thanks for your prompt service - I have to have Realplayer as the radio station I listen to mainly all day if I am home cannot be accessed with any other player. I have Quicktime, but have not had a problem with it so far. Spysweeper, I dumped, had it on a 14 day trial, after 8 days they more or less insisted I buy it, so it went pretty quickly into you know where! Don't be sorry about Norton's you are only the third forum I have had to point that out to! People see Norton's and immediately think of the antivirus program. I have got one other problem, but I will submit a different post for it………… It will be in Windows XP in about half an hour, could you pick it up as I am impressed with your service and knowledge………… thanks and regards, tallin Heading will be "Problems at Shutdown and Restart"

thanks Juliet - Kind of you to sent that