Do I need all the processes running all the time?

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Before when I had WIN'98 I used to check for my resources with a simple right
click on the My Computer Icon on desktop. Click performance and voila. Now I
have discovered that something along those lines is in the task manager
(CTL/ALT/DEL) where I click on performance and find some kind of graph thingy
scrolling across the display like a heart monitor. Fine and dandy. I just
can't translate what I'm seeing to how much of my resources are still
available.

This led me to check the processes option and I saw all these things running
in the background. While I don't understand what they all mean, I noted that
it seems each time I've opened up IE it logs it in and seems to continue to
run in processes even after I've shut down that browser. Do I NEED to have
all of these continue running? Do I need all of what IS running in there to
be running through the day as I compute? How can I tell what I need and what
I don't need and most importantly, how can I END the Process that isn't
needed without feeling I'm committing some crime against humanity???

K
 
kiadau said:
Before when I had WIN'98 I used to check for my resources with a
simple right click on the My Computer Icon on desktop. Click
performance and voila. Now I have discovered that something along
those lines is in the task manager (CTL/ALT/DEL) where I click on
performance and find some kind of graph thingy scrolling across the
display like a heart monitor. Fine and dandy. I just can't translate
what I'm seeing to how much of my resources are still available.

This led me to check the processes option and I saw all these things
running in the background. While I don't understand what they all
mean, I noted that it seems each time I've opened up IE it logs it in
and seems to continue to run in processes even after I've shut down
that browser. Do I NEED to have all of these continue running? Do I
need all of what IS running in there to be running through the day as
I compute? How can I tell what I need and what I don't need and most
importantly, how can I END the Process that isn't needed without
feeling I'm committing some crime against humanity???
Click to expand...

There are lots of services on your PC that are probably turned on by default
you don't use. Why have them on? Check out these web pages to see what all
of the services you might find on your computer are and set them according
to
your personal needs. Be CAREFUL what you set to manual, and take heed and
write down as you change things! Also, don't expect a large performance
increase or anything - especially on today's 2+ GHz machines, however - I
look
at each service you set to manual as one less service you have to worry
about
someone exploiting. A year ago, I would have thought the Windows Messenger
service to be pretty safe, now I recommend (with addition of a firewall)
that most home users disable it! Yeah - this is another one you have to
work for, but your computer may speed up and/or be more secure because you
took the time. And if you document what you do as you do it, next time, it
goes MUCH faster! (or if you have to go back and re-enable things..)

Task List Programs
http://www.answersthatwork.com/Tasklist_pages/tasklist.htm

Black Viper's Service List and Opinions (XP)
http://www.blackviper.com/WinXP/servicecfg.htm

Processes in Windows NT/2000/XP
http://www.reger24.de/prozesse/

There are also applications that AREN'T services that startup when you start
up the computer/logon. One of the better description on how to handle these
I have found here:

Startups
http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_content.php
 
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