Start up items

[Mark T.]

My computer seems to use too much memory at start up. I have two gigs of RAM
and It uses 45% of that. So, I went to Defender and do not recognize all of
the start up programs. How can I find out what they do? Like OSD Maestro? Or,
I have three different Installshield pragrams running, but they appear to be
three sessions of the same version/type etc.

Does anyone know where I can find some guidance on managing start up
software. I would hate to disable something that I need or want.

 

[Spirit]

Vista handles memory different than previous Windows OS's
so don't worry unless a program will not run. 45 - 50% is
about average on a 2 gig machine.

OSD Maestro is OnScreenDisplay used by HP, Compaq and others.

Do a google on the executable or full file name, in this case OSD.EXE,
to find out information about most files.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

My computer seems to use too much memory at start up. I have two gigs of RAM
and It uses 45% of that.

Wanting to minimize the amount of memory Windows uses is a
counterproductive desire. Windows is designed to use all, or most, of
your memory, all the time, and that's good not bad. Free memory is
wasted memory. You paid for it all and shouldn't want to see any of it
wasted.

Windows works hard to find a use for all the memory you have all the
time. For example if your apps don't need some of it, it will use that
part for caching, then give it back when your apps later need it. In
this way Windows keeps all your memory working for you all the time.

 

[Mark T.]

Thank you Ken. Your answer makes an lot of sense and shows me I was
incorrectly evaluating my systems performance. I am a very experienced user
of applications but very new to managing the Windows environment.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Thank you Ken. Your answer makes an lot of sense and shows me I was
incorrectly evaluating my systems performance. I am a very experienced user
of applications but very new to managing the Windows environment.

You're welcome. Glad to help.