quote:
Originally posted by Vilkku
It's true, I don't have any idea what the most are 
My computer is not slow, so I don't think it's adware.
I am not talking about adware or whatever, but about useless processes which you don't need at all.
eg:
Many sound driver software, when installed, install also really useless "control centers" or that sort of stuff. Simply double clicking on your speaker icon in the systray will often give you the exact same options. You also don't constantly switch between configurations, so why running "control centers" constantly? (same goes with everything which has to do with graphics).
Print drivers are also notorious in such stuff. Many companies (HP particular) install really useless crap if you choose the "complete" installation procedures. You don't need all that stuff to print a document. In fact you don't need anything except the windows driver...
USB Stick software thingies (eg: software for usb mp3 players and stuff) install many useless stuff. for example the media players from the brand itself. What's the use of that when you use winamp or wmp anyways? Syncronization stuff? No needed at all, simply use Windows explorer
Software for keyboards. If you got XP, such software is useless. XP itself has support for those special keys on your keyboard and this can be set using TweakUI or manually.
Then there are the many programs which you only use sometimes, yet they are constantly loaded into memory because the manufactures think like "just in case you need it"... Truth is, those programs don't need to be running all the time and can be manually started when you need them. Stuff like this includes cdrom writing software and stuff (eg: nero's drivespeed), etc... etc...
And I can go on and on...
All that stuff really eats memory and resources and does slow down your PC. Often I go to friends to clean out their PC (this includes killing those processes and configuring their pc so they don't run all the time and continously) Many people are very surprised when they see how smooth their PC runs after cleaning (and maintaining) them or how fast it starts up, even if they thought that there PC already runs "fast" and smooth...
PS: Exca, please stop double posting
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-SMax4PNP
True drivers are not run as processes. This means this process is not needed. Your soundcard will work just the same without this.
-AGRSMMSG
Same as with the sound drivers. What is this "assistant"?
-jusched
In other words, useless. When you run a Java applet in browsers it will notice you anyway if it can run because you have an outdated java engine. Furthermore, java isn't updated 24/7 but only once every few months or so. So why running this?
-hpwuschd2
useless
-qttask
unless you were currently running a quicktime file. This is totally useless and goes in the category of "manufactures running useless stuff because they think you need it".
Quick Time does not need to run constantly in order to play a quick time media file. Double clicking on a quick time file will open Quick Time anyways.
-ccapp
Norton AV... enough said (notorious in running useless, but hard to kill, processes)
-hkcmd
Why running this? Why do you need a configuration tool running all the time? Configure it, done...
-igfxpers
WTH is "Common User Interface module from Intel"? Again, I strongly suspect this is useless stuff.
-igfxsrvc
A graphics card doesn't need such stuff to be running to work perfectly
-ctfmon
not needed at all.
If you run an office program, all the needed components are loaded anyways. Why do you need to keep a piece of Office in memory all the time?
-agc
Configuration tool. Again, configure your stuff properly (in de properties of the drivers) and be done with it. It is not like you are constantly switching between several configurations, no?
-wincinemamgr
useless...
-Tclock
ermm... ok... although adding date/time in systemtray is already perfectly possible without this
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Some stuff which I highly recommended in such situations is:
* SysInternal's
AutoRuns
* The infamous "
Black Viper's homepage" (down since a while and not sure if it will ever return, but some of the info is reproduced
here)
Though both AutoRuns and Black Viper's info requires some knowledge to be used properly.
There is no better program than "AutoRuns", although some might suggest stuff like "Startup CPL" or whatever. But all those tools do not lists all the possible startup entries and don't have the possebilities which "Autoruns" has.
BlackViper is very known for his technical and very detailed analyses of all the various Windows Services. Although, because it is about Windows Services, some knowledge is required to follow and understand everything which he recommends. Many stuff listed on his page is for interpretation and depends on what you exactly do with your computer. You need to follow and understand the instructions exactly before attempting anything (and common sense)!! eg: if it is said to first read the links under the processes to know what they do before disabling them, do it and read those links first!!!
/ 
