Removing Unnecessary Background Applications

Many applications install software that runs in the background as you use Windows.
Normally, this software is a useful piece of the application, such as the monitor that
allows your antivirus installation software to check files for viruses during download. Often, this
software is a program that you could easily live without. When this is the case, it is best
to prevent the software from loading with Windows so that the software does not consume
system resources.
You can sometimes tell what background programs are running because the programs
are represented by icons in the notification area, but this is not always the case. Even
if there is an icon present, turning off different programs usually requires different
steps, depending on the program.
To prevent unnecessary background applications from running, try the following:
■ If there is an icon in the notification area, right-click or click the icon to see if a
menu opens. Often, there is a command for setting preferences that you can use
to figure out how to prevent the program from loading when Windows starts. You
can learn more about the notification area in Chapter 4, “Supporting the Windows
Desktop.”
■ If there is no menu for the icon, check the Startup folder on the Start menu. Often,
programs place shortcuts here to load components at Windows startup. You can
also try running the program that is associated with the icon to see if there are
instructions for preventing the program from loading.
■ You should also check the Startup folder for applications that load, but do not
place an icon in the notification area.
Windows also includes the System Configuration Utility, which you can use to control
Windows startup. Run the program by typing msconfig at the Run dialog box or command
prompt. The System Configuration Utility, shown in Figure 12-1, contains many
tabs that you can use to configure different aspects of the startup process, including the
following:
■ General Use the General tab to select a type of startup to use the next time that
Windows starts. A diagnostic startup is the same thing as starting Windows XP in
safe mode. A selective startup allows you to choose which types of components
should be loaded (represented by the other tabs on the utility).
■ SYSTEM.INI, WIN.INI, BOOT.INI These tabs allow you to control the system
files that Windows XP uses primarily for compatibility with previous versions of
Windows. In earlier versions of Windows, these files were used instead of a centralized
system Registry. Turning items on and off by using these tabs is generally
safer than editing these files directly.
■ Services This tab presents a list of services that load with Windows. Although
you can use this tab to prevent services from loading, it is much safer (and just as
easy) to use the Services node in the Computer Management window.
■ Startup This is probably the most important tab used for optimizing Windows
startup. It presents a list of all program components that load with Windows,
whether or not they are represented in the notification area or not. Turn off the
programs you do not want to load and restart Windows. You can return and reselect
the applications whenever you want.
Computer Support and Computer Troubleshooting Tips will always be provided by Microsoft certified technicians 24x7 ..Live
More on Windows XP>>
Configuring Windows XP for Performance
Invalid Page Faults
Resolving Problems with Viewing Web Pages
Enabling Download Notification
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