thank you.  will give it a try.

thank you.  will give it a try.

msgale is correct in that the number of processes running in the background is not necessarily a problem, in and of itself.

Any running service is a potential source of problems, however, ranging from a malicious and unauthorized service installed by malware to a scheduled service that starts at an inopportune time and conflicts with an activity you have in process. Another category would be services for which you have no need but which have real or potential vulnerabilities which remain unpatched, or simply advertise your presence on the internet by responding to unsolicited contact.

A highly proficient user, such as msgale, is likely to know what processes are running, what the process does, it's vulnerabilities, and what operational measures are appropriate to assure continued security. Without this level of system administration, most users rely on expert advice for guidance.

Expert advice often includes disabling or limiting services that serve no purpose for a given user because unknown or potential threats cannot be guaranteed to remain so, and it cannot be advised to allow the retention of any known vulnerabilities that are unnecessary, even if other measures are place to assure security.

A competent and experienced user may make an informed choice, but the study of Windows is a continuous endeavor, and users who wish to limit their vulnerability before attaining proficiency may well benefit from expert advice that may include disabling or limiting Windows services and features.

 

From the site offered by 100mph, this link is also relevant.

 

http://www.fixyourwindows.com/optimizewindowsservices.htm

 

These links may provide more discussion and/or a more generalized approach to the topic of system configuration.

 

http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_index.htm

 

http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=12803122
http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=12803483
http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=17500569

 

http://www.blackviper.com/index.html

 

 

GM

Actually you are giving alot credit than I deserve.  In most cases I have no real insite to most of the processes that are running, and unless I pay Microsoft big bucks and sign numerous confidenitaly agreements I never will really know.  My one advantage is that I know I don't know, and also know that most who claim to know really don't know.  I know what some processes do, but I don't know how they do it.  And another example I know what NAV does, but I haven't a clue how it does it.  Twenty or more years ago it was possible to view the source code of several operating systems and/or get their internal documentation.  There were even books written about UNIX internals, those days are long gone.  The current paradigm does not let the typical use have that level of access.   Therefore I avoid making changes to my systems, since I am unable to fully underatand the consequences.

I only meant to ascribe proficiency to your skills as a user, with enough expertise to perform proper maintenance and avoid operations that may increase risk. As one who started using Windows only a few years ago, and judging from many posts on these forums, I can assure you that is a significant challenge.

GM

This website alphabetically lists three boxes of common processes with the troublesome or dangerous ones first.

 

Art