How many applications are you starting with Windows? Here’s 36

re: How many applications are you starting with Windows? Here’s 36

stuart — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 07:06:09 GMT

The sad thing about that screenshot, is that they are all valid apps. And by valid apps, I mean, not nasty viruses or spyware. There's nothing there that a typical user would know to remove.

re: How many applications are you starting with Windows? Here’s 36

Keith Combs — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 07:34:42 GMT

But I have the same machine (slower CPU) and other than Softgrid, have the same general app mix. Most of the apps in startup actually run fine without the "helper" being started at boot.

It's convenient to run them when the machine starts and the user logs onto Windows but is it required?

And who gets blamed for slow startup times? Windows Vista, thats who. Grrrrrr.

I should ask this user how long it takes for the machine to boot, press CTRL+ALT+DEL, enter a password, and see the desktop. I can guarantee it's far slower than my machine which only has five things in startup.

And Stuart, you're right. This is by no means a worse case. But it's scary to think about and we really need developers to think about other ways to have their applications operate efficiently. Do all of the apps really need real time updates from a server somewhere at login?

Oh well, maybe Moore's Law will start to apply to disk speeds, memory and other resources like network bandwidth.

re: How many applications are you starting with Windows? Here’s 36

Dave — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 16:49:58 GMT

That list isn't actually too bad! You should see some of the Toshiba and HP machines bundled with Vista/XP. A guest to our company had one recently and I had to work on it. The list of things starting up literally took like 2.5 pages. The machine took about 10 minutes to completely boot once it got into Windows. Yikes!

djv

re: How many applications are you starting with Windows? Here’s 36

Brittany — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 17:33:49 GMT

As with the other commentors this is normal. When computers came in for repair I would disable many startup programs that just alerted the user to new updates for the software, especially if he/she didn't have much memory in the machine and couldn't afford to upgrade.

And yes, Keith, you're right: Vista will get the blame for this instead of the programs running in the background (unless the user has XP and then XP will get the blame).

re: How many applications are you starting with Windows? Here’s 36

Michael D. Alligood — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 06:12:32 GMT

36?!? That's all?? I have 57, and they all seem pretty valid. The one thing that should be documented is the services that can safely be set to manual or disabled all together.

Not that I am complaining. My Dell M6300 with 8 gigs of RAM hardly notices 56 processes!

re: How many applications are you starting with Windows? Here’s 36

Keith Combs — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 08:27:01 GMT

Anyone know what the Renaissance Wireless Server is above?

re: How many applications are you starting with Windows? Here’s 36

Michael D. Alligood — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 18:05:02 GMT

Google came up with this: http://www.prevx.com/filenames/3322002470154237751-0/RENAISSANCE+WIRELESS+SERVER.EXE.html

Also, the bulk of those services look like ThinkPad add ons that the OS is more than capable of handling. I did remove some add ons from my startup with my Dell laptop. The only thing I noticed afterwords is my FN keys wont function. Since I use a bluetooth keyboard 99% of the time, I didn't mind the lost function.

re: How many applications are you starting with Windows? Here’s 36

rob — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 18:29:48 GMT

One thing that really chezzez me off is all the helper and updater programs. Most of the programs do a check on startup for a new version.. So why on earth does it need an app running constantly checking for a new version? Java is a prime example. And real. Any and all machines that I have to service (for even unrelated problems) I remove those updaters with extreme prejudice. Sysinternals Autoruns.exe is your buddy here.

I reloaded my main machine awhile back to upgrade to 64bit and I'm lovin the quick startup times. I guard my startup like it's gold.

re: How many applications are you starting with Windows? Here’s 36

Keith Combs — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 20:04:54 GMT

Thanks Michael. I had previsouly searched and found the same entry. Seems like it is malicious and could be dangerous.

re: How many applications are you starting with Windows? Here’s 36

Andy Helsby — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 23:29:58 GMT

Yep, most of these look legit (and put their by the manufacturer). Why they need so many applications and why they have to code their names to be tpfnf7 or ezejmnap so they look like spywares' random filenames I don't know.

I wouldnt say this is an unmanaged system (as it doesn't really have user enabled software installed) more a factory defaulted system.