Start up items that can be safely unchecked

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mopsy

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Hope I am in the right forum here. I am trying to get a handle on which startup items I can safely uncheck. It is ridiculous all the stuff listed and checked. I was able to feel safe removing magic jack as it is no longer installed on the computer. I also undid Novastor as I am not using it as a back up anymore. I was told of a few others such as windows update, parental controls, windows search, security center. I am sure there are many others I would not need.
Any help or suggestions would be much appreciated. I have Vista home premium on a Gateway quad.
Mopsy
 
The place to start is not msconfig.exe but services.msc typed in the run box.

Start from here http://www.blackviper.com/ and follow the links for your OS and service patch. The table on the next page shows the recommended settings for a range of user types. There are also links to as much additional information as any geek could possibly want.

Each individual service can be clicked for a full description of what is does, and if you need it. If you dont want to improve your knowledge to that extent, you wont go wrong simply adopting the 'safe' settings wholesale. If you are really concerned about efficiency, try the 'tweaked' settings. Anything on your PC not in that list is going to be software you have installed yourself, and you must take responsibility for that.
 
The place to start is not msconfig.exe but services.msc typed in the run box.

<snip>
IMHO.... Welll.... kinda... sorta... maybe...

If you start with services.msc you better be darned sure to keep a copy all your settings BEFORE you start tweaking them (so you can remember if you change your mind.. as well as restore all your settings should you find you screwed it all up at some point)


When you use msconfig.exe you are assured that you can always backout all your settings at any time by starting up again in Normal mode (so it's your "safety backup"). So simply feel free to "tweak"

However using msconfig method means setting your services.msc for real once done with your testing in msconfig. and THEN you can startup again in Normal mode
 
I couldn't agree with you more. I am not going into services. I apparently misunderstood even msconfig. I thought the items would load when necessary. Ha. I had Real player unchecked and absolutely could not play a dvd. I tried it on the old xp and the dvd was fine. It gave me a message that I had the wrong geographic dvd on Vista. I went back in a checked real player and voila it came right on as normal. I have now just taken out some items no longer in service such as Magic Jack and Big Fix. I am leaving it at that for now. Thanks for your advice. I am messing where I don't belong and probably am not so burdened with slower startup and will just leave it alone for now.
 
Ahhh.... OK.. and a bit of terminology.......

I think maybe also some confusion as the term "Startups" is used for TWO different types of startups
=> Services - which are the Windows services
=> Programs
Each has its own tab in msconfig (Services vs. Startup tab)

You can also control your program startups (which often include things you DON'T want started automatically with each system boot) and can help speed up startup time.

If you don't want to mess with msconfig.. since you run Vista, it has its own program information/control tool. (maybe part of windows defender, i forget. i don't run vista.)

But you can also see this tutorial and database for info about startup programs (what you see, what they are, do they really need to be started at windows start, etc.)
 
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