Any unnecessary Startup items?

[hawkeye2777]

Basically, this is a direct question to Clover, but anyone else could answer too. Anyway, what (out of the displayed startup items) should be enabled/disabled? Right now, I can't upgrade the RAM on this laptop, but I figured I could at least change the start-up speed slightly by doing this in the meantime.

Also, is there a way to manually/forcefully uninstall a program? I want to uninstall the (old) antivirus on this computer... but I can't due to it requiring an uninstall password (which hopefully is still known by the old owner of this laptop). If the old owner doesn't have the password, I won't be able to have any antivirus run well.

Thanks in advance.

[Clover]

From the looks of it, you should just reformat the whole laptop and start from scratch.
I can give you a quick guide on how to reformat, which i'll PM to you.
The only thing on the visible part of the list you need to keep is ashDisp.exe, your avast antivirus.

VPTray is the norton antivirus. You should be able to disable it.

qttask can go, btw if you use normal quicktime, you can switch to something called Quicktime Alternative.

jushed, i've always disabled those.

msmsgs, keep it if you actually use windows live messenger, otherwise remove that.

cftmon can go, it's for language options in ms office.

Definietly remove rlvknlg, that's classed as spyware.

cpqset can be safely unchecked, it's just default settings for hp/compaq laptops.

eabservr can be removed, it's optional, it's an hp hotkey/access button manager.


The SyntpXXX ones are iffy, before removing those, make sure you have an external computer mouse you can plug in.
These two are touchpad software for the laptop. Personally i always used windows built in touch pad compatability. You can remove them and restart the PC, if the touchpad still works, awesome. If not, use the external mouse and re-enable them.
Otherwise reinstall the touchpad drivers to windows default.

I know you cant resize the msconfig window, but if you take more screenshots of the window scrolled down, i can help you with more.

Any software i dont know, i check yahoo search, just check the exe name, and you get search results like What is Program.exe, and they'll tell you what it is.

[Clover]

Was turning into to long of a PM so here i'll post it here.
BTW Newegg has ram for your laptop,
$18 each, for 512mb bars, can get 2 for 1GB
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820145482
---------
There are alot of guides to reformatting, but here's a quick 5minute version.
It sounds alot more complicated than it is.

Use the laptops manual to check how to access the boot menu, usually a button pressed during start up.

You may also have to access the bios and change the priority.

Once you have the cd rom drive targeted as the boot menu, you can insert your windows 2000/XP disk. and then boot into windows startup.

Windows will give you a few options of how to install or recovery. Just go with a new setup.

Select the harddrive and do a NTFS format.
Normal, not the quick one. Normal should always be done on laptops.
Press the propper buttons as instructed on screen, and it'll start formatting the harddrive. After a few minutes, or even an hour or two, it will start to copy over files and then restart.

When the PC starts back up, it'll enter windows XP setup mode, it will continue to install drivers and devices eventually coming up to options and cd key registration.

Most options you can just move through on an "common sense" basis, like time zone and language settings ect. Network settings can be complicated but you can do that later.

After all that is done, your computer will again restart and you'll be taken to an odd little screen where you put in your username and all that. You can follow through with it, or my secret is to hard-restart the PC at the user name. And your PC will automaticly be forced into Administrator mode. You wont have to worry about profiles and usernames, (this all can be changed in the User Settings within the control panel if needed later)


Installing Updates and Drivers.

First things first, Network drivers for either wired or Wireless network adapters.

Install all the windows services packs. (service pack 3 is optional, as you can download the updates seperately even through automatic update)

Then Install the latest DirectX

Then the Video card drivers, and then the audio drivers.
Followed up by other drivers.
You do NOT need to install keyboard or touchpad drivers on laptops. Windows has it's own touchpad drivers, and the Fn keys on laptops are hardware based not software. Though you can install keyboard and touchpad drivers if you really want to.

Check microsoft.com for .net framework 2.0, 3.0, and 3.5, and install those.

After that, just run windows automatic update to follow through with all the security and software updates.

Install your antivirus and you're good to go.







Personally, i use an nLite version of windows XP pro. It's very gutted. no internet explorer or anything like that. Hell my nLite version, once i select the harddrive to format and install to, it's all automated, it will install windows with no outside interaction.
But my nLite window XP is designed for optimal performance, and minimal resources. It runs smooth even on a pentium M 800mhz with 128mb ram.
(thinkpad x22)

Edit: Also windows 2000 should be considered for laptops with very low ram.