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#360990 - 07/18/04 12:49 AM OT: CTRL-ALT-DEL?  

**DONOTDELETE**
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Sorry for the off-topic, but ya'll are usually more helpful than most! ...so I'm takin' advantage of that good-will. \:\)

When I hit CTRL-ALT-DEL, there's about a gazillion programs(?) showing/open/listed in that little box. Where in hell did they come from? Do I need them for anything? Who put them there? And if I delete them, will my computer explode into a gazillion pieces? Will them being there cause problems with my computer ...speed, etc?

Here's the list: (and it does change some, too!)

Explorer
Lwbwheel
Ccap
Soundman
FindFast
Lwemon
Propelac
FindFast
Rundll32
Osa
Qagent
Mrtmngr
Ptsnoop
systray
Qwdlls (or Owdlls?)

And please remember that I don't know crap about a computer ...for me, it's mainly a glorified typewriter (and with the click of a button, it's an F/A-18 or F-15 flight sim). But that don't mean that I know what's going on inside this thing!! ...so use language appropriate for a, say, five year old kid, okay? ...LOL! \:\)

No, I'm not 5-yrs old .....I'm 60!! \:\)

Baron Max

Inline advert (2nd and 3rd post)

#360991 - 07/18/04 01:20 AM Re: OT: CTRL-ALT-DEL?  
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'Doc' Offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by Baron Max:
Sorry for the off-topic, but ya'll are usually more helpful than most! ...so I'm takin' advantage of that good-will. \:\)

When I hit CTRL-ALT-DEL, there's about a gazillion programs(?) showing/open/listed in that little box. Where in hell did they come from? Do I need them for anything? Who put them there? And if I delete them, will my computer explode into a gazillion pieces? Will them being there cause problems with my computer ...speed, etc?

Here's the list: (and it does change some, too!)

Explorer
Lwbwheel
Ccap
Soundman
FindFast
Lwemon
Propelac
FindFast
Rundll32
Osa
Qagent
Mrtmngr
Ptsnoop
systray
Qwdlls (or Owdlls?)

And please remember that I don't know crap about a computer ...for me, it's mainly a glorified typewriter (and with the click of a button, it's an F/A-18 or F-15 flight sim). But that don't mean that I know what's going on inside this thing!! ...so use language appropriate for a, say, five year old kid, okay? ...LOL! \:\)

No, I'm not 5-yrs old .....I'm 60!! \:\)

Baron Max
Baron, if your computer is running fast enough and you aren't having problems, you can leave those programs running in the background. On the other hand, if your computer is not running fast enough or if for some reason you want it to run faster, I've been told that you can End Task (i.e., shut off) all of the programs except for Explorer and Systray without any problems [although, obviously, some programs that you may want to use will have been shut down; however, all programs that you have shut down will start back up again when you reboot your computer (if those programs originally started automatically when you started your computer) or when you start the programs manually (if those programs were originally started by you manually)]. For example, when I first got JF/A-18 (which was way before the official JF/A-18 patch that corrected problems with JF/A-18 came out) and had problems (e.g., CTDs) with it, I was told by the Electronic Arts techs that I should and could DC all of the programs running except for Explorer and Systray, and I did that without problems.

However, it is much better and safer to use the free program EndItAll2 intstead of Ctrl-Alt-Del for shutting down programs. You can get EndItAll2 free of charge at http://www.bootdisk.com/utility.htm , where you scroll down, and EndItAll2 is listed under the heading "STARTUP SHUTDOWN."


'Doc' (aka '195th_Doc')
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Doc's hypocritic Oath: First do no HARM?
#360992 - 07/18/04 01:24 AM Re: OT: CTRL-ALT-DEL?  
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flyd Offline
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I can tell you that explorer and systray you should have, and that rundll32 is used for running some windows components. The rest of those could either be crap you don't need, or a program that you want that is running in the background. You won't blow up your PC by stopping them, but some things may stop working. ;\)

I really can't tell you what's useful of that list, because I don't know. An internet search might provide some answers as to what some of those things may be. You can try shutting them down and checking if anything important stopped working. If you restart your computer, they will all be back. You can, of course, stop them from coming back as well, but let's go one step at a time. ;\)

EDIT: What he said... I type slow.

#360993 - 07/18/04 02:21 AM Re: OT: CTRL-ALT-DEL?  
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Joe Offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by FLYdude:

I really can't tell you what's useful of that list, because I don't know.
You might not be able to, but this page can.

#360994 - 07/18/04 03:08 AM Re: OT: CTRL-ALT-DEL?  
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flyd Offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by Joe:
You might not be able to, but this page can.
Yes, web pages have always been more useful than me... \:D

#360995 - 07/18/04 05:31 AM Re: OT: CTRL-ALT-DEL?  

**DONOTDELETE**
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If you click Start > Run.... and type in
MSCONFIG.....click "OK".... you will open a window. Look to the far right, and you will see the Start-Up tab. Click that one. You will see a long list of 'things'... programs, that your machine's maker thought you should have start running, when you start your computer. If you un-check some of those, they will not automatically start. You can still CHOOSE to start some of them, if you want their services, but most are 'tools' your little grey box uses. You can **SAFELY** un-check them one, two... or a few at a time... and see what you 'loose'. If you don't run the wheels off that thing, it is likely that many you uncheck will never be noticed by you. Take screens shots of that window...or, go Old Fashioned and make your own list. I bet your machine is 'XP'... if it is, I have YET to find a Performance indicator like old '98 has. If your machine is '98, right click on My Computer, left click on Properties, then Performance... and you can read the percentage of AVAILABLE resources you have....that is, the Brain Power you have left over after the back ground programs are running.

Maybe that will help you... I hope so. Oh, I show 70% on this machine. If I turn off enough stuff, I CAN get it up to over 90%... I don't notice any difference in the way it runs the few things I do...

#360996 - 07/18/04 07:15 AM Re: OT: CTRL-ALT-DEL?  
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'Doc' Offline
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Great posts. Thanks, guys.


'Doc' (aka '195th_Doc')
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#360997 - 07/18/04 07:22 AM Re: OT: CTRL-ALT-DEL?  
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Quote:
Originally posted by 283CID:
If your machine is '98, right click on My Computer, left click on Properties, then Performance... and you can read the percentage of AVAILABLE resources you have....that is, the Brain Power you have left over after the back ground programs are running.

Maybe that will help you... I hope so. Oh, I show 70% on this machine. If I turn off enough stuff, I CAN get it up to over 90%... I don't notice any difference in the way it runs the few things I do...
Wow, my System Resources under the Performance tab in System Properties says only 46% free. What should it be (i.e., what should I strive for?)?


'Doc' (aka '195th_Doc')
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Doc's hypocritic Oath: First do no HARM?
#360998 - 07/18/04 08:04 AM Re: OT: CTRL-ALT-DEL?  
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Do you have a good anti-virus program? A web search on ptsnoop, for instance, turned up some instances where this was being used as a back-door (tojan) type virus. It's also a legit program for PCTEL modems. An anti-virus program should be able to tell the difference.

ck


The Colonel

"They're not toys. They're collectables."
#360999 - 07/18/04 01:50 PM Re: OT: CTRL-ALT-DEL?  

**DONOTDELETE**
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"Doc"....Well, I don't know what is an acceptable number, since....as you said...'speed' is The Thing, and if you have enough of that..who cares about your percentage? I tried to 'test' it a little, as I said, but for what I do, I never saw any operational differences. But, I feel better when the percent it above 70... Try temporarily shutting down everything in sight...using Control Alt Delete, one at a time, and read your percentage after each shut down. That is at least interesting to watch...

#361000 - 07/18/04 08:20 PM Re: OT: CTRL-ALT-DEL?  
Joined: Nov 2002
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'Doc' Offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by Colonel Kern:
Do you have a good anti-virus program? A web search on ptsnoop, for instance, turned up some instances where this was being used as a back-door (tojan) type virus. It's also a legit program for PCTEL modems. An anti-virus program should be able to tell the difference.

ck
I'm afraid that I don't understand what you are saying, Colonel Kern. Could you elaborate?


'Doc' (aka '195th_Doc')
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Doc's hypocritic Oath: First do no HARM?
#361001 - 07/18/04 08:21 PM Re: OT: CTRL-ALT-DEL?  
Joined: Nov 2002
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'Doc' Offline
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'Doc'  Offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by 283CID:
"Doc"....Well, I don't know what is an acceptable number, since....as you said...'speed' is The Thing, and if you have enough of that..who cares about your percentage? I tried to 'test' it a little, as I said, but for what I do, I never saw any operational differences. But, I feel better when the percent it above 70... Try temporarily shutting down everything in sight...using Control Alt Delete, one at a time, and read your percentage after each shut down. That is at least interesting to watch...
Thanks, 283CID.


'Doc' (aka '195th_Doc')
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Doc's hypocritic Oath: First do no HARM?
#361002 - 07/19/04 12:41 PM Re: OT: CTRL-ALT-DEL?  
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awtkast Offline
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Well, judging by that list of programs running it looks like you have Win9X (is it ME?) and that you are using a Logitech Wingman joystick and a 56K Modem to connect to the internet.

I feel like Johnny Carson....what was the seer's name?

Anyway, yes, as everyone here has said, you can shut everything down except Explorer and Systray on a Win9X machine and it will run great. I know, I ran my system like that for YEARS until I recently upgraded to WinXP Pro. In your case, you will need to leave "Lwemon" running if that is indeed a Logitech Joystick you are using.

If you find that something stops running correctly after you shut all but Explorer and Systray down, then there are things in that list that must stay on or active for whatever you needs are. The problem would be figuring out which one(s) are needed and at what times.

With that being said, I agree that if your PC is running fast and seems fine don't touch anything. IF you want to experiment with getting it to run faster, you should turn those off one at a time, do normal activities on your PC and 1) See if evertyhing is running as it should and 2) check the list again to see if it has been re-populated by anything you had removed. It could quickly turn into a lot of work. If it runs fine, I wouldn't bother. "Leave well enough alone".

Incidentally, most of those programs that are running are installed when you load something onto your computer. It could be either software or hardware. A joystick, some clip art, a game, an application, some new .....anything. I believe there is a program on the internet that is called "End It All" that will kill all background tasks (they are called that because they are running in the "background" while you are using your computer and most the time you have no idea they are there or running....using up your resources). I don't know anything about that software or what it does and whether or not it works for Win9X. Just thought I'd mention it in case you feel like doing a Google search on it.

Best of luck with your PC.


@wtk@st

Please take time to visit my website:

http://www.artwurk.net
#361003 - 07/19/04 12:43 PM Re: OT: CTRL-ALT-DEL?  
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awtkast Offline
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Carnac the Magnificent!!!

Was that the Carson Character??........??


@wtk@st

Please take time to visit my website:

http://www.artwurk.net
#361004 - 07/20/04 12:48 AM Re: OT: CTRL-ALT-DEL?  
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'Doc' Offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by awtkast:
Carnac the Magnificent!!!

Was that the Carson Character??........??
Correct, oh great seer. The character was indeed Carnac the Magnificent! \:\)

By the way, one of my earlier posts in this thread discussed EndItAll2 and from where it can be downloaded (and yes, it does work with Win 98, at least Win98SE, which is what I have). ;\) \:\)


'Doc' (aka '195th_Doc')
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Doc's hypocritic Oath: First do no HARM?

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