task manager-54 running processes!!

choccyface

ive just seen on another thread that i should have no more than 40 processes running. How do I work out which ones i dont need, and how do I get rid of them?
Many thanks,

LadyMorticia

I didn't know about the 40 processes running thing. I have 59 running.I thought it always depended on how many programs and background applications are running.

xx

[Deleted User]

I have 68 running, I don't think it's a problem

tom9980

:eek: this is my fault. Really what i meant was anything much more than 40 maybe even 45-50 if you have a fair few things open and you should start looking at whats going on. It doesnt really mean anything is wrong you just might find you are running lots of things you dont really need and therefore using memory for no real reason.

To give you an example at this moment i have 37 with opera, an internet explorer window, firewall, antivirus and msn open. Also i have some other things related to my sound and graphics cards all the rest is normal windows stuff required to run.

First piece of advice is run the usual anti spyware/malware and virus scans

Next look at what you have running in the task tray in the bottom right corner things like auto updates for flash, adobe, java etc usually just do not need to be running from startup. Also look to stop programs automatically starting when windows boots up instead turn them on when you actually use them.

This gives a slightly more detail than i have time for at the moment.

LadyMorticia

At the moment I have Firefox and Thunderbird open and Comodo firewall, Avg, Spyware Doctor, LAN, Launch Manager (still not quite sure what that is.lol.) and ATI running in the background. I'm not too worried about the amount of processes running at the moment as I know I have quite a few programs running and my laptop isn't slowing down.

xx

weegie.geek

The other thread's nonsense. There's no threshold you shouldn't cross.

This machine's running 39 with just me logged in, and that's a fairly new install. It all depends what you do with the pc.

My server's running at 68 processes with 4 people logged into it.

For the sake of your pc running as quickly and efficiently as it can you might want to google each process name, or check them here to see what they are. A lot of programs install executables that run permanently and help the main program open faster, for example. If you rarely open the main program, or if you have it open all the time, it might make sense to not run the helper process. There might be an option in the app to turn off the helper (for example, Winamp's is called Winamp Agent, and you can turn it off in Preferences/General Preferences/File Types. It stops other apps from associating itself with files you've told Winamp to play), or you might have to do it manually.

windows key + r will open the run dialog box. Type msconfig into it and you'll be able to stop some processes running at startup. The startup tab is what you want.

Make sure you don't need the processes, mind you.

edit: ooh, i took way too long to type that, you all posted before me

tom9980

LadyMorticia wrote: »

Launch Manager (still not quite sure what that is.lol.)

This is a classic example you need to ask yourself

What is this and what does it do?
Why is it there?
Do i need it? (if not remove it)
Can i disable it? (usually done by right clicking the icon.)
How did it get there? (most likely by installing programs and not using an advanced install and that installation added a few things you didnt realise.)

weegie.geek

tom9980 wrote: »

This is a classic example you need to ask yourself

What is this and what does it do?
Why is it there?
Do i need it? (if not remove it)
Can i disable it? (usually done by right clicking the icon.)
How did it get there? (most likely by installing programs and not using an advanced install and that installation added a few things you didnt realise.)

I can see your point, but if it's not affecting performance noticeably and a virus/spyware scanner gives it the all clear, does it really matter?

It's easy to get obsessed with tweaking everything so that your PC runs as efficiently as possible, but for most things you'll spend more time working out what the process is and stopping it than stopping it will ever save you in increased efficiency. :rotfl:


There are some people who seem allergic to uninstalling apps. They'll look for something to suit a need, and try a dozen different apps until they find the one that fits them best, but they won't uninstall the old stuff. Since windows by default hides unused start menu items/tray icons (it should really tell you you haven't used stuff for x amount of time, and suggest that you uninstall it to save space/keep things running ship-shape), it's easy to forget and not realise just how much crap you've got on the PC.

Those people, and people with older/less well specced PCs will notice an improvement if they take the time to do some weeding (PowerDVD runs three separate background processes when it's not running, !!!!!!!) but for most people it'll be a waste of time I reckon.

bookduck

Process explorer will show the task manager threads plus the hidden ones too. Some of the threads are software packages, some are services and some may be updates.

Just be careful what you stop, remove or disable, because when you next reboot thing may be different then they currently are. Google BLACK VIPER to learn more about services.

tom9980

Really im just trying to get people to stop being click click click all the time the reason people keep getting infected with virus and malware junk is because they dont read or look what they are doing.

If when you install a new program you are interested in you use advanced/cutom installation options you get choice about what you install most programs seem to want to install things like google toolbar, yahoo toolbar or want to change you home page etc. I have seen cases where someone had 2 sometimes 4 toolbars on internet explorer why? nobody needs more than 1 and even then frankly i think its 1 too many.

Another example is Microsoft office 2007 it installs all kinds of stuff like groove, spreadsheets, database and onenote among others if you only want to use Word then just install word dont bother installing database and software programs if you dont need it, because you never know when you need that 200-300mb of space on your hard drive to do something important, such as backup things in an emergency.

68 processes on a server isnt relevant really its doing its job and running a lot of services to serve the needs of the client/workstations it serves, im sure you could trim that down a bit but in this case its fine because its doing its job.

Now if we look at the thread that caused this one it turned out the guy had just 192mb of memory (i suspect he has 256mb and 64mb is shared graphics tbh) if you for a moment imagine him running 60 processes and he could resonably remove 12 of them with an average memory usuage of say 8mb thats 96mb of extra memory available and it means the pc isnt constantly using the swap/page file and thrashing the hard disk either further slowing his machine.

Just apply the same principle as housework if you clean up as you go along you wont end up in a big mess at innapropriate times such as the mother in law turning up at no notice! or in this case process #48 interfers with process #60 and causes your PC to crash while you were doing important work and whoops forgot to save wiping an hours work.

I need to go to bed :rotfl:

LadyMorticia

Launch manager was already installed on my Acer laptop so I think it might be something to do with the touchpad. Google didn't really help.lol. but it's not hurting my laptop by having it running.

Edit: I must have been half asleep earlier because I just googled it again and found out it's to do with the multimedia key shortcuts on the keyboard.
xx