Computer help forum: TASK MASTER----I have 59 programs running on startup .......

First, run a good antispyware program to make sure there aren't any trojans trying to phone home. Then uninstall unneeded programs from the Control Panel/Add-Remove Programs section.. Then eliminate unnecessary startup programs and services from running at boot.. Click on the link below and follow the instructions..

First, make sure you have no spyware which is slowing things down. Please download, install, update, then run the free spyware removal programs from the links below:

Spybot Search & Destroy Spyware Removal Tool

AVG Antispyware 7.5 Tool

Next, follow ALL of the steps in the instructions below. Shut down unnecessary start up programs and services, PLUS delete all the junk files from the computer. It may take a while to perform all the procedures, but it will help the machine run and boot quicker:

For Windows 2000/XP, ignore the first couple of sentences about checking "resources" and the "Performance tab in the link below but follow the rest of the procedures including the "Services" links at the bottom.

How To Shut Down Unnecessary Start Up Programs

Now clean out the junk files:

How To Clean Unwanted Files From The Hard Drive

Since you're using Service Pack 2 on Windows XP, use the instructions in this link to tidy up a little more:

Cleanup After SP2 Installation
http://aumha.org/win5/a/sp2faq.php#after

After following all the procedures above, run Error Checking/Chkdsk and Defrag to optimize the hard drive:

How To Run 'Error Checking/Chkdsk' On Win2000/XP

Hope this helps.

Grif


Hope this helps.

Grif

What exactly is that file (or are that files) that you can't delete? Just try to delete as much as you can, and post which ones you can't.

Kees

...while in normal Windows and as such, they can't be deleted.. That's normal.. First, the two "ZLT01..." files your mentioned are two that will always be there when ZoneAlarm is running.. That's not a problem..

The same goes for the other files that are undeletable.. They are files which are placed there during the running of one program or the other.. You should be able to delete them if you restart the computer into Safe Mode.. In fact, many wont' be there while in Safe Mode because the associated program isn't running..

Some of the programs which are creating those temporary files can be shut down because they are unnecessary by eliminating them from the "Services" list or from "msconfig".. Others, such as the "ZL" files need to be there for the program to function correctly..

It's your choice which path to take.

Hope this helps.

Grif

... disable all the unnecessary startup programs and services?.. Those are the items that will reduce the "59 programs running at startup" which were listed by the original poster in this thread...

Hope this helps.

Grif

The "Service Pack 2" folder won't be there if the preinstalled version of Windows XP already had SP2 included.. It will only be there if you had an older version of XP and installed SP2 later..

Likewise with the C:\Downloads folder.. It's not always there because of the specific configuration of your computer..

Since you can't access "Disk Cleanup" in the normal manner, it is possible to eliminate all of the space taken up by System Restore if you really need to.. FIRST, make sure you computer has no problems because you're going to eliminate all Restore points.. Once that's done, RIGHT click on "My Computer", choose "Properties", then click on the System Restore tab. Place a CHECK mark in the "Turn Off System Restore" box, then click on "Apply", then OK.. When that's done, restart the computer and change it back by UNCHECKING the box.. You'll notice that you've gained a great deal of space.. It is a TEMPORARY thing though.. Eventually, System Restore will create more restore points and use more space.

Hope this helps.

Grif

Thanks to both of you so much.
I' working on your suggestions from top to bottem.
My units working "cleaner" but still have CD problem....silly ?.....is it possible I don't have a CD writer? My info on properties says..HL DT ST RW/dvd GCC 4481bB
Thanks again fo info I can understand.

Art

My initial thought was a bad thingy somewhere but thats not my expertise, that's why I'm here to get the best .

I assume I should get an external unit so I don't have to mess with the guts. Will the current one continue to try to work or is there a way to effectively disable it as in 'installed spftware' ?

.how can I know if if the problem is in the unit or in the program for the unit or worst case , in the windows program ?
A windows wizard appears when I try to write and when it fails gives me a message like ...'writing error occurred, cannot complete. or similar .
the tag reads.......CD-RW/DVD-ROM DRIVE
This unit should 'write' to cd and dvd........corrct?
Is there any test I can do o see whats happening? The computer tells me that 'this is working properly'
can I trust that?
Or should I go buy and install a new one ($60) with cd

Every thing else you guys have gven me has been right on the money, not sure what you're talking about but I'm a good follower.
Thanks again
Art

it's like driving a car with bad breaks in the since that all you can do is hope for the best, and expect the unexpected when you least expect it.

Charlie

Believe you have to have Roxio version 6 or greater to work with WIN XP
OS.

VAPCMD

.........Purchasing a new unit today. Sony reads and writes cd/dvd's.#50.seems fair.
I can download to other disc on my computer , the SD slot and FD (fuji card ) slot but the download is in PDF form . I can't read them back in the cameras because I guess I need a JPG file type. Am I correct in assuming that?.
Is there a way to change to JPG ??
Also I had GIMP loaded and it seems to have taken over everything so I uninstalled it, could that have any effect on the files, ie does gimp work in PDF or did that come from somewhere else.
As you've probably realized by now I have no idea whats going on and the more ZI learn the less I know. But I keep reading and entering and watching this site and hopefully I'll figure out something sometime.

Thanks again for your well needed help.
Art

..and it will store the data in what ever form you place there. If you want to store a pdf file it will be saved on the card that way.. If you save a Word document, it will be saved as a .doc file, etc.. ON the other hand, cameras will only create specific file types as pictures.. (You're correct that .jpg is one of the common file types most cameras use.) If you're downloading a .pdf file, it can be stored on the memory card but the camera won't be able to use it if you move the memory card from the computer to the camera.

Good luck with the replacement drive..

Hope this helps.

Grif

Every things working now!!!!! For what ever reason the pdf files went back to jpg and a lot of other stuff cleared up. Between your fine help and a new unit I can now back-up to CD my programs and files, won't have to wait for a fatal crash to loose all.
The unit is a LITON 52XCD-DVD&16XDVD-ROM
THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR HELP, I'M HAPPY NOW
Art