XP's processes - what's neccesary?

[LadyCrimson]

I apparently have 25 running and I have no idea whether I need them all. I've been Googling for a list of the minimum required to run Windows so I can at least start by knowing what absolutely NOT to disable, but so far all I've found is this one:

 

http://www.dead-eye.net/WinXP%20Services.htm

 

Which I find rather confusing, since it has multiple tables with some of the same file names and...anyone know of a better list? Or can rattle them off?

[kirottu]

I have 29.

 

I win.

[Fenghuang]

Nuh-uh!

 

I got forty five.

 

Winner is me.

[Spider]

I've always liked the Black Viper guide.

 

http://majorgeeks.com/page.php?id=12

 

It's a tad outdated (it was written before SP2 iirc) but it's still pretty good and it explains what every service does.

[Pop]

51. The winner is me.

 

I think it has to do with this "svchost" program, which replicates itself to 5 or 6 processes periodically for some reason. It's a local network service. None o' my warez detectors are flagging it as bad.

[mkreku]

I had to check it. I have 25 and 32 respectively on my two work machines.

 

I'll have to check the one at home later.

 

I vaguely remember a site that had explanations on all the processes for XP. Unfortunately I have no clue what the site was called, but at least I know there is one out there.

[Surreptishus]

I think the number of processes on a clean new install is around 20 IIRC. So 25 sounds fine if you have anti-virus and a firewall running.

Windows Defender has a utility where you can see aome details about each process and you can choose to shut it down permanenetly.

[LadyCrimson]

Was just curious. Supposedly a lot of them are unneccesary for everage user and may slow ya down a bit etc. Some people I know like to shut almost all of them down...like have only around 8 going...thought it might be interesting to check it out.

[Surreptishus]

How many processes run in safe mode?

[LadyCrimson]

Dunno...I suppose that's a good way to check some stuff out, too.

[metadigital]

The indexer is perhaps the best one to 86, as it runs in the background and chews up loads of processor overhead.

[taks]

I think it has to do with this "svchost" program, which replicates itself to 5 or 6 processes periodically for some reason. It's a local network service. None o' my warez detectors are flagging it as bad.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

they aren't really "replicates." many otherwise unnamed processes are run with svchost as the starter engine (of sorts). this goes for many other programs, too. i.e. each svchost process is (probably) unique controlling a different service. you can browse around your services (in control panel typically under "administrative tools" or similar) and see how every one is started. for example, my network connections app has a "path to executable" line like this:

 

C:\WINNT\System32\svchost.exe -k netsvcs

 

so svchost is running netsvcs, but the same executable is run for my COM+ application (probably with different input parameters).

 

taks

Edited October 20, 2006 by taks

[Bokishi]

I gots 50 even, beat dat.

[Gfted1]

Holy mackrel, Ive got 64 running processes here on my work PC.

[mr insomniac]

Right now, have 30 processes running, but that includes couple of IM programs and this webpage... so figure to have around 27 or so, when i'm not online. Thanks for providing that list of service up there... managed to close out a half dozen or so services i didn't need

[Deraldin]

I have 31 processes running right now. This includes browser, anti-virus, anti-spyware, IM's, a couple programs that were installed with certain pieces of hardware (stuff that came with my Audigy2 and my Logitech mouse/keyboard). Also have Seti@home running in the background as well.

[metadigital]

I saved different profiles, one with bare minimum processes running and one with the normal processes.

 

I ended up not keeping it, even though it was a lot faster, because invariably there would be a process that I needed.

 

Now I just hibernate rather than shutdown most of the time, so I don't have to wait the ten minutes for start-up.

[Dark_Raven]

47 right now. I had more at one time but my boyfriend removed them. Programs that are running and you don't need eat up memory.

[WITHTEETH]

23 processes, the only 2 i really don't need are the itunes and ipod ones. I wonder how i can get rid of'em permentantly so that they work only when i run the app.

[metadigital]

Change them from "automatic" to "enabled", or whatever the option is.