How many background processes do I need?

[AquaShrimp]

When I'm playing a high performance game, which background processes can I close?  I have 33  programs running.  Is there a program that will automatically shut all these down for me?

[Boroda]

Originally posted by AquaShrimp
When I'm playing a high performance game, which background processes can I close?  I have 33  programs running.  Is there a program that will automatically shut all these down for me?

The meanest thing is "System Idle" process: it consumes 99% CPU time!

[moot]

Only one way to find out..
Explorer is a safe bet.

[FX1]

http://www.windowsstartup.com/

Great program and easy to use...

[Ghosth]

Been using XPTools to clean up processes. Also has a lot of other handy tools, like startup and registry cleaner.

Normally run 20- 22 process when flying.

[kamilyun]

I think I have 16-18 when no other programs are running.  I don't know how many are added by AH...2 or 3 probably.  That would put me about where Ghosth is at 20-22 processes.

I don't use any virus/spyware protection...just check the processes every few days and see if something is there that shouldn't be there.  Google it, find it on disk, delete it.  I also don't let AutoUpdater run...for any program/utility.

Gonna check out the website FX1 listed...but I don't want another program running to watch the programs/processes I'm running!

[ROC]

http://www.blackviper.com/

I've used this site for years.

[JB73]

be careful of the advise you get from some of those sites....


just a word of caution for those that don't know what they are doing.


33 isn't tooo bad, I prefer 19-21 at home (not counting 2 for my CH stick), and thats for every day use. I don't need alot of the extra stuff.

the real hogs though are process that go on the internet, or periodically use CPU cycles to do something (like anti-virus software, or firewall software).

[Reschke]

Yep I agree with this one. He has updated it for use with Vista as well.

Originally posted by ROC
http://www.blackviper.com/

I've used this site for years.

[Tigeress]

When I get tired of creeping slowdown I start googling each process by name to see what it is, and eliminate those that dont need to be running and wasting ram and cpu time.

Ones I hate are IM programs like MSN and Yahoo, Adobe and QuickTime processes that start automatically.

I use CCleaner to delete processes from the startup list I don't want started automatically and do that at work as well. In fact it was the software engineering department that clued me in on CCleaner. Nice program and free.

 http://www.ccleaner.com/

FWTW, I also learned how to set "priority" on a process like AcesHigh to give it more priority for CPU time.



Notice how much ram iexplore.exe sucks up.

Killing all browser instances that are running helps free up ram for AcesHigh.

TIGERESS

PS: to croduh, yes... I am still using your photo as a keepsake background on my computer for my lost h2h server. boohoo
You can see part of it in the screenshot.
Still makes me cry when I think too much about it and the friends I have lost.

[DREDIOCK]

Originally posted by Tigeress
When I get tired of creeping slowdown I start googling each process by name to see what it is, and eliminate those that dont need to be running and wasting ram and cpu time.

Ones I hate are IM programs like MSN and Yahoo, Adobe and QuickTime processes that start automatically.

I use CCleaner to delete processes from the startup list I don't want started automatically and do that at work as well. In fact it was the software engineering department that clued me in on CCleaner. Nice program and free.

 http://www.ccleaner.com/

FWTW, I also learned how to set "priority" on a process like AcesHigh to give it more priority for CPU time.

 

Good advise here.
Not bad for a woman..... with a Dell laptop

I find BlackViper good for figuring out the services
but use Google to make sense of the processes.

Another good and hideously easy to use free program is

Easy Cleaner

What the hell kind of IE you running?
Out of curiosity I opened IE and compared it to Firefox.
For me both use about the same 30.5K  on the home page.
With both on this HTC page  Im getting Firefox at 32,172K
While IE is at 37,096K

Must be that fancy pron site you have on the other window to give you 84

[Tigeress]

Originally posted by DREDIOCK
Good advise here.
Not bad for a woman..... with a Dell laptop

I find BlackViper good for figuring out the services
but use Google to make sense of the processes.

Another good and hideously easy to use free program is

Easy Cleaner

What the hell kind of IE you running?
Out of curiosity I opened IE and compared it to Firefox.
For me both use about the same 30.5K  on the home page.
With both on this HTC page  Im getting Firefox at 32,172K
While IE is at 37,096K

Must be that fancy pron site you have on the other window to give you 84

I multi-task and have as many as 15 explorer instances/tabs going at the same time! hahahahaha

Yes, this Dell Inspiron raptop has its good points and bad points. I do not recommend the Inspiron. It has a serious design flaw... can't clean the dust and lent for the primary cooling fan without removing the keyboard.

I have been fighting heat problems for months and have had AcesHigh drop to 1 freeking fps all due to heat build up. grrrrr

TIGERESS

btw, visual pron is boring! I'll leave that for you guys. If it was up to me, there wouldn't even be such a thing hahahahaha
Hot novels are another thang all together, though! teehee

[DREDIOCK]

Oh and just for the record.
At bootup running Nod32 antivirus

I bootup with 24 proccesses running

but I dont mind having ot manually click on programs and waiting the extra few seconds to burn CDs,run my scanner as opposed to pushing the scan button on my all in one printer, etc

But I'd say for most people if you can get it down to 30 or under your not doing too bad

[DREDIOCK]

Originally posted by Tigeress
I multi-task and have as many as 15 explorer instances/tabs going at the same time! hahahahaha

Yes, this Dell Inspiron has its good points and bad points. I do not recommend the Inspiron. It has a serious design flaw... can't clean the dust and lent for the primary cooling fan without removing the keyboard.

I have been fighting heat problems for months and have had AcesHigh drop to to 1 fps all due to heat build up. grrrrr

TIGERESS

btw, visual pron is boring! I'll leave that for you guys. If it was up to me, there wouldn't even be such a thing hahahahaha
Hot novels are another thang! teehee

WOW!15 explorer instances!
Thats alot of pron!
At most I only do 3-4 at the same time
but Im a bit tantric that way.
While I may do less. I do it longer
so I guess it all evens out:D

But 15 processes
Probably why that usage number is so high.

As for the heat
Two words.

Chill Pad

[Tigeress]

Originally posted by DREDIOCK
WOW!

As for the heat
Two words.

Chill Pad

uh huh, I learned about that while running 15 instances of IE looking up  raptop heat issues and solutions hahahahahaha

TIGERESS