Useless Processes and Services on Vista?

MismisMismis
edited October 2009 in Science & Tech
Hope this is the right place to post.

I just got a new computer..apparently refurbished..and it came with all kinds of crap I don't think I need. I looked in task manager under "show processes for all users" and there are so many things running that I have no clue what they're for.

Is there a program I can use to show everything that's running, so I can post it for you guys, and maybe you can tell me what I don't need and how to get rid of it?

Also, I'm sure there are tons of Services that aren't essential, so perhaps you can tell me which ones I can disable?

Thanks in advance.

Oh, another thing...is Task Scheduler realy essential? Sometimes I see multiple taskeng.exe in task manager..so annoying ><

Comments

  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited October 2009
    There just so happens to be such a thing!

    A gentleman who goes by the name of BlackViper has posted a complete guide to Windows Vista services, and what role they perform. Better yet, he tells you what ones you can disable: http://www.blackviper.com/WinVista/servicecfg.htm

    I recommend the service configurations in the "tweaked" column, but make sure you check to see you're not disabling a service you need before you turn it off. :)

    And to answer your final question: No, task manager isn't essential. Unless you've deliberately used it in the past, you can safely turn the service off.
  • MismisMismis
    edited October 2009
    Hmm ok, I'll go through it and see what's what. In terms of actual processes in task manager, the ones that don't say anything are:

    capuserv.exe
    CLMSServer.exe
    LSSrcv.exe
    MemCheck.exe
    mobsync.exe
    sm56hlpr.exe
    SysMonitor.exe

    All kinds of Acer stuff and a whole bunch of svchost.exe.

    I suppose I can Google them and see what they're for, although everyone has different opinions on whether a process is important or not lol!

    As for Task Scheduler, it won't let me turn it off v.v
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited October 2009
    I suggest going through the services guide first and turning off what you don't need, then going through the add/remove programs menu to remove programs you don't need, <i>then</i> see what's left in terms of active processes.

    Vista doesn't get much lower than about 40.
  • MismisMismis
    edited October 2009
    Ok will do.

    How do I disable Task Scheduler though? In "Services" it won't let me, and when I open Task Scheduler, I don't see an option to not use it. Do I have to go into the registry?
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited October 2009
    Ah, seems like Task Scheduler can't be disabled on Vista: http://www.blackviper.com/WinVista/Services/Task_Scheduler.htm
  • mtroxmtrox Minnesota
    edited October 2009
    Keep in mind a lot of the crap you see in Task Manager isn't just services, it's also run entries that are entirely F'n useless. HiJackThis will get to those. I would guess the vast majority of the Acer stuff, except maybe their power management thing, are completely worthless. Pay particular attention to the 04 and 020 entires. Like Thrax says, some of it you Google, some of it you do trial and error. The nice thing about HiJackThis is that it keeps backups of the stuff you turn off. If you loose some functionality you care about, just go into the backups and reinstate the .exe you need to have run.
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