Richard

In general terms you will gain little from changing the default settings
of Services. A lot of system errors arise from users changing the
default StartUp type because they fail to appreciate the complexity of
the interdependent relationship between services. You will find changing
applications from loading on start up to loading on demand a far more
productive way to achieve better system performance.

Replies to your specific questions inline.

Richard Z wrote:
>
> I thought that if something is set to automatic it should be running
> all the time. Yet I do remember in Services noting that is not
> always the case. As I check now only 1 is not running: Computer
> Browser. All others set to Automatic have started.
>

Is your computer networked? Computer Browser "maintains an updated list
of computers on the network and supplies this list to computers
designated as browsers. If this service is stopped, this list will not
be updated or maintained. If this service is disabled, any services that
explicitly depend on it will fail to start.". Do you have any services
dependent on Computer Browser? My computer is a Workstation, as many
home computers are. Computer Browser is set to Automatic and is not
running. My computer is error free and works as it should.

>
> I see. So I should do everything possible in Services or perhaps a
> better program. What about stuff that doesn't appear in Services?
> Like many installed programs. They often don't appear in Services
> yet often appear in MSconfig's Startup section. If the program is
> running unnecessarily in the background I want to kill it naturally.
> If there is no option in the Preferences/Options of that program from
> preventing it starting automatically when Windows boots up, what
> should I do besides using MSconfig?
>
> And does anybody know of another program that is better than MSconfig?
> Could it be called something like Tweak or Tweakui?

To identify what loads when you boot use Autoruns (freeware from
Microsoft).
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sys.../Autoruns.mspx

With Autoruns you can uncheck an item, which disables it from
starting,or you can right click an item and then delete it. If you
uncheck you can recheck to re-enable the item. It is a much safer
approach than editing the Registry and better than using msconfig..
Another useful feature of the programme is that you can right click an
item and select Search Online to get information about the item
selected.

--


Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England
Enquire, plan and execute
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