"Andy Walker" <awalker@nspank.invalid> wrote in message
news:4858bcc0.328983421@news.webtv.com...
> Bill Ridgeway wrote:
>
>>"blackhead" <larryharson@softhome.net> wrote in message
>>news:a480b40b-e13a-47d4-8ad8-913fff0a75b2@d45g2000hsc.googlegroups.com...
>>>I have an old computer which is very suseptible to applications in the
>>> background hogging up useage. So when using system monitor, I noticed
>>> that the processor useage was 100% even though nothing was running in
>>> the foreground. It turns out that when I run Yahoo Messenger, the
>>> processor useage shoots up to 100% and when i close it, it's still
>>> running at 100% useage.
>>>
>>> So what's going on?
>>
>>I think you're possibly tackling this problem from the wrong direction.
>>Why
>>not look at stopping applications running at start up?
>>
>>Click on <Start><Run>
>>Type MSCONFIG and click on <OK>
>>Click on <StartUp>
>>This will give you a list of all the applications running at start up
>>Untick all those that are 'Software', 'StartUp' or 'Common Startup' (but
>>see
>>exceptions below)
>>Don't worry you are only stopping them from running not de-installing.
>>Any
>>of them can be ticked again but I work on the basis that I will start an
>>application when I want it and not to have everything running (taking up
>>valuable resource) just in case.
>>
>>You could also go into Windows Explorer Documents And Settings
>>\X\StartMenu\Programs\StartUp and delete any shortcuts (again, to
>>applications running at start up (but see exceptions below).
>>
>>Be careful though. Don't stop antispyware and antivirus from running at
>>start up.
>>
>>Bill Ridgeway
>
> Good point, but I'd recommend using AutoRuns instead of MSCONFIG
> because of its vastly superior capability.
>
> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/s.../bb963902.aspx

Maybe AutoRuns is 'better'. However, MSConfig is better in two respects.
Everyone already has MSConfig whereas AutoRuns has to be downloaded and
installed. (OK, not much of a down-side)
AutoRuns does seem to give more temptation (and danger) of messing about
with the Registry.

Bill Ridgeway