[Ferrante]

Recently, I installed a free firewall (PC Tools Free Firewall) and when I started my computer, there were so many things requesting to start up or connect to the Internet using just a few letters and/or numbers as a reference that I could not tell which I should allow and which I should not. I uninstalled it. Is there a way I could use something that will show you which programs I have and what is opening at start up? You seeing it would allow you more knowledgeable people to tell me what I could disable or maybe uninstall? I have 4 gigs of memory, but my computer seems slow. I did all the malware stuff suggested and nothing was found, so I am thinking I have too much running. Also, I have noticed that if I leave my computer running for a long period without using it, when I try to, then the computer has frozen up, so I have to reboot. Any help you can give me is very much appreciated and I thank you in advance for it. I am using Windows XP Here is some info on my computer:

Operating System System Model
Windows XP Media Center Edition Service Pack 3 (build 2600)
HP Pavilion 061 RJ181AA-ABA a1600n 0nx1114RE101NODM300

Enclosure Type: Desktop
Processor a Main Circuit Board b
2.00 gigahertz AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core
256 kilobyte primary memory cache
1024 kilobyte secondary memory cache Board: ASUSTek Computer INC. NODUSM3 1.05

Bus Clock: 200 megahertz
BIOS: Phoenix Technologies, LTD 3.07 08/02/2006
Drives Memory Modules c,d
200.03 Gigabytes Usable Hard Drive Capacity
137.52 Gigabytes Hard Drive Free Space

TSSTcorp CD/DVDW TS-H652M [CD-ROM drive]

Generic- Compact Flash USB Device [Hard drive] -- drive 1
Generic- MS/MS-Pro USB Device [Hard drive] -- drive 4
Generic- SD/MMC USB Device [Hard drive] -- drive 3
Generic- SM/xD-Picture USB Device [Hard drive] -- drive 2
WDC WD2000JS-60NCB1 [Hard drive] (200.05 GB) -- drive 0 3520 Megabytes Installed Memory

Slot 'A0' has 1024 MB
Slot 'A1' has 1024 MB
Slot 'A2' has 1024 MB
Slot 'A3' has 1024 MB
Local Drive Volumes


c: (NTFS on drive 0) 190.54 GB 136.52 GB free
d: (FAT32 on drive 0) 9.49 GB 1.00 GB free

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Download Autoruns for Windows: http://technet.micro...s/bb963902.aspx
No installation required.
Simply unzip Autoruns.zip file, and double click on autoruns.exe file to run the program.
Go File>Save As, and save AutoRuns.txt file to know location.
Attach AutoRuns.txt file to your next reply.

[Broni]

Download Autoruns for Windows: http://technet.micro...s/bb963902.aspx
No installation required.
Simply unzip Autoruns.zip file, and double click on autoruns.exe file to run the program.
Go File>Save As, and save AutoRuns.txt file to know location.
Attach AutoRuns.txt file to your next reply.

[Ferrante]

Download Autoruns for Windows: http://technet.micro...s/bb963902.aspx
No installation required.
Simply unzip Autoruns.zip file, and double click on autoruns.exe file to run the program.
Go File>Save As, and save AutoRuns.txt file to know location.
Attach AutoRuns.txt file to your next reply.

Thanks. I was not sure which attachment to "attach" as I could only see SAVE and not SAVE as, so you pick the right one. And thanks for your help.

[Broni]

Open Autoruns. Click on Logon tab.

Following entries can be safely disabled (UN-checked) as startups (it won't remove actual programs):

• Alcmtr (in addition, alcmtr.exe file should be deleted from c:\windows folder)
• AlwaysReady Power Message APP
• DMAScheduler
• HPBootOp
• hpqSRMon
• iTunesHelper
• NeroFilterCheck
• NvCplDaemon
• nwiz
• HP Digital Imaging Monitor.ln
• Updates From HP.lnk
• MSMSGS
• Shockwave Updater

Restart computer for the changes to take effect.

Please download ATF Cleaner by Atribune.
Double-click ATF-Cleaner.exe to run the program.
Under Main choose: Select All
Click the Empty Selected button.
If you use Firefox browserClick Firefox at the top and choose: Select All
Click the Empty Selected button.
NOTE: If you would like to keep your saved passwords, please click No at the prompt.
If you use Opera browserClick Opera at the top and choose: Select All
Click the Empty Selected button.
NOTE: If you would like to keep your saved passwords, please click No at the prompt.
Click Exit on the Main menu to close the program.

[Ferrante]

Open Autoruns. Click on Logon tab.

Following entries can be safely disabled (UN-checked) as startups (it won't remove actual programs):

• Alcmtr (in addition, alcmtr.exe file should be deleted from c:\windows folder)
• AlwaysReady Power Message APP
• DMAScheduler
• HPBootOp
• hpqSRMon
• iTunesHelper
• NeroFilterCheck
• NvCplDaemon
• nwiz
• HP Digital Imaging Monitor.ln
• Updates From HP.lnk
• MSMSGS
• Shockwave Updater

Restart computer for the changes to take effect.

Please download ATF Cleaner by Atribune.
Double-click ATF-Cleaner.exe to run the program.
Under Main choose: Select All
Click the Empty Selected button.
If you use Firefox browserClick Firefox at the top and choose: Select All
Click the Empty Selected button.
NOTE: If you would like to keep your saved passwords, please click No at the prompt.
If you use Opera browserClick Opera at the top and choose: Select All
Click the Empty Selected button.
NOTE: If you would like to keep your saved passwords, please click No at the prompt.
Click Exit on the Main menu to close the program.

Thank you, Borni! I really appreciate you taking the time to help me. Just saying "thanks" does not seem like enough. I am pleased that there are people, such as yourself, who are willing to help us who need it. I am sure I speak for a lot of people when I say you are appreciated. I did all you said and it already seems faster. Again, thanks!--Mark

[Broni]

You're very welcome

[Ferrante]

You're very welcome

I was wondering if I could ask you one last question even though it is off-topic (I posted in another forum area, but no one has answered. I thought you may know something about this). Here is the post:

Over the last week I am experiencing an extreme slowness when copying and writing a DVD. In the past, whether I use DVD Shrink or DVD Fab Platinum, it would read the DVD in seconds. Now it takes about 20 minutes or so. To backup the DVD it would take about 10 minutes using either program. Now, it takes about 40-50 minutes and just as long to write in when in the past the writing was never more than say 20 minutes. Will a DVD writer slow fail or just quit or could this be the result of a software problem? Here is some information about my computer to assist you:

Thanks1

[Broni]

I'm not sure here.
If, it doesn't happen in only one program, I'd rather blame it on DVD drive itself.