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Thread ID: 73862	2006-11-03 17:01:00	What CTRL+ALT+DEL Reveals	SurferJoe46 (51)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
496220	2006-11-03 17:01:00	Just some info on what's OK and what the . exe files mean as they run in Taskmanager . There seems to be a little (or lot) of confusion what is legal and what is bad, so I found this in my Notepad from a few years ago, and thought it might be a good read for noobs and others who have just plane ol' forgotten: This is not a comprehensive list, but it has the standard processes as well as process names from popular applications . Much more info can be called from HJT, as it peers more deeply into the OPSYS . . . but this is just a base info thing . . . . acrotray . exe Acrobat Assistant that is used when printing documents to a PDF . The process should not be removed while converting documents to PDF . ADService . exe Active Disk Service is a component of the Iomega zip drive . AppServices . exe Also for the Iomega zip drive . ccEvtMrg . exe Associated with Symantec’s Internet Security Suite . Keep it and protect your PC . ccSetMgr . exe Also associated with Symantec’s Internet Security Suite . Keep it and protect your PC . csrss . exe System process that is the main executable for the Microsoft Client / Server Runtim Server Subsystem . It should not be shut down . ctfmon . exe Non-essential system process . If you’re using only English as the language, then it is not needed . However, it’s recommended to leave it alone . explorer . exe This must always be running in the background . It’s a user interface process that runs the windows graphical shell for the desktop, task bar, and Start menu . iexplore . exe Internet Explorer browser . Your call on whether it's important or not . lsass . exe Local Security Authority Service is a Windows security-related system process for handling local security and login policies . Navapsvc . exe, nvsrvc32 . exe, and navapw32 . exe These happen to be Symantec’s North AnvtiVirus processes; there may be others here and you won't see Norton at all . They or whatever virus program you use should run here all the time . realsched . exe RealNetworks Scheduler is not an essential process . It checks for updates for RealNetworks products . It can be safely disabled . rundll32 . exe A system process that executes DLLs and loads their libraries . savscan . exe Nortons AntiVirus process . Keep it if you actually run Norton, but get a better anti-system anyway! services . exe An essential process that manages the starting and stopping of services including the those in boot up and shut down . Do not terminate it . smss . exe Session Manager SubSystem is a system process that is a central part of the Windows operating system . If you try to kill it, it will be difficult… hence, the importance of leaving it be . spoolsv . exe Microsoft printer spooler service handles local printer processes . It’s a system file . svchost . exe x 6 You may have more than six appearances of this process or less . It’s there multiple times to handle processes executed from DLLs . Leave itthere . System This is a file that stores information related to local hardware settings in the registry under `HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE’ . Kill it and kiss your PC’s stability bye bye . You MAY NOT be able to repair this by re-booting! System Idle Process Calculates the amount of CPU currently in use by applications . This won’t go away no matter how hard you try . Don’t try it, OK? taskmgr . exe Appears when you press Ctrl+Alt+Del . wdfmgr . exe Windows Driver Foundation Manager is part of Windows media player 10 and newer . Better not to stop the process unless you have a dedicated media player that you like better . winlogon . exe Handles the login and logout processes . It’s essential . winword . exe It says, “You’re running Microsoft Word . ”	SurferJoe46 (51)
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