How many programs do you have running in the background?

[Rob9874]

I have Windows XP home and have disabled many of the services I don't need. I also am wary to download any programs from the web, as I hate crap running in the background. I always criticize my computer illiterate friends and family that always have programs running in the background, hogging their resources. However, I have 29 programs running right now. Do I need all this crap? I know I want Zone Alarm & Norton Anti-Virus (which runs a butt-load of crap, all starting with "nav" or "nv"), but do I need the others? Here's what is running right now: (I know what the obvious ones are)

IEXPLORE.EXE
EXPLORER.EXE
SVCHOST.EXE
vsmon.exe
NAVAPW32.EXE
TASKMGR.EXE
zonealarm.exe
CSRSS.EXE
SVCHOST.EXE (again)
DellMMKb.exe
SVCHOST.EXE
tbctray.exe
SERVICES.EXE
SVCHOST.EXE
iTouch.exe
SPOOLSV.EXE
LSASS.EXE
OSD.exe
nvsvc32.exe
hphmon03.exe
WINLOGON.EXE
NAVAPSVC.EXE
KbdTray.exe
hphipm09.exe
Nhksrv.exe
ALG.EXE
SMSS.EXE
System
System Idle Process

 

[n0cmonkey]

Wrong forum. If you knew the forum you should be posting this in you would have realized you could do a search to find some of the answers you seek. Good luck iin your journey, hopefully this does not get locked, but moved.

 

[DeschutesCore]

WindowsXP requires at least ten of those, not including the duplicates. The others are all normal, I wouldn't say any of those are frivilous.

DC

 

[Rob9874]

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
Wrong forum. If you knew the forum you should be posting this in you would have realized you could do a search to find some of the answers you seek. Good luck iin your journey, hopefully this does not get locked, but moved.

Well, I see posts in here about Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware programs, as well as video drivers, so I figured my post was relevent to those topics, and not necessarily an OS question. I was hoping people would just kindly help me out, instead of wasting thier time babbling about if this is the right forum or not. I did a search, but did not find any of the specific programs I have running on my PC. I should expect as much from a newer member.

OK Mods, move it to OS please.

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: Rob9874

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
Wrong forum. If you knew the forum you should be posting this in you would have realized you could do a search to find some of the answers you seek. Good luck iin your journey, hopefully this does not get locked, but moved.

Well, I see posts in here about Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware programs, as well as video drivers, so I figured my post was relevent to those topics, and not necessarily an OS question. I was hoping people would just kindly help me out, instead of wasting thier time babbling about if this is the right forum or not. I did a search, but did not find any of the specific programs I have running on my PC. I should expect as much from a newer member.

Its my day off for the week, I have plenty of time to babble. Just because you see those posts in here doesnt mean they belong here. If you need help learning how to do a good search, let me know. I know you old timers lose your touch after a while

To make this less of a waste of time, here are a few links I found while *searching* the OS forum

Removing Indexing Service

Removing services

I dont know exacly how relevant they are. Good luck.