255 background programs and what they do
I found this on a site while checking out some of the programs running in the background.

Note that concerning some programs, there are different opinions. It could be smart to do some more checking if there's a program you consider to remove. For instance, in this list hidserv.exe is considered a nuisance for most users, whereas I have seen plenty of pages that dismiss that as a "myth" and insists that hidserv.exe is essential.

As for finding out which programs currently run in your memory, be sure that your Windows taskmanager shows them all. If you're not, try installing some program with one. I use Memory Zipper plus, and there's a pretty good taskmanager there.

If there is a file you want to remove, Regcleaner is a good choice.

You might want to check this site later, since it seems to be updated every now and then.


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TASK LIST PROGRAMS: AnswersThatWork's Terms & Conditions of Use
PROGRAM & MANUFACTURER, WHAT IT IS, AND WHAT YOU CAN DO

Absr Absr.exe
(?) Auto Browser component of the Backdoor.Autoupder virus.

Recommendation:
Immediately update your antivirus software and then run a full virus scan of your PC.

Acrord32 AcroRd32.exe
(Adobe) The Adobe Acrobat Reader program itself. Adobe Acrobat Reader will open automatically if you click on a PDF file in Windows Explorer, or if you start it via "Start \ Programs". Adobe Acrobat Reader also gets started in integrated manner if you click on a web page link to a PDF file – when you do that your browser starts Adobe Acrobat Reader in "integrated manner" (plugin) and presents you the PDF document as if it were a web page. Once started in this manner, ACRORD32 does not terminate, even when you close your browser, and it continues to run transparently in the background so that it can open faster the next time you click on a PDF web link – it will only disappear from your Task List if you do an "End Task" on it, or if you reboot your PC.

Recommendation:
Leave alone unless you are troubleshooting a problem. If you are, and you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader visibly opened, then do an "End Task" on ACRORD32.

Acrotray
AcroTray.exe
(Adobe)
Adobe Acrobat Assistant. This background task is installed when you install the full version of Adobe Acrobat. It comes into action when you create PDF files from non Adobe applications through the "Watched Folders" feature of Acrobat Distiller.

Recommendation:
Usually harmless. Only disable with Startup Manager if you specifically experience problems with it.

Addrbook
Addrbook.exe
(Novell)
Novell GroupWise Address Book. This task appears when you first use the GroupWise Address Book and remains after you have closed the Address Book – the intention here is that the Address Book will open up quicker the next time you call it up.

Recommendation:
If you have closed the GroupWise Address Book, and you are in the processing of troubleshooting a problem, then terminate this task through the Task List dialogue box. Otherwise leave it alone as it does speed up the opening of the Address Book the second time you use it.

Agsatellite
AGSatellite
(AudioGalaxy)
This program is a Napster clone. Just like Napster, and most other Napster clones, you can minimize the program to the System Tray. Many users, however, do not realise that when they think they have closed the program, the program is actually still running in the background and showing as an icon in the System Tray.

Recommendation:
Unless you have queued some downloads, right-click on the icon and close the program as, otherwise, some of your PC resources are being wasted unnecessarily, and a significant portion of your Internet bandwidth could be taken up through someone downloading MP3s from your PC in the background !
Ahqtb
AHQtb.exe
(Creative Labs)
Audio HeadQuarters for SoundBlaster Live! sound cards !! In layman terms : System Tray application installed with the drivers for Creative Labs’ SoundBlaster Live! sound cards and which enables you to bring up that utility from the System Tray.

Recommendation:
There are many reported problem with AHQTB, from startup error to crashes under Windows XP. If you absolutely want to start this application from the System Tray, then make sure you have the very latest updates and patches for your SoundBlaster Live! software ! Otherwise we recommend strongly that you disable this item in Startup Manager since you can run it from "Start \ Programs".

Alogserv ALogServ.exe
(McAfee) Background task installed with McAfee VirusScan and whose purpose is to log all McAfee background virus scanning activities. As of February 2002 there is nothing positive we can say about this program ! Since its introduction with VirusScan 5.x, this program has caused end-users endless problems and McAfee has had to issue fixes and help documents for it. It has been responsible for gobbling up all resources, with the result being a PC which slows down to a crawl and eventually locks up completely. In other instances ALOGSERV appears many times in the Task List. This is silly : antivirus protection is necessary these days, it is not optional, and the least one would expect from an antivirus software publisher is higher standards of testing to ensure that its antivirus software does not behave..... like a virus !!!
Recommendation:
If you have McAfee VirusScan, visit their website to ensure you have the very latest software updates (as opposed to virus updates). If you are experiencing performance related problems, lockups, or other problems which you cannot explain, then disable ALOGSERV with Startup Manager – VirusScan will still work fine without it in the background. Note, however, that if you start VirusScan manually through "Start \ Programs", VirusScan will in turn start ALOGSERV. Thus, once you have stopped using VirusScan and exited out of it, remember to do an End Task on ALOGSERV.

Aoltray AOLTray.exe
(AOL) America Online’s System Tray icon from version 5.0 onward. This icon enables you to start AOL through a double-click. A single click, on the other hand, brings up a number of options which enable you to access specific AOL features, such as your Address Book, your Personal Filing Cabinet, etc... The "System Information" option on this menu is one of the better "System Information" options around.

Recommendation:
We have not had any reports of problems with AOLTRAY. Therefore, since e-mail is a core application nowadays you probably will want to keep it running. If not, then you can disable it with Startup Manager.

Aptezbp
Aptezbp.exe
(IBM)
Part of IBM's Aptiva EZ Buttons software. The EZ Buttons software enables the user to customize and use the rapid access buttons on the Aptiva's Rapid Access Keyboards. Typically these keyboards include up to 14 rapid access buttons which enable the user to directly access specific Windows functions, such as Help, your CD player, audio functions, Suspend mode, etc.. Four of the buttons can be customized to start whichever application you wish to start at the push of a button.

Recommendation:
This task is an essential part of the EZ Button software. If you use the Rapid Access buttons, you need to have APTEZBP running. APTEZBP uses a relatively large amount and has caused problems on PCs with only 32Mb of RAM. If you have 64Mb or more, however, APTEZBP should not cause you any problems.

Armon
Armon32
Armon32a Armon32.exe
Armon32a.exe
(Inverse Technologies) Access Ramp Monitor. Monitoring software which is installed by many ISPs’ software and which supposedly monitors your Internet connection. Here is the MindSpring ISP explanation of ARMON32A :
"Inverse AccessRamp provides technology allowing us to accurately measure availability and performance of our network from the perspective of our customers. The technology consists of a client that resides on our customers PC’s and servers residing within the MindSpring network. The client collects data on our customers’ real Internet experience with MindSpring. It includes information such as failed connection attempts, error codes, connection speeds, redials, and time to login. Other key physical information such as POP, customer ID and modem type are also collected. This data is then sent to servers within MindSpring and aggregated across the entire MindSpring customer base allowing an accurate depiction of our customers experience with the our service. This allows our Network Engineers and Technical Support departments to more effectively and proactively address problems both within and outside the MindSpring enterprise."
Recommendation:
While it may not be used for that purpose, this sort of software has "spyware" potential. Additionally, ISPs actually do not need this type of feedback in order to be able to work out where things are going wrong on their network – there are many monitoring technologies available which do not involve software sitting on end-user PCs. Finally, ARMON32A conflicts with some software packages, Intuit’s QuickBooks amongst others. For all these reasons we recommend disabling ARMON32A with Startup Manager – it really does nothing for you, the end-user, and could be detrimental anyway !

Arupld32
ARUpld32.exe
(Visual Networks)
Browsing History Uploader application from Visual Networks. This application gets installed when you install some ISPs’ CDs. Its purpose is understood to be to enable the ISP manage its network through the feedback it receives from this utility about your web browsing habits. We call this spyware and we are completely against the use of such programs. As if this weren’t enough, we have seen many cases of end-users experiencing low resources problems, or Windows Protection Errors on shutdown after the installation of this program and whatever else the ISP’s CD also installs on the end-user’s PC.

Recommendation:
Disable or Delete using Startup Manager. If you do not find any entry in Startup Manager, then search your hard disk for ARUPLD32.EXE and rename it by adding ".old" at the end of the name – this will prevent it from being loaded. You may have to boot your PC into Safe Mode in order to be able to rename ARUPLD32.EXE – with most versions of Windows this is achieved by holding the CTRL key down as your PC is booting up. Finally, note : AT&T customers – ARUPLD32.EXE may be necessary for you to be able to access the Internet through your AT&T subscription. If that is the case, complain extremely strongly to AT&T about their use of spyware on your PC, then obtain a firewall like Norton’s Personal Firewall or Zone Alarm to prevent this process from sending information out of your PC.

Ati2cwxx ATI2cwxx.exe
(ATI Technologies) Part of ATI display drivers for some ATI or ATI-chipset based graphics cards. Often seen in laptops as part of the VGA drivers for the onboard ATI graphics card, particularly DELL and Compaq laptops.

Recommendation:
At this stage we are not completely sure of the role of this background task; however disabling it does not seem to cause any problems whatsoever.

Ati2evxx
ATI2evxx.exe
(ATI Technologies)
ATI External Event Utility EXE Module. Another background task which gets installed when you install ATI display drivers. We are not yet sure about the role of this background task, but terminating it or preventing it from starting never seems to have any adverse effect. On the contrary, some of our more inquisitive users have been able to prove that ATI2EVXX can sometimes be an incredible resource hog using up to 85% of CPU utilization !!

Recommendation:
Disable with Startup Manager, definitely !
Ati2plab ATI2plab.exe
(ATI Technologies) Part of ATI display drivers for some ATI or ATI-chipset based onboard graphics cards. Seen mostly in laptops, particularly DELL, Compaq, or MITAC laptops.

Recommendation:
At this stage we are not sure of the role of this background task, so leave it untouched.

Ati2plxx ATI2plxx.exe
(ATI Technologies) Part of ATI display drivers for some ATI or ATI-chipset based onboard graphics cards. Seen mostly in laptops, particularly DELL, Compaq, or MITAC laptops.

Recommendation:
At this stage we are not sure of the role of this background task, so leave it untouched.

Aticwd32
ATIcwd32.exe
(ATI Technologies)
Driver enhancement for some ATI VGA cards.

Recommendation:
We have never seen an instance where this background task is needed. Delete in Startup Manager.

Atiptaab ATIptaab.exe
(ATI Technologies) Part of ATI display drivers for some ATI or ATI-chipset based onboard graphics cards. Seen mostly in laptops, particularly Compaq laptops.

Recommendation:
At this stage we are not sure of the role of this background task, so leave it untouched.

Atiptaxx
ATIPtaxx.exe
(ATI Technologies)
ATI Task Bar Icon. This is a System Tray icon which gets installed when you install the ATI drivers. All this icon does is enable you to bring up the Display Properties from the System Tray. Since the Display Properties can be invoked in many other ways, this icon simply adds to the clutter of the System Tray.

Recommendation:
Go into the "Options" tab of the Display Properties and take the tick off the "Enable ATI Task Bar Icon" option. Next, delete the "ATIptaxx.exe" line with Startup Manager – this will prevent ATIPTAXX starting at boot-up. Note, however, that ATIPTAXX will still get started automatically every time you call up Display Properties, but at least it will not start automatically at boot-up.

Atitask ATITask.exe
(ATI Technologies) Another ATI Task Bar process. Why ATI cannot name their task bar icon task the same across all their VGA cards, escapes us. This particular background task gets installed with the ATI Rage range of drivers. All this background task does is enable you to access the Display Properties from the System Tray.

Recommendation:
In addition to being useless in most cases, this particular ATI background program also has the unwelcome side effect of making Scandisk and Defrag restart endlessly. We therefore recommend that you disable it with Startup Manager. However, if you need to adjust gamma and colours to compensate for monitor colour peculiarities or problems, then you will need to keep ATITASK enabled as one of its jobs is to load your colour and gamma changes on Windows boot-up.

Atrack
Atrack.exe
(Symantec)
Symantec's Alert Tracker task which is part of their Norton Internet Security or Norton Personal Firewall products. Alert Tracker appears as a half-globe on the right-hand side of your screen. You can move it up and down that right-hand side all the way up to the top of the screen, or all the way down till just above the Task Bar. Its purpose : "To provide instant notification of events as they happen. This way when a rule is triggered, or an access to the Internet is made, you know about it immediately rather than when you look at the logs".

Recommendation:
It is unusual for Symantec to come up with utterly useless icons but this is definitely as utterly useless as you can get. This icon is not only useless, it is annoying, and its position and shape is also very confusing as, until they read about it, users think something went wrong during the installation of Norton Internet Security (NIS) or Norton Personal Firewall (NPF). Yet its function is fully duplicated by the System Tray icon for NIS/NPF which displays an unmissable flashing red exclamation mark when an event you should know about has occurred. Disable by clicking on the System Tray icon for NIS/NPF and choose the "Hide Alert Tracker" menu option.

Attune_ce
Attune_ce.exe
(Aveo Inc)
Aveo’s Attune Client Engine. We first came across this when trying to correct resource hog problems on a 400MHz PC. We checked Aveo’s site and here is what they say : "Attune is a revolutionary service which provides end-users with targeted, "plain-English" messages (called "Intelligrams") to help them avoid common computer problems. Attune may also let users know when they need a specific product, service, or upgrade to optimize the use of their computer. Attune runs quietly in the background and automatically updates its Intelligrams when users connect to the Internet. Subsequently, when a user is about to encounter a situation that is known to cause problems, Attune displays the Intelligram that contains the solution." 23-Mar-2002 update : Aveo seem to have gone out of business as their site now has an "under construction" banner !
Recommendation:
De-install Aveo Attune ! While we leave you to make your own interpretation of the above, our experience of Attune at specific customers, and our experience of many other similar products, is that they are resource hogs, and it is our pragmatic belief that such products will never be able to predict the vast majority of problems that end-users experience. 23-Mar-2002 update : with Aveo having seemingly gone out of business, Aveo Attune is now guaranteed to be of no use whatsoever to anybody !
Ausvc Ausvc.exe
(?) Backdoor.Autoupder virus.

Recommendation:
Update your antivirus software immediately and then run a full virus scan on your PC.

AVGCtrl
AVGCtrl.exe
(H+BEDV Datentechnik gmbH)
Background task of the AntiVir antivirus program which scans files transparently in the background as you access, create, or save them.

Recommendation:
Essential to the proper functioning of AntiVir. Leave alone.

B3dupdate B3DUpdate.exe
(Brilliant Digital) Background auto-update program for Brilliant Digital’s B3D Projector. B3D Projector is what we call adware – Brilliant Digital’s own description : "The B3D Projector is a free viewer that plays the b3d animations created through b3d Exporter and b3d Studio. Available as a plug-in for Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator, or as a self-contained installation for CD distribution, the b3d Projector plays b3d files streamed over the Internet or distributed on CD-ROM.... Of course you may want to get revenue for all that content you're creating, so you'll be pleased to know that the Projector offers many e-commerce features, including auto-refreshing banner ads, interstitial ads, and an optional end-of-movie HTML page that can direct traffic back to your web site." Our translation : a program which you can use to offer your own software free of charge while obtaining revenue from advertising through B3D Projector’s ability to display ads.

At the time of writing, 26-May-2002, B3D Projector and other Brilliant Digital software come embedded in the popular Kazaa file sharing program, with the worrying following paragraph in the licensing agreement displayed during the installation : "You hereby grant (Brilliant) the right to access and use the unused computing power and storage space on your computer/s and/or Internet access or bandwidth for the aggregation of content and use in distributed computing. The user acknowledges and authorizes this use without the right of compensation."
Recommendation:
Get rid of any Brilliant Digital software which we have classified as adware. We are against adware as adware consumes bandwidth (it significantly reduces the speed at which you access the Internet or download from the Internet) and most adware also results in interminable and unbelievably irritating popup advertisements. Additionally, in the specific case of Brilliant Digital, their products often do not get de-installed when you de-install the software that originally installed them. Download Ad-Aware from our Downloads library to get rid of B3D Projector. Note that doing so may incapacitate the program that originally installed B3D Projector. If that program is Kazaa, then you will find a good alternative in WinMX also available from our Downloads Library.

Backwebagent
Backweb BackWeb.exe
(Backweb Technologies) BackWeb started life as push technology software which enabled you to subscribe to various information channels of your choice so that your selected information channels would pop up on your screen with the latest world news, entertainment news, etc…, whatever you might have chosen You can configure the original BackWeb to download the news for later viewing, to display the news as desktop background, ticker, or popup window.

This did not take off as well as expected and, crucially, it was also not paying for itself. As a result BackWeb quickly went into other markets, two of them significant ones. (1) Advertising adware where websites, ISPs, or software manufacturers include BackWeb on their site, in their ISP software, or in their software and, whenever you connect to the Internet, BackWeb also connects to retrieve advertisements which are then displayed on your screen or in your browser. (2) BackWeb is also routinely installed on new PCs by specific computer manufacturers with the aim being that BackWeb will automatically check for vital updates to the PC’s setup whenever the end-user connects to the web. Such manufacturers include Compaq, Hewlett-Packard, LogiTech, Kodak, although some or all of these may have stopped this practice at the time of writing of this entry (April 2002).

Recommendation:
Unless you are using BackWeb for news content, we strongly recommend de-installing it. It is often a serious resource hog, in most cases it is also advertising adware, it slows down your Internet connection, unacceptably if you connect by modem, and it has the potential for sending out information from your PC. De-install via the "Add/Remove Program" icon in the Control Panel, or disable with Startup Manager.

Bcmdmmsg Bcmdmmsg.exe
(Broadcom) Broadcom Modem Messaging. Background task installed with the drivers for "BCM V.90 Modems". Broadcom modems are OEM modems which other companies put their names to (e.g. "Gateway").

Recommendation:
Broadcom modems are almost always 100% software controlled modems. Thus, while we are not totally sure about the role of BCMDMMSG, it is highly likely that this background task is essential to the proper functioning of your modem – leave alone.
Thanks Edit/Delete Message

I can't find the svchost.exe on here.

bravoooo

thanks very much very good information