If you're frustrated with the time it takes your Windows PC to boot and then it seems to be running slowly you may have too many programs running at start-up - and have come to the right place to identify them. This is the original startup programs (as opposed to processes/tasks) list - one of the most comprehensive and most accurate!
"Name or Startup Item" in the table below refers to how an entry is displayed in MSConfig, Windows Defender or the registry "Run" keys. "Command or Data" refers to the program the entry runs. For further information on this and how to identify and disable startup programs please visit the Startup Content page.
For further information on random startup entries please visit the Startup Info page. For the next few months and foreseeable future I'll be verifying many of the Y, U, N & ? entries via virtual machines. If you can verify/identify those entries with a "?" status (especially hardware specific - such as laptops and motherboards) then please E-mail me (address at bottom of the page) or use the new Message Board.
Last update :- 31st August
21939 items listed
"Status" key:
- "Y" - Normally leave to run at start-up
- "N" - Not required or not recommended - typically infrequently used tasks that can be started manually if necessary
- "U" - User's choice - depends whether a user deems it necessary
- "X" - Definitely not required - typically viruses, spyware, adware and "resource hogs"
- "?" - Unknown
Variables:
- %System% - refers to the System folder; by default this is C:\Windows\System (9x/Me), C:\Winnt\System32 (NT/2K), or C:\Windows\System32 (XP/Vista)
- %Windir% - refers to the Windows installation folder; by default this is C:\Windows (9x/Me/XP/Vista) or C:\Winnt (NT/2K)
- %UserProfile% - refers to the current user's profile folder; by default this is C:\Documents and Settings\ (NT/2K/XP) or C:\Users\ (Vista)
- %ProgramFiles% - refers to the Program Files folder; typically the path is C:\Program Files
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| Name or Startup Item | Status | Command or Data | Description | Tested? |
|---|
| Adobe Acrobat Speed Launcher | N | acrobat_sl.exe | Speeds up the time it takes to load Adobe's Acrobat PDF creation and management tool. From version 7.0 onwards | No |
| Adobe ARM | N | AdobeARM.exe | Adobe Reader Manager (ARM) - update/download manager added with Adobe Reader from version 9.2. Taken from the Adobe user forums - "AdobeARM.exe is a part of new Adobe Acrobat\Reader updater. If you manage updates yourself, it is absolutely safe to remove it from Run registry" - see here | No |
| Adobe Filter Platform | X | afilterplatform.exe | Added by the RBOT-OP WORM! | No |
| Adobe Flash Player | X | AdobeFP.exe | Added by the AUTORUN-BBP WORM! | No |
| Adobe Gamma Loader | U | Adobe Gamma Loader.exe | Adjusts monitor colours across all programs, including Photoshop. It is needed by some graphics professionals who want their monitor calibrated. Most home users will not need it. In my case I can verify this as Photoshop loads fine | Yes |
| Adobe Gamma Loader.exe | U | Adobe Gamma Loader.exe | Adjusts monitor colours across all programs, including Photoshop. It is needed by some graphics professionals who want their monitor calibrated. Most home users will not need it. In my case I can verify this as Photoshop loads fine | No |
| Adobe Photo Downloader | N | apdproxy.exe | Part of Adobe's Photoshop Album or Photoshop Elements packages - starts each time you connect an external image device to your PC (see here) | No |
| Adobe Reader Speed Launch | N | Reader_sl.exe | Speeds up the time it takes to load the Adobe Reader PDF document reader. "The Speed Launcher quickly opens and closes all of the files that Acrobat or Adobe Reader will use when the application starts. Opening and closing the files allows your virus protection software to check these programs and add them to its list of safe files" - see here. Not required for Adobe Reader to function properly | Yes |
| Adobe Reader Speed Launch | N | READER~1.EXE | Speeds up the time it takes to load the Adobe Reader PDF document reader. "The Speed Launcher quickly opens and closes all of the files that Acrobat or Adobe Reader will use when the application starts. Opening and closing the files allows your virus protection software to check these programs and add them to its list of safe files" - see here. Not required for Adobe Reader to function properly | No |
| Adobe Reader Speed Launcher | N | Reader_sl.exe | Speeds up the time it takes to load the Adobe Reader PDF document reader. "The Speed Launcher quickly opens and closes all of the files that Acrobat or Adobe Reader will use when the application starts. Opening and closing the files allows your virus protection software to check these programs and add them to its list of safe files" - see here. Not required for Adobe Reader to function properly | Yes |
| Adobe Reader Synchronizer | U | AdobeCollabSync.exe | Adobe Synchronizer - installed along with Adobe Reader 8.x. "Synchronizer is a small application that runs in the background, providing synchronization of document reviews and Tracker subscriptions so that your data is available when you need it." See the link for more information | No |
| Adobe Reader Updaters | X | AdobeAMC.exe | Added by the PROLACO-F WORM! | No |
| Adobe Reader32 | X | Acrord32.exe | Added by the RBOT-BLC WORM! Note - this is not the popular Adobe Reader | No |
| Adobe Version Cue CS2 | U | VersionCueCS2Tray.exe | File manager that's part of Adobe Creative Suite 2 - "find files fast, track versions across applications, link files together, and share them in creative collaboration without fear of overwriting someone else's work" | No |
| AdobeA | X | adobes.exe | Added by the FLOOD.BA TROJAN! | No |
| AdobeARM | N | AdobeARM.exe | Adobe Reader Manager (ARM) - update/download manager added with Adobe Reader from version 9.2. Taken from the Adobe user forums - "AdobeARM.exe is a part of new Adobe Acrobat\Reader updater. If you manage updates yourself, it is absolutely safe to remove it from Run registry" - see here | No |
| AdobeFonts | X | fonts.hta | Browser hijacker - redirecting to Hugesearch.net | No |
| AdobeManager | X | rundtl.exe | Added by the INJECT.IB TROJAN! | No |
| adobemgr | X | adobemgr.exe | Added by the ADCLICKER TROJAN! | No |
| AdobeReader | X | msni.exe | Added by the RBOT.DAO TROJAN! | No |
| AdobeReaderPro | X | msnxpsp.exe | Added by the RBOT-ASK or RBOT-AUS WORMS! | No |
| AdobeReaderPro | X | ntkernell32.exe | Added by the RBOT-ATY WORM! | No |
| AdobeReaderPro | X | msnserve.exe | Added by the SDBOT-AKH WORM! | No |
| AdobeReaderPro | X | updt.exe | Added by the IRCBOT-VQ WORM! | No |
| AdobeReaderPro | X | rruxdkf.exe | Added by the RBOT.ADF BACKDOOR! | No |
| AdobeReaderPro | X | svxhost.exe | Added by a variant of the RBOT WORM - see here | No |
| AdobeReaderPro | X | winslog.exe | Added by a variant of the RBOT WORM! | No |
| AdobeReaderPro | X | lxlfsprrj.exe | Added by the RBOT.BDZ BACKDOOR! | No |
| AdobeReaderPro | X | cbdzfrsl.exe | Added by the RBOT.AZQ BACKDOOR! | No |
| AdobeReaderPro | X | subset.exe | Added by the RBOT.OCU WORM! | No |
| AdobeReaderPro | X | winini.exe | Added by a variant of the RBOT WORM! | No |
| AdobeReaderPro | X | rvdjlefr.exe | Added by the RBOT-CQZ WORM! | No |
| AdobeReaderPro | X | spoolss.exe | Added by the SDBOT-AKZ WORM! | No |
| AdobeReaderPro | X | lssas.exe | Added by the RBOT-CLB WORM! | No |
| AdobeReaderPro | X | msnservex.exe | Added by the RBOT.AKM BACKDOOR! | No |
| AdobeReaderPro | X | msnsrcdv.exe | Added by the INJECT-H WORM! | No |
| AdobeReaderPro | X | chkdisk.exe | Added by the RBOT-BDV WORM! | No |
| AdobeReaderPro | X | service.exe | Added by the RBOT-BCA WORM! | No |
| AdobeReaderProfessional | X | msx64.exe | Added by the RBOT-GAT WORM! | No |
| AdobeReaderPros | X | sysmsn.exe | Added by the RBOT-BGH WORM! | No |
| Adobes Updates | X | ddosw.exe | Added by the BACKDR-DC BACKDOOR! | No |
| AdobeUpdater | N | AdobeUpdater.exe | Automatic updater for Adobe software - run manually | No |
| AdobeVersionCue | N | VersionCueTray.exe | "An exclusive feature of the Adobe® Creative Suite, Version Cue™ helps you find files fast, track multiple versions of your files, and share your files for creative collaboration" | No |
| Adobe_ID0EYTHM | ? | VERSIO~2.EXE | Part of an Adobe product. What does it do and is it required? | No |
| Adobe_Reader | X | acrotray.exe | Added by the AGENT-LNS TROJAN! Note that the legitimate Adobe file (if installed) would normally be found in %ProgramFiles%\Adobe%\%ProgramName% (where %ProgramName% is Acrobat 9.0\Acrobat or Acrobat 7.0\Distillr for example) whereas this one is located in %ProgramFiles%\Adobe | No |
| Adobe_RLX | X | ccwap.exe | Added by the BCKDR-RCL TROJAN! | No |
| adodemaster | X | adodemaster.exe | Downloader of Korean origin, detected as ADOD.28672 | No |
| Adope File Manager | X | lsasv.exe | Added by an unidentified WORM or TROJAN! | No |
| adp | X | adp.exe | Spyware installed by Net2Phone, Limewire, Cydoor, Grokster, KaZaa, etc | No |
| AdPopup | X | dcf5678.exe | Added by the AGENT-FZ TROJAN! | No |
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The following files are available for people developing mirrors of the site and using the information presented here:
Startup XML File - Startup INI File - Startup HTML File
For IE users, right-click on the link and select "Save Target As..." - note that for the INI and HTML files the suggested filename will be "startuplist.htm" and you'll have to rename them "startuplist.ini" and "startuplist.html" respectively.
For Firefox users, I recommend downloading the zipped versions from here. Otherwise, you'll have to open the file and save it - which can take a long time due to the size.
NOTE: These downloads are password protected and free to anyone producing a mirror or free utility. If you produce a commercial/shareware utility please contact me to discuss options. If you don't fall into any of these categories and want to download any of these files you will need to either make a donation of $15/year or more via PayPal (or E-mail me) and you will be provided with the login details which will change at the beginning of each year. The donation will go towards researching new and existing entries for the database and creating these files. Since making these files available for download they've been available free of charge and downloaded thousands of times. I believe they are unique as to my knowledge, no similar site offers such a resource as the lists they offer are on-line only.
DISCLAIMER: It is assumed that users are familiar with the operating system they are using and comfortable with making the suggested changes. I will not be held responsible if changes you make cause a system failure.
NOTE: This is NOT a database of tasks/processes taken from Task Manager or the Close Program window (CTRL+ALT+DEL) but a database of startup applications, although you will find some of them listed via this method. Pressing CTRL+ALT+DEL identifies programs that are currently running - not necessarily at startup. For a list of tasks/processes you should try the Process Library from Uniblue, the list at PC Pitstop or one of the many others now available. Therefore, before ending a task/process via CTRL+ALT+DEL just because it has an "X" recommendation, please check whether it's in MSConfig or the registry first. An example would be "svchost.exe" - which doesn't appear in either under normal conditions but does via CTRL+ALT+DEL. If in doubt, don't do anything.
To avoid the database becoming too large, all virus entries are only shown using the registry version which is common to all Windows versions. Otherwise there would be multiple entries for popular filenames that viruses often use - such as "svchost" above for example. Multiple viruses can also use the same startup entries, in this case only those with significant differences (such as file location) are repeated in this database.
NOTE : There are a number of virus and malware entried listed in this database where specific removal instructions haven't been given. If this is the case then you could try SDFix, a program written by AndyManchesta that can remove many different types of Trojans and Worms. See here for a tutorial on how to use the program and here for the latest ReadMe file detailing the fixes included.
IMPORTANT: A number of entries are repeated due to the way that different operating systems display startup items. For example, WinMe lists "POPROXY.EXE" as "Norton eMail Protect" in both MSCONFIG and the registry whereas WinXP lists it as "Poproxy" in MSCONFIG and "Norton eMail Protect" in the registry.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
If you're looking for a startup manager then why not try WinPatrol (by BillP Studios) or Advanced SystemCare Free (by IObit) - both include the option to search this database for a particular entry. Alternatively try Spybot - Search & Destroy (by Safer Networking Ltd) as the startup programs section (select the Advanced mode) includes descriptions from this database. You might also want to try their RunAlyzer and FileAlyzer tools.
There are an ever increasing number of rogue applications appearing these days and many of the removal guides referenced in this database use MalwareBytes Anti-Malware (which now incorporates the now discontinued RogueRemover).
As there are more than 10,000 entries in this database related to viruses, trojans, worms and other malware I recommend you use a quality internet security package. Which ever you choose, keep it updated.
Presentation, format & comments Copyright © 2001 - 2010 Paul Collins
Portions Copyright © Peter Forrest, Denny Denham, Sylvain Prevost, Tony Klein, CastleCops & Bleeping Computer
Database creation and support by Patrick Kolla
Software support by John Mayer
All rights reserved