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 :- 29th October, 2009
19979 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? |
|---|
| aol | Y | avp.exe | AOL's Active Virus Shield (by Kaspersky) - found in an AOL\Active Virus Shield sub-directory | No |
| AOL | N | AOL.exe | Fast Start loads the AOL integrated email, instant messenger and web browser software in the background when you turn on your computer. This feature lets you quickly open AOL | Yes |
| AOL 9.0 Optimized | X | AOLClient.exe | Added by the SPYBOTER.A TROJAN! | No |
| AOL Broadband Check-Up | U | matcli.exe | "matcli.exe is a motive Assistant Command line interface that gathers information about your system's identity like your name email address, city, county, etc and gets written to a log file". The AOL Self Support Tool is required to run with the Help and Support program. If you uncheck AOL and and then run Help and Support it will add another AOL entry in the startup menu. If you remove this software in "add/remove programs" some help menus in help and support will not be available. You decide | No |
| AOL Companion | U | companion.exe | The AOL Companion is a small window that appears when you connect to the service using verison 8.0 and early builds of version 9.0. "Use the Companion to quickly get to your favourite features, including your Buddy List, Favourite Places, Address Book, and more!" | Yes |
| Aol Configuration Loader | X | aimsng.exe | Added by the SDBOT-XE WORM! | No |
| AOL Fast Start | N | AOL.exe | Fast Start loads the AOL integrated email, instant messenger and web browser software in the background when you turn on your computer. This feature lets you quickly open AOL | Yes |
| AOL Instant Messanger | X | aim.exe | Added by the SDBOT-YT WORM! Note - this is not the popular AOL Instant Messenger utility | No |
| AOL Instant Messengar | X | aol.exe | Added by the AGOBOT-FN WORM! | No |
| AOL Instant Messenger | X | AlM.EXE | Added by unidentified malware. Note - there ia a lower case "L" between the A and M in the filename | No |
| Aol Instant Messenger | X | aolmsg.exe | Added by the KELVIR.AL WORM! | No |
| AOL Instant Messenger | X | aimsgr.exe | Added by the IRCBOT.N TROJAN! | No |
| AOL Instant Messenger 7.213 | X | aim9283.exe | Added by the SDBOT-ZF WORM! | No |
| AOL Instant Messenger dll runtime | X | MSAOL32dll.exe | Added by the RBOT-ATA WORM! | No |
| Aol Instant Messenger Fix | X | aolfix.exe | Added by the SDBOT-ABJ WORM! | No |
| AOL Messenger | X | [random filename] | Added by an unidentified VIRUS, WORM or TROJAN! | No |
| AOL Messenger | X | aolmsngr.exe | Added by the SDBOT-JF WORM! | No |
| AOL Messenger Optimized | X | AOLOpt.exe | Added by the AOLOPT TROJAN!
| No |
| AOL Service Libraries | N | AOLSoftware.exe | Quoted from AOL Beta Team, "Manages a component essential to the operation of most current AOL software, client or not. You should be able to remove it from Startup (it'll just load when Explorer is launched, which will extend load time a bit), but do leave it on your system" | Yes |
| AOL Services Hosts | X | aolserviceshosts.exe | Added by an unidentified WORM or TROJAN! | No |
| AOL Spyware Protection | U | AOLSP Scheduler.exe | AOL's spyware protection program | No |
| AOL TopSpeedMonitor | U | aoltsmon.exe | AOL's TopSpeed web acceleration technology supposedly helps to make web browsing faster. Most important for those users who still access AOL via dial-up | No |
| AolAcsDaemon1 | Y | Acsd.exe | AOL Connectivity Service - starts an automatic function that restores the connection should you lose it while online. Negates having to go through the procedure of signing back on manually | No |
| AolAcsDaemon1 | Y | AOLACSD.EXE | AOL Connectivity Service - starts an automatic function that restores the connection should you lose it while online. Negates having to go through the procedure of signing back on manually | No |
| AOLCC | ? | ACCAgnt.exe | AOL ISP software related, file located in a "AOL Computer Check-Up" folder. What does it do and is it required? | No |
| AolCon | X | config.com | Added by the TAPLAK WORM! | No |
| AOLDialer | N | AOLDial.exe | AOL ISP software dialer - can be activated through a desktop shortcut | No |
| AolFix | N | AolFix.exe | Run on Gateway Astra computers, and maybe a few others. Designed to repair a bad registry key in Gateway computers that would not allow AOL to run correctly. Not seen much any more and should only run once | No |
| AOLRegKey32 | X | AOREGSVR512.EXE | Unidentified malware - see here
| No |
| AOLSAV | ? | AOLAgent.exe | AOL ISP related. What does it do and is it required? | No |
| AOLSoftware | N | AOLSoftware.exe | Quoted from AOL Beta Team, "Manages a component essential to the operation of most current AOL software, client or not. You should be able to remove it from Startup (it'll just load when Explorer is launched, which will extend load time a bit), but do leave it on your system" | Yes |
| AOLStart | X | AOLStart.exe | Added by the KRAIMER.12 TROJAN! | No |
| aolupdater.exe | X | aolupdater.exe | Added by a variant of the IRCBOT TROJAN! | No |
| Aornum | X | aornum.exe | Installed along with iWon Prize Machine. Based upon their privacy statement this can be regarded as spyware | No |
| AOTray | N | AOTray.Exe | System Tray application for AOpen soundcards. Can be run manually via Start -> Settings -> Control Panel | No |
| aouei | X | sysrtmvs.exe | Chivio dialer | No |
| APC UPS Status | Y | Display.exe | APC PowerChute® Personal Edition status icon | No |
| APC_SERVICE | U | mainserv.exe | APC PowerChute® Personal Edition - "safe system shutdown software with sophisticated power management functions." Appears as a service in XP/Vista and under the "RunServices" registry key in Win98 | No |
| apc_tray | Y | apc_tray.exe | Part of the APC UPS software loaded with the BACK-UPS CS 350 unit. Required to monitor the APC unit in case of power failure | No |
| APD123 | X | APD123.exe | PacerD Media/Pacimedia.com adware | No |
| aphex | X | aphex.exe | Added by the IRCBOT-OH TROJAN! | No |
| Api**.exe [* = random char] | X | Api**.exe [* = random char] | CoolWebSearch/HomeSearch adware - for examples, see this log | No |
| Api**32.exe [* = random char] | X | Api**32.exe [* = random char] | CoolWebSearch/HomeSearch adware - for examples, see this log | No |
| API32 | X | api32.exe | Added by the IRCBOT-B TROJAN! | No |
| APIClass | X | lexplore_.exe | Added by the MSNOPT-A TROJAN! | No |
| APIMon | X | apimonx.exe | Added by the TIBSER.A downloader TROJAN! | No |
| APIMon | X | winapix.exe | Added by a variant of the TIBSER.A downloader TROJAN! | No |
| APIMon | X | msreg.exe | Added by the DROPPER.Z TROJAN! | No |
| apisvc.exe | X | apisvc.exe | Added by a variant of the LAMEBOT TROJAN! | No |
| APL | U | APL.exe | Sage Software's ACT! The application pre-loader (apl.exe) is a self contained executable that pre-loads the necessary .NET framework and ACT! 2005 assemblies. This pre-loading of assemblies enhances ACT! startup, view load and dialog load times in some areas of the application | No |
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You can download off-line HTML ZIP, EXE and EXCEL ZIP versions of this list from here.
In addition the following files are available for people developing mirrors of the site and using the information presented here (right-click and select "Save Target As..." for IE and "Save Link As..." for Firefox):
Startup XML File - Startup INI File - Startup HTML File
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.
Free licenses available for Oops! Backup (by Altaro) BETA Testing - Apply online here
Presentation, format & comments Copyright © 2001 - 2009 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