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? |
|---|
| CtrlVol | U | CtrlVol.exe | Volume control key on Acer, Fujitsu and other laptops | No |
| CTSched | ? | CTSched.exe | Creative Task Scheduler. What does it do and is it required? | No |
| CTStartup | N | CTEaxSpl.exe | Splash screen with sound on every boot up. Installed with a Sound Blaster Audigy soundcard | No |
| CTSVolFE | U | CTSVolFE.exe | Creative Labs Mixer applet for the Sound Blaster Audigy | No |
| CTSVolFE.exe | U | CTSVolFE.exe | Creative Labs Mixer applet for the Sound Blaster Audigy | No |
| CTSyncU.exe | N | CTSyncU.exe | Creative Sync Manager - synchronizes music tracks on your computer with your player | No |
| CTsysVol | U | CTSYSVOL.exe | Creative sound card volume controls | No |
| cttdpsrv | ? | cttdpsrv.exe | ?? | No |
| CTUpdate | X | ctupdclt.exe | Added by the RBOT-ABG WORM! | No |
| CTxfiHlp | N | CTXFIHLP.EXE | Added by the installation of a Creative Labs X-Fi sound card. This particular process provides the help functionality for your card
| No |
| CTXFIREG | N | CTxfiReg.exe | Creative Labs sound card driver related. It appears that it isn't required and maybe registration related | No |
| Ctykd | X | [path to file] | SMALL.SN spyware | No |
| CTZDetec.exe | N | CTZDetec.exe | Auto-detect feature of Creative Media Lite which assists you in managing your music, ripping CDs and transferring other stored music to your Zen Stone MP3 player | No |
| CU1 | X | VCClient.exe | Associated with the Surf Sidekick adware and should be removed | No |
| CU2 | X | VCMain.exe | Associated with the Surf Sidekick adware and should be removed | No |
| cuagentExe | Y | Cuagent.exe | Command Antivirus related | No |
| CueX44 | X | Dago.exe | Added by the PUNYA-B WORM! | No |
| CueX44_stil_here | X | WINLOGON.EXE | Added by the PUNYA-A WORM! Note - this is not the legitimate winlogon.exe process, which should not appear in Msconfig/Startup! | No |
| cuo | X | cuo.exe | Added by the BUGBEAR.A WORM! | No |
| Current Security Config | X | csecure.exe | Added by the RBOT-AMO WORM! | No |
| Current32 | X | msnpla.exe | Added by the SDBOT-DIS WORM! | No |
| CurrentVersion | X | recyclebin.exe | Added by the AUTORUN-AZX WORM! | No |
| CurseClient | N | CurseClient.exe | CurseClient add-on manager for World of Warcraft and Warhammer Online games | No |
| cursor | N | Screendragon_VS_Taskbar.exe | ScreenDragon video player | No |
| CursorGizmo | U | CursorGizmo.exe | Cursor Gizmo - cursor management utility | No |
| CursorXP | N | CursorXP.exe | CursorXP from Stardock - tool for creating mouse cursors | No |
| Curtain | U | Curtain.exe | Curtain (from Chaotic Visions) - "is a Windows utility which gives you the power to hide any window or group of windows to your system tray" | No |
| Customizer2000 | U | logon.exe | Automatic logon feature of Customizer 2000 - "a special utility which is designed to optimize Win9x/ME performance. The program lets you explore the many hidden settings in Windows, and make changes" | No |
| CuteMX | N | CuteMX.EXE | File sharing utility | No |
| Cvfjx | X | ANACON.EXE | Added by the NACO.A WORM! | No |
| cvhnykzx | X | keepSafe.exe | Added by the KILLAV.KAX TROJAN! | No |
| cvmonitor.exe | X | cvmonitor.exe | Added by the SDBOT.BV WORM! | No |
| cvmsyslpd | X | sdservss.exe | Added by the MAILBOT-BY TROJAN! | No |
| CVPND | Y | cvpnd.exe | Sub-system used by Cisco VPN client for making a connection to a remote IPSec server | No |
| CW | U | cw4.exe | Chat Watch "is a monitoring and logging software for online chat and instant messaging programs" | No |
| CWatch | U | cw.exe | ChatWatch - chat monitoring tool | No |
| cwbckver | N | cwbckver.exe | Part of IBM's iSeries (nee As/400) Client Access - communications suite that allows desktop, browser and wireless access to iSeries servers. Checks the software version on your PC to that of the iSeries it is connected to. Not required - and can be turned off in the Client Access properties. It's a waste of resources | No |
| cwbinhlp | N | cwbinhlp.exe | Client Access Help Registry Update Function - part of IBM's iSeries (nee As/400) Client Access - communications suite that allows desktop, browser and wireless access to iSeries servers. It only updates the help files on your PC to match the level of the attached iSeries | No |
| cwbsvstr | N | cwbsvstr.exe | Part of IBM's iSeries (nee As/400) Client Access - communications suite that allows desktop, browser and wireless access to iSeries servers. Useful if you are going to access the iSeries through Windows Explorer to move files back and forth between Windows folders and iSeries folders. This is a tool that is only used by Client Access administrators (usually) so it is not required - a waste of resources | No |
| cwbwlwiz | ? | cwbwlwiz.exe | Welcome wizard launcher - Part of IBM's iSeries (nee As/400) Client Access - communications suite that allows desktop, browser and wireless access to iSeries servers. What does it do and is it required? | No |
| Cwcdschk.exe | ? | Cwcdschk.exe | IBM Thinkpad related? | No |
| cwcptray | U | cwcptray.exe | Related to ContentWatch Parental Control internet filter | No |
| cwingllib | X | atllsimm.exe | Added by a variant of the SDBOT WORM! | No |
| cwriter | X | ucookw.exe | Part of the ErrClean rogue system error and cleaning utility and other members of this family. See here for more examples | No |
| cwriter | X | cwriter.exe | Part of PcRaiser, SystemOptimizer2008, VelocidadSimple and other rogue optimization utilities - not recommended | No |
| cwupdate | U | cwupdate.exe | ContentProtect from ContentWatch - internet filter | No |
| cximddl | X | ldfrmmd.exe | Added by the BUZUS.CQMU TROJAN! | No |
| CXMon | N | Hpi_Monitor.exe | Autodetects when a HP camera is attached to the computer and launches the "HP Photoimaging Software". Available via Start -> Programs | No |
| cybansos | X | cyban.exe | Added by the TATERF-V WORM! | No |
| Cyber | N | cyberchk.exe | Part of Belkins "Multimedia Cleaning Kit" and is automatically installed when you run their optical disk drive cleaning utility - to remind you to clean your drive after "x" amount of time has passed | 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