Computer help

[ritaxis]

I want to remove some programs from startup in my computer, for various reasons.

AlcxMonitor -- this is spyware from Realtek

iTunes Helper -- this got installed when the nice fellow downloaded an upgrade for QuickTime. We don't do iTunes. (I like those old scratchy records and those obscure new ones from places I'll never see and when I want something else my kids or my dad will track it down)


mmtask -- yet another music stupidity "Music Match"

I want also to be able to tell the HP printer stuff to go away and not come back unless I ask for it. Especially the updater.

Any advice?

Comments

[n6tqs.livejournal.com]

CCleaner http://www.ccleaner.com/, is what was suggested to me. It seems to work.

[dsgood.livejournal.com]

For a Windows computer, I would say that's a good choice.

[ellarien]

I fight a running battle with spyware and adware on a friend's computer. The really nasty stuff takes specialized tools, but I've learned a few general tricks along the way.

You may know this already, but it's sometimes a good idea to turn off the System Restore feature in Windows before getting rid of stuff you don't want to come back. (Control Panel/System/System Restore).

msconfig (invoke it from the Run box on the Start Menu) is very useful. The "startup" tab will show you what runs at startup and where it is told to run; often that's in the registry. (Proceed with caution, of course, but I have managed to delete annoyances that way using regedit.) You can also use msconfig to ask for a 'diagnostic startup', which is a lot like starting in safe mode, but easier, and may let you get rid of some things that refuse to be deleted while they're running.

Some Startup things will be in the Startup folder in your own start menu, where you can use the Advanced button on Control Panel/Taskbar and Start Menu/Customize) to clear them, but some may be in the All Users start menu, ('Common Startup') in msconfig, which you can get to from c:\documents and settings\all users\start menu.

Startup Inspector

[del-c.livejournal.com]

I use Startup Inspector for Windows

http://www.windowsstartup.com/

[randwolf.livejournal.com]

Probably a good idea to let an expert work on the system. :-(

The spyware removal tools I am aware of are AdAware and SpyBot S&D. Problem is, I don't know that they cover your problems. Most of the Apple software is fairly harmless, and can probably just be shut off. The HP printer stuff can probably be uninstalled by standard procedures (if you have an HP printer, you may be stuck with it, though). iTunes helper can probably be shut off with preferences, any may be uninstallable, but QT could depend on it.

Have I mentioned today that I hate Windows?