Close Program/Task Manager
This is NOT a list of tasks/processes taken from Task Manager or the Close Program window (CTRL+ALT+DEL) but a list 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 WinTasks 5 Standard/Professional from LIUtilities or the list at AnswersThatWork. 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.

Operating System Differences
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 "Noeton eMail Protect" in the registry.

To avoid the list becoming too large, all VIRUSES are shown using the registry version which is common to all Windows versions.

Alternatively use your browsers search facility - Ctrl+F for IE users.

Key:

"Y" - Normally leave to run at start-up
"N" - Not required - 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

Use your browsers search facility - Ctrl+F for IE users.

X	c	c:archiv~1win.com	Added by the CUYDOC TROJAN!
U	C-Media Echo Control	EchoCtrl.exe	C-Media produce audio chipsets that are often found on popular motherboards with on-board audio. You may need it if you use the echo control feature of C-Media Mixer
N	C-Media Mixer	Mixer.exe	C-Media produce audio chipsets that are often found on popular motherboards with on-board audio. Provides System Tray access to change audio settings. Available via Start -> Settings -> Control Panel or Start -> Programs
U	C2K	CYB2K.EXE	CYBERsitter 2000 or 2001 -  anti-porn filter primarily. Required if you want the sites you visit filtered without having to load the software every time you launch your browser
U	CA-AMAgent	amagent.exe	Unicenter Asset Management is a solution for proactively managing IT assets in a business environment. It provides full-featured asset tracking capabilities through automated discovery, hardware inventory, network inventory, software inventory, configuration management, software usage monitoring, license management and extensive cross-platform reporting
X	Cabchk	Cabchk.exe	Added by the GEMA TROJAN!
X	Cabchk32	Cabchk32.exe	Added by the GEMA TROJAN!
X	CABCInstall	CABCInstall.exe	CABC content delivery software
U	CacheBoost	trayicon.exe	CacheBoost "optimizes the System Cache-Management of Windows XP/2000/NT and Windows .Net Servers, resulting in a performance boost"
N	Cacheman	Cacheman.exe	Freeware disk cache tweaker from Outer Technologies. Should only be run once and not loaded at start-up
Y	CacheMgr	CacheMgr.exe	Sophos Antivirus Remote Update
N	CACStarter	cacstart.exe	Cash A Check - check writing software
U	Caddais BackupOnDemand	BODMon.exe	Caddais BackupOnDemand - "runs in the background and monitors your important files for changes. Within seconds of changing, modified files are automatically backed up to an archive location"
U	CADS	cads.exe	Cyber Sentinel internet filtering software
N	CAgent	CAgent.exe	Abbyy Fine Reader OCR (Optical Character Recognition) software for scanning and converting documents
X	cAgOu	[filename].hta	Added by the KAKWORM WORM!
N	CahootWebcard	CahootWebcard.exe	"The Cahoot Webcard is a virtual card that allows you to use your Cahoot credit card online without ever having to expose your real card numbers over the web. It works by generating one-off transaction numbers as a substitute for your real cahoot credit card details". Run manually when needed
Y	CAISafe	isafe.exe	Part of Computer Associates eTrus EZ Antivirus
N	Cal Reminder Shortcut	calrem.exe	Produces a pop-up reminder of events scheduled using the MS Office Calendar
X	Calc Microsoft Windows	wincalc.exe	Added by an unidentied WORM or TROJAN!
N	Calendar 200X Reminder	calendar.exe	Calendar 200X - shows holidays, reminders of various anniversaries,tasks etc
?	CallBumping	cbpopw.exe	??
N	CallControl	ftctrl32.exe	FaxTalk Messenger Pro is a Windows TAPI based 32-bit application. When installed, the software automatically loads FaxTalk CallControl when you start Windows. When FaxTalk CallControl is running, any TAPI compliant application can request to use the modem from Windows
N	CamCheck	CamCheck.exe	NuCam camera software related
N	Camera Detector	CAMDET~*.EXE	ACDSee Auto Device Detector detects when a device is connected to your PC and gives you the option to acquire images from it automatically
N	Camera Detector	Camdetect.exe	ACDSee Auto Device Detector detects when a device is connected to your PC and gives you the option to acquire images from it automatically
N	Camio Viewer x	IXApplet.exe	Image viewing program that comes with digital cameras. Shows pictures that are in the camera before downloading them. "x" in the name is the version
?	CamMonitor	hpqcmon.exe	From HP and related to digital imaging
N	Canada	Canada.exe	Known to be a dialler - but is it maliscous or clean?
N	Canary	canary-std.exe	Canary monitoring program. Keylogger, monitors all computer activity
X	candy	command32.exe	Added by the RBOT-LV WORM!
X	candynet	Taskmsg.exe	Added by the RBOT-NA WORM!
N	Canon PC1200 iC D600 iR1200G Status Window	CAPM1LAK.EXE	Canon P1200 printer status
N	Canon Printer Monitor BJCxxx	Cjstlst.exe	Trayicon for Canon printer. xxx denotes model. Available via Start -> Programs
N	Capfax	capfax.exe	PhoneTools fax software
Y	Capon	Capon.exe	Canon printer driver
X	CaptionMgr32	crssr.exe	Added by the ZAR.A WORM!
N	Capture Express 2000	capexp.exe	Capture Express - screen capture utility
N	Card Monitor	REGCNT09.exe	For the USB connection on a Panasonic PV-DV701 Digital Camcorder. Available via Start -> Programs
X	Care20	Care20.exe	TopMoxie adware
X	CARPserver	CARPserver.exe	Added by the BANKER-AN TROJAN!
U	CARPservice	carpserv.exe	Associated with Zoltrix modems - enables the internal modem speaker, allowing you to listen to the dial-up sounds for example
U	CasAgnt	CasAgnt.exe	Program by Extended Systems which allows you to sync your Casio PDA with your PC
X	Casdvqwa	bmqnzkg.exe	Added by the RANDEX.BE WORM!
X	caseyvideo	CaseyVideo.exe	Malware causing p0rn popups
X	caseyvideo	caseyvideo[*].exe [* = digit]	Malware causing p0rn popups
X	CashBack	cashback.exe	Part of eXact Advertising Software, consisting of "CashBack by BargainBuddy", BullsEye Network and NaviSearch
N	Cashsurfers Cashbar Navigator	Cashbar.Exe	Cashsurfers CashBar Navigator - "The CashBar rotates banner advertisements once per minute and provides you with access to up to date special offers and deals"
X	CashToolbar	CD_Load.exe	CashToolbar Downloader-MY adware
X	CashToolbar	svchost.exe	CashToolbar Downloader-MY adware. Note - this is not the legitimate svchost.exe process which should NOT appear in Msconfig/Startup!
Y	CAVS	CAVS.exe	Cheyenne (now eTrust) antivirus
X	CAZNOVAS	CAZNOVAS.exe	Added by the CAZNO TROJAN!
U	CBWAttn	CBWAttn.exe	Required for Bitware to answer incoming faxes, can cause sleep mode problems
U	CBWHost	CBWHost.exe	Required for Bitware to answer incoming faxes, can cause sleep mode problems
?	CBWUser	CBWDial.exe	Associated with Bitware that integrates fax, voice, pager, and data communications on your desktop
X	CC2KUI	comet.exe	Comet Cursor - displays different mouse pointers dependent upon the site your visiting. Malware because it automatically installs. See here for more information and for the uninstall procedure
Y	ccApp	ccApp.exe	Part of Norton AntiVirus 2003. Auto-protect and E-mail check will not function without this
X	ccApp	[random filename]	Added by the OBSORB TROJAN! Note the random filename compared to the valid Norton AntiVirus
X	ccApp	WMADZ.EXE	Added by the RBOT-LJ WORM!
X	ccAppr	svcrhost.exe	Premium rate adult content dialler
X	ccApps	services.exe	Added by the NEVEG.B or NEVEG.C WORMS! Note - this is not the legitimate services.exe process, which should not appear in Msconfig/Startup!
X	ccApps	winlogon.exe	Added by the NEVEG.A WORM! Note - this is not the legitimate winlogon.exe process, which should not appear in Msconfig/Startup!
U	CCD Manager	DDS.EXE	Project Labs Century CD manager for their CD/DVD storage device
N	Ccdecode	rundll32.exe streamci, StreamingDeviceSetup	Part of the closed caption decdoder/MS VBI codec. Should only run once
Y	CCDoctorLogonTesting	ccdoctor.exe	Checks your system to make sure it's configured properly for running Rational ClearCase, a source code management tool. ClearCase is fairly sophisticated so there are a lot of system-related things that can cause it grief. If you run ClearCase you should not disable this as it provides a valuable service, but technically it isn't required to use the ClearCase product
Y	ccenter	CCenter.exe	RAV AntiVirus
Y	CcEvtMgr	ccEvtMgr.exe	Part of Norton AntiVirus 2003. Event manager for scheduling weekly scans and or automatic virus updates. Used to start automatically via "ccApp" and was not required as a seperate entry but a recent update changed this
X	ccpApps	csrss.exe	Added by the WEBUS TROJAN! Note - this is not the legitimate csrss.exe process, which should not appear in Msconfig/Startup!
X	ccpApps	lsass.exe	Added by the WEBUS.B TROJAN! Note - this is not the legitimate lsass.exe process, which should not appear in Msconfig/Startup!
U	ccProxy	CCPROXY.EXE	Part of Norton Internet Security, proxy server that is used to support the parental controls. If you turn parental controls off at user level the process is not loaded. Reported to cause excessive CPU usage
Y	CcPxySvc	CCPXYSVC.exe	Part of Norton's AntiVirus 2003, Internet Security and Firewall products. E-mail proxy service - required for E-mail scanning and the firewall
X	ccreg	explorer.exe	Added by the ZCREW TROJAN! Note - the valid "explorer.exe" is located in C:Windows or C:Winnt whereas this one is located in a C:WindowsSystem or C:WinntSystem subdirectory
Y	CcRegVfy	ccRegVfy.exe	Part of Norton AntiVirus 2003. "ccRegVfy.exe is responsible for checking the integrity of the NAV registry entries to make sure that the information has not been changed by a malicious threat or a hack"
Y	ccSetMgr	ccSetMgr.exe	Part of Norton AntiVirus 2004. What does it do?
X	ccUpdate	ccUpdate.exe	Added by the AGOBOT.YS WORM!
U	ccWasher	aolwasher.exe	Webroot Cache & Cookie Washer - cleaning browser tracks, including cache, cookies, history, mail trash, drop-down address bar, auto-complete forms and downloaded program files for IE, Netscape and AOL
U	CCWC7a	ac.exe	Moleculesoft Cache, Cookie & Windows Cleaner Ver. 7 - auto clean
U	CCWC7I	idxl.exe	Moleculesoft Cache, Cookie & Windows Cleaner Ver. 7 - auto clean
U	CCWC7s	stealth.exe	Moleculesoft Cache, Cookie & Windows Cleaner Ver. 7
X	cd1	cd1.exe	Premium rate adult content dialler
N	CDANTSRV	CDANTSRV.exe	C-Dilla License Management software. Used for any program that uses C-dilla Protection, example: 3D Studio Max 4.x. It loads as a service automatically but is not needed unless you run said program. Can be started and stopped manually
X	Cdcompat	Cdcompat.exe	Added by the GEMA TROJAN!
X	cddrv32	cddrv32.exe	Added by a variant of the CRYPTER.C TROJAN!
N	CDInterceptor	cdi.exe	CD indexer for measuring the speed of CD players
N	CDTray	CDTray.exe	On HP PCs, this is the small CD icon next to the time
?	CeEKEY	CeEKey.exe	Toshiba Satellite E-Key related. Is it required?
U	CeEPOWER	cepmtray.exe	Toshiba's Power Management Utility - allows the user to setup different profiles for both AC power and Battery Power on laptops. Contols CPU speed, Monitor Shut Off, Hard Drive Shut-Off, Monitor Brightness, System Stand-by and System Hibernate times
?	Ceic	Ceic.exe	??
X	Cekirge	[path to worm]	Added by the KERGEZ.A WORM!
X	center	[random name]32.exe	Added by the BOFRA.A WORM!
X	CentralProcessor	taskimgr.exe	Added by the BANCOS.J TROJAN!
?	CEPA	wsot.exe	??
X	cesmain.dll	cmail.dll, Rundll32	CnsMin "Chinese Keywords" hijacker related
N	CFD	CFD.exe	BroadJump Client Foundation. Broadband troubleshooting software installed by various companies. Not required and you can remove it via Add/Remove programs
X	CFDStart	WinMuschi.exe	WINMUSCHI dialler
Y	cfgintpr	cfgintpr.exe	Configuration Interpreter - part of Tiny Personal Firewall V4
N	cfgwiz	cfgwiz.exe	Introduced with Norton Anti-Virus 2002, this is a real resource hog. Many NAV users will find they can live without loading it
?	cFosDNT	cFosDNT.exe	cFos DSL Modem driver related. What does it do and is it required?
?	cFosInst_Check	cfosinst.exe	cFos DSL Modem driver related. What does it do and is it required?
X	cftmon32	taskmgr*.exe [* = number]	Added by the SOWSAT.C and SOWSAT.J WORMS!
U	CGServer	cgserver.exe	Associated with an Eicon Networks ISDN or ADSL modem. Call Guard Server (CGserver) watches your modem and blocks incoming or outgoing calls. You need cgard.exe (from Startmenu) to configure cgserver with rules and telephone numbers. Good against unwanted dialer programs
X	Cgtask Services	cgtask.exe	Added by the LALA.B TROJAN!
U	ChamClock	ChamClock.exe	Chameleon Clock - system tray clock replacement
X	change-me-now	msgfix1.exe	Added by the SDBOT.ZD WORM!
?	ChangeLines	chngline.exe	??
N	Chatango	Chatango.exe	Chatango - "allows people to be connected in real time through their Web browsers. Include your Chatango contact link or button when you create eBay auctions, blogs, personal websites, Friendster profiles, and your visitors will be able to contact you instantly, without downloading anything, or registering. Alo use it to send email to your friends, allowing them to respond to you in real time!." The 'MessageCatcher' icon in the System Tray notifies you when you get a message. When you get a message, a little alert pops up, which you can click on and start chatting immediately
N	Chcenter	chcenter.exe	IMSI HiJaak - "the easiest way to convert, capture, and manage all your graphic files"
X	Cheatle	GigaByte.exe	Added by the SHODI.B VIRUS!
N	Check for One Touch Update	wiseupdt.exe	Checks for updates for Visioneer OneTouch scanners
U	Check Messenger	cmesseng.exe	Check Messenger from Qchex.com - program that helps you manage the activity of your Qchex account
U	CheckIt	ToolBox.exe	CheckIt Toolbox from WinCheckIt Diagnostic Software. Toolbox automatically backs up critical system files (such as .ini files and the Windows Registry), and performs a check on various system parameters at intervals you specify
Y	CheckMsgPlus	MsgPlusH.dll, VerifyInstallation	Added by MSN Messenger Plus, a third party extension to MSN Messenger. This is the auto-update feature - see here for more info.
?	checktime	ct.exe	Found in the HPSelectFrontend directory on a HP machine. What is it's purpose and is it required?
U	CherryKeyMan	KeyMan.exe	Multimedia keyboard manager for the Cherry keyboard series. Only required if you use any of the special keys
U	ChineseStar	cstar.exe	Chinese language support software
N	CHKADMIN	CHKADMIN.EXE	Compaq Network Management System. When running, it places an icon in the system tray titled "Intelligent Manageability"
X	chkdsk	c:autoexec.bat	Added by the ANPES WORM!
X	Choke	Choke.exe-blahh	Added by the CHOKE WORM!
X	chostsv	chostsv.exe	Added by the BANPAES.C TROJAN!
U	CHotKey	mhotkey.exe	Enables special keys on Chicony keyboards. Special combinations include Internet, E-mail, vol+, vol-, mute, etc. Only required for extended features
U	CHotKey	MK9805.EXE	Enables special keys on Chicony keyboards. Special combinations include Internet, E-mail, vol+, vol-, mute, etc. Only required for extended features
U	CHotKey	zHotkey.exe	Enables special keys on Chicony keyboards. Special combinations include Internet, E-mail, vol , vol-, mute, etc. Only required for extended features
N	Christmas Music Player	TTEST6.EXE	"Christmas Music Player brings the music of the Christmas Holiday to your desktop"
?	ChromeMark	keysh.exe	Related to this. Don't know what keysh.exe does though and if it's required
?	ChronitelInitTV	CHTVINIT.EXE	??
X	CiaBackdoor	msldr.com	Added by a VIRUS!
X	cihost.exe	cihost.exe	Added by the LINST TROJAN!
N	CIJxP2PSERVER	CIJxP2PS.EXE	Compaq printer utility which is required in order to make the printer work correctly - "x" depends upon the model, ie, for IJ300 x=3, for IJ700 x=7
U	Cisco Systems VPN Client	ipsecdialer.exe	Cisco VPN Client - lets local users gain Administrator privileges on the operating system
N	Cisco Systems VPN Client	vpngui.exe	Sets up IPSec communications for Cisco's VPN Client
N	CISrvr Program	CISRVR.EXE	Related to internet setup on Compaq PC's
X	Cissi	Cissi.exe	Added by the CISSI.A WORM!
N	CitiVAN	CitiVAN.exe	Option from Citibank to change a credit card number in a random fashion for each purchase. The number will only be used once and never again
Y	Cjstcom	Cjstcom.exe	Canon printer BJ status language monitor
Y	ClamWin	ClamTray.exe	ClamWin antivirus
X	Classes	int1.exe	"Switch" adult content dialler
X	Classes	intl.exe	"Switch" adult content dialler
X	Classes	run_21.exe	"Switch" adult content dialler
X	Classes	srv.exe	"Switch" adult content dialler
X	Classes	srv2.exe	"Switch" adult content dialler
X	Classes	MSTAR2.EXE	"Switch" adult content dialler
X	Classes	mstart.exe	"Switch" adult content dialler
U	CLCLSet	CLCL.exe	CLCL clipboard caching utility