Start Up Applications T

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 t xclean.exe Flashtrack.B adware

N T-DSL SpeedMgr speedmgr.exe T-Online ISP SpeedManager - shows upload and download speed. Also checks for updates automatically

X Taba stte.exe Clickspring spyware

N Tablet Tablet.exe Loads the tablet drivers for the Wacom Graphics Tablet. This can be unchecked in msconfig without problems if you don't need the tablet functional all the time. Create your own shortcut if you need to run it ad hoc. If you forget to run it before running Paint Shop Pro & Adobe Photo Shop) you may find the following: (1) Paint Shop Pro (version 7.04) - (a) Browse function will NOT work (program freezes) (b) On program exit, PSP does not terminate (you have to CTRL+ALT+DEL to close it) (2) Photo Shop (version 6.01) - (a) Program functions slowdown (d) On program exit it takes noticeably longer to shut down (like 30-45 seconds)

Y tablet s tablet s Starts the Wacom Penabled driver on Acer Tablet PCs (tablet icon with a green check appears during startup if successful)

U TabletTip tabtip.exe The Microsoft Tablet PC Input Panel converts handwriting to text dynamically, and you can make corrections quickly and easily before inserting text

Y TabUserW TabUserW.exe Wacom pen tablet driver

N Tad tad.exe From Turtle Beach's Santa Cruz on a Dell WinME system. Not required - works fine without it including keyboard hot controls for volume and mute

? TAG tag.exe ??

N Tahni Deskmate Tahni.exe Tahni Deskmate - "Interactive cartoon character that lives on your Windows desktop"

N TalkingReminder TALKINGREMINDER.EXE Talking Reminder from Software River Solutions - talking calendar reminder

? talknow talknow.exe Could it be related to this or something similar?

? Tango Setup.exe Tango Broadband access software. Is it required?

? TangoManager TangoManager.exe Tango Broadband access software. Is it required?

X Tapicfg Tapicfg.exe CoolWebSearch parasite variant

X Tapisys tss.exe Added by the SMALL TROJAN!

U TapiTNA TapiTNA.exe Telephony Location Selector allowing mobile users to change dialling locations - part of the Win95 Power Toys

U Tardis Tardis.exe Tardis - time synchronization software

X Task tasker.exe Added by the MYDOOM.R WORM!

X Task Bar TASKBAR.EXE Added by the FRETHEM.J WORM!

? Task BarClient TaskBarClient.exe Responsible for creating the System Tray icon and associated display system for the Starband satellite always on internet service

? Task BarSvr TaskBarSvr.exe Part of the Starband satellite always on internet service. Not included on the current system. What does it do and is it needed?

X Task Manager taskmngr.exe Added by the RBOT.Y WORM!

X Task Monitoring Service svchost.exe Added by the CONE.D WORM! Note - this is not the legitimate svchost.exe process which should NOT appear in Msconfig/Startup!

X task service taskservices.exe Added by a variant of the RBOT WORM!

N Taskbar Taskbar.exe Taskbar icon for the Redline RegTweak overclocking program as supplied with Sapphire ATI graphics cards

N TaskBar CTLTask.exe Creative SoundBlaster Audigy Taskbar - used to choose between different types of EAX Effects, not required in startup. NOTE: if you get a ctltask.exe error message while installing the Audigy drivers, see this Microsoft Knowledge Base article

N Taskbar Display Controls RunDLL deskcp16.dll, QUICKRES_RUNDLLENTRY Only appears in MSCONFIG if you have a Display Settings icon in the System Tray allowing resolution changes on the fly. Can also be disabled under Control Panel -> Display -> Settings -> Advanced -> General. Also appears if you have Win95 with the QuickRes "Powertoy" installed

X Taskbell.exe Rund1.exe Added by the YIPID TROJAN!

X TaskMan rundll32.exe Added by the DVLDR TROJAN! Note - this is not the valid "rundll32.exe" as it's in the WindowsFonts directory

X taskmanager taskmgr.com Added by the BEREB WORM!

X Taskmgo [path to file] Added by the BANCBAN-T TROJAN!

X Taskmgr Taskmgr.exe System1060 homepage hi-jacker. Note - this is not a Windows file and is found in a WindowsSystem1060 directory

X Taskmgr tskmgr32.exe Homepage hi-jacker

X taskmgr taskmgr.exe Added by the Startpage.G hijacker. Note - this is NOT the Windows Task Manager file!

N taskmgr.exe taskmgr.exe Windows Task Manager in Windows XP. If run from the Startup folder, the tray icon will be put to the system tray after boot. Useful to check if XP has finished running the delayed services after boot. Available via a desktop shortcut

X taskmgr.exe paint.exe Added by a variant of the AGENT.AH downloader TROJAN!

X taskmgr.exe mirc.exe Added by a variant of the AGENT.AH TROJAN!

X taskmgr.exe paintms.exe Added by a variant of the AGENT.AH TROJAN!

X taskmngr lptt01 taskmngr.exe Variant of the RapidBlaster parasite (in a "Taskmngr" folder in Program Files). It is not recommended you manually uninstall RapidBlaster but use RapidBlaster Killer - see here

X taskmngr ml097e taskmngr.exe Variant of the RapidBlaster parasite (in a "Taskmngr" folder in Program Files). It is not recommended you manually uninstall RapidBlaster but use RapidBlaster Killer - see here

X TaskMon taskmon.exe Added by the MYDOOM.A or MYDOOM.J WORMS! Note - this is not the legitimate Win9x/Me file of the same name which resides in C:Windows as this version resides in C:WindowsSystem (Win9x/Me), C:WinntSystem32 (WinNT/2K), or C:WindowsSystem32 (WinXP). It is not normally on a WinXP system

X Taskmon driver winampa.exe Added by the LOONY-I TROJAN!

U TaskMonitor taskmon.exe The Task Monitor checks the disk-access patterns of programs when they are started and stores this information in log files in the Applog folder. Task Monitor also records the number of times you use a program. The Disk Defragmenter tool uses this information to optimize your hard disk so that programs that you use frequently are loaded faster. Not required - but can be useful. Note: for Norton Anti-Virus 2002 users, loading TaskMonitor will typically solve many, if not most, of those annoying IE scripting errors (per Symantec's Knowledgebase)

X taskopen.exe taskopen.exe Added by the HIDD.C TROJAN!

N TaskPlus TASKPLUS0.EXE Task and calendar management software available as freeware or as a "Professional" version for sharing over a LAN

N TaskPlus TASKPL~1.EXE Task and calendar management software available as freeware or as a "Professional" version for sharing over a LAN

X TaskReg [random filename] Added by the CBLAD WORM!

X Taskschd TRAYWND.EXE Added by the LITMUS.002 TROJAN!

N taskswitch taskswitch.exe ALT+TAB replacement Powertoy for Windows XP - enhances the graphics displayed when you want to switch between programs running full-screen

X tasksys tasksys.vbs Added by the BYRON WORM!

N Tasktray CTLTray.exe Installed with the Sound Blaster Audigy range of soundcards. Allows you to set EAX effects or equalizer settings for the Sound Blaster Audigy from a systray icon. Also allows you to launch the Taskbar via right-click -> Show Taskbar. The tasktray can be accessed via Start -> Programs -> Creative -> Sound Blaster Audigy -> Taskbar

X tat tatss.exe Delfin Promulgate adware variant

Y Tau monitor Taumon.exe "Tauscan is a powerful Trojan Horse detection and removal engine capable of catching every known type of backdoor that can threaten your system."

U TB2PROEXE tb2start.exe Timbuktu Pro - remote desktop access software

U TBC Pro tbcpro.exe TitleBarClock Pro - displays Day, Time, Date, Month, Year, FreeMem, and FreeDriveSpace on the right side of the title bar in any main window that has the mouse or keyboard focus

N tbctray tbctray.exe Provides quick access via a System Tray icon to the control panel for Turtle Beach's Santa Cruz or VideoLogic's SonicFury soundcards. Available via Start -> Settings -> Control Panel

Y TBLFUNC tblmouse.exe Aiptek HyperPen driver

U TBPanel TBPanel.exe Configuration utility for Gainward graphics cards. Not required unless you use non-default settings. Available via Start -> Settings -> Control Panel

X TBPS TBPS.exe WebSearch toolbar, HuntBar parasite variant

N TBTray tbtray.exe VLSI/QSound ThunderBird PCI Control Panel. System Tray access to the settings for this and related soundcards. Available via Start -> Settings -> Control Panel

? TB_setup TB_ANI~1.EXE ??

X TB_setup tb_setup.exe HuntBar parasite toolbar installer

Y tcactive tca.exe Part of The Cleaner from MooSoft - stops virus trojans before they can do any damage

N TCASUTIEXE tcaudiag.exe 3Com NIC Installation/Diagnostic MFC application. Diagnostics may be run from the Start -> Programs

N TCASUTIEXE TCASUTI.exe Associated with the 3COM diagnostic module (3COM NIC Doctor). No further information is available

N TCAUDIAG -off tcaudiag.exe 3Com NIC Installation/Diagnostic MFC application. Diagnostics may be run from the Start -> Programs

? TCDPbtn TCDPbtn.exe Found on a Toshiba laptop

? TCDPlay TCDPlay.drv Found on a Toshiba laptop - sounds like the driver for the CD-ROM but why doesn't it use the standard Windows drivers - any comments?

U TClock TCLOCK.EXE Kazubon TClock. Utility that amongst other things synchronizes your system clock with Internet time servers. Available via Start -> Programs

U TClockEx TCLOCKEX.EXE Puts a configurable time/date display in the tray (and other features). Freeware by Dale Nurden and is popular on cover disks

U tcmonitor tcm.exe Part of The Cleaner from MooSoft - warns of changes to the registry

X TCP Monitoring LanNSvc.exe Added by the RANDEX.AAS WORM!

X tcupdater tcupdater.exe Topconverting.com/180Search adware updater

? TDispVol TDispVol.exe ??

U TDKSTART TDKSTART.EXE Sets the spindown timeout and access speeds at startup and displays a splash screen for CD-RW.

N TDKTASK TDKTASK.EXE Taskbar utility for a "control panel" for a CD-RW

? TDockNUndock N/A Found on a Toshiba laptop - for use with a docking station?

U TDS3 TDS-3.exe DiamondCS TDS3 antitrojan. Can be used to scan on demand, but required in startup if you prefer real time protection

? TDspOff Tdspoff.exe Found on a Toshiba laptop

N Teach In Box teachbox.exe Tutoring program that comes with a SystemAX Computer

Y Tech-In-A-Box techbox.exe Tech-in-a-Box "provides easy-to-use tools for various system maintenance tasks. From backup and restore to diagnostics and repairs, Tech-in-a-Box is your tool to stay up and running"

U Telechips,Mass patch.exe Removable disk driver for the Muro MP3 player

N Telemeter 3.0 telemeter3.exe Internet connection bandwidth meter from a user ISP

Y Telepath telepath.exe Drivers for the WinModem versions of the US Robotics "Telepath" series - as supplied to Gateway for instance. WinModems use software rather than hardware - hence putting a load on the CPU. Needed if you have it for loading the drivers. See here for more WinModem information

Y TELUS Security service freedom.exe Freedom Internet Security, provided by TELUS Communications Inc

X TempCom [randomname].com Added by the TRAXG WORM!

X tempx tempx.exe Added by the TEMPEX.A TROJAN!

X Tencent QQ Rund1132.exe qq.dll, Rundll32 Added by the QQPASS.F TROJAN!