Startup TSR stuff

[phaedrus]

I've migrated to Mac awhile back but my wife needed to run a windows program so there's a dell sitting here now. anyway, I've forgotten something. The thing has gone glacial, the 3-finger salute shows 100% processor use all the time, I'm guessing something installed itself somewhere. I remember there used to be a way to pick what would load on startup. What was it?

Thanks,

[-pops-]

Startup Inspector click here will allow you so sort out the programs which load at startup - safer and easier than msconfig.

What is it that uses 100% processor?

[phaedrus]

Thanks, I'll install it.

I don't know what's using it, that's what it shows when I hit the performance tab (task manager.) Is there a way to see what processes in particular hold what percentage of the processor?

Thanks

[-pops-]

In Windows Task Manager under the Processes tab you will see what proportion each process is using.

[phaedrus]

Got it! The print spooler, for reasons known only to an evil spawn locked in the basement of Microsoft, was doing it.

There was an Imagewriter imaginary printer that apparently installed with office, and my wife had inadvertantly printed to it. So the spooler, everytime an office program started (inc outlook) would nearly stop the computer.

I'm going back to my Mac now, and leave her with her silly windows computer, until it breaks again. Really, computing doesn't have to be like this.

Thanks all,

John

[nanna]

I know that the problem has already been solved, but for people with similar problems, Spybot-SD has an advanced tool that lets you pick out your startup processes. one of many wonderful free programs to do this.