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If you're not finding what you're looking for please go to this forum and submit a new startup entry.

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

	Startup Name	Process Name	Details
U	Ad-watch	Ad-watch.exe	"Part of Lavasoft Ad-aware Plus - realtime spyware-monitor watching your memory and registry for spyware that tries to install or change your system"
?	AlarmWatcher	AlarmWatcher.exe	"Associated with SynTPEnh and SynTPLpr which are from Synaptics for touchpads on laptops. What does it do and is it required?"
U	Anti-Trojan-Watch	ATWatch.exe	Anti-Trojan Watch - trojan detector
U	antidialer.co.uk	Dialer_Watcher.exe	"Dialer_Watcher is an application that allows you to detect dialers on your computer"
N	ashampoo UnInstaller Watcher	UIWatcher.exe	"Part of the Ashampoo® UnInstaller series from Ashampoo GmbH & Co. KG - including UnInstaller Platinum 2
U	AT-Watch	ATWatch.exe	Anti-Trojan Watch - trojan detector
U	Awatch	Awatch.exe	"Diagnosis tool that monitors DSL connections
U	AWMON	Ad-Watch.exe	"Part of Lavasoft Ad-aware Plus - realtime spyware-monitor watching your memory and registry for spyware that tries to install or change your system"
X	BlockWatcher	BlockWatcher.exe	"BlockWatcher rogue security software - not recommended
U	bugwatcher service	bugwatcher.exe	"
N	CleanSweep Useage Watch	CSUSEM32.EXE	Quarterdeck/Norton CleanSweep component - tracks how often you use files and alerts you to files that have not been used for a specified period of time
N	CommonSDK	RoxWatchTray9.exe	"System Tray access to managing the ""Watched Folders""
N	Compaq Video CD Watcher	??	For Compaq PC's. MPEG viewer
X	CPU Watcher	"rundll32.exe cpu.dll	load"
U	CWatch	cw.exe	"ChatWatch - chat monitoring tool"
N	Cyber-shot Viewer Media Check Tool	SPUVolumeWatcher.exe	"Part of the Sony Picture Uility software supplied with Sony Cyber-shot digital cameras. Automatically invokes an import process if the camera is connected and has media on it"
U	defwatch	defwatch.exe	Detects out-of-date virus definitions for Norton Anti-Virus Corporate Edition and runs the Defwatch Wizard. Only required if you don't update the virus definitions manually on a regular basis
N	DLHelperEXE	WATCH.exe	Download helper distributed with some software that allows the software installation to redirect download locations. Not required once the installation is finished
Y	DNE Binding Watchdog	"rundll dnes.dll	DnDneCheckBindings"
Y	DNE DUN Watchdog	"rundll dnes.dll	DnDneCheckDUN13"
N	DocuMagix Init	PWATCH.EXE	"PaperMaster is an application for the PC designed to automate the process of organizing
U	Eicon NetworksLAN_DAEMON	watch.exe	"Associated with an Eicon Networks ISDN or ADSL modem. Watch protocols your connection with numbers and duration. You need callvu.exe (from Start Menu) to see your connection statistics. You can manually start watch.exe before you go online. Needs diinfo.exe (started by DiTask) to work correctly which can be started manually"
U	Eicon TechnologyLAN_DAEMON	watch.exe	"Associated with an Eicon Networks ISDN or ADSL modem. Watch protocols your connection with numbers and duration. You need callvu.exe (from Start Menu) to see your connection statistics. You can manually start watch.exe before you go online. Needs diinfo.exe (started by DiTask) to work correctly which can be started manually"
Y	eSafe Protect	ESPWatch.exe	"eSafe from Aladdin - internet security for gateway and E-mail servers"
N	Gtwatch	gtwatch.exe	Associated with a Mustec scanner and not required
X	IEAgent update check	iewatch.exe	"Added by the BOMKA TROJAN!"
N	InkWatch	InkWatch.exe	Associated with Canon (and maybe other) printers. Tells you when the ink's running low and asks if you want to buy another cartridge on-line
N	Iomega Watch	IOWATCH.EXE	Used by Iomega drives. Available via Start -> Programs
?	iPodWatcher	iPodWatcher.exe	"Associated with Apple's iPod® player. Detects when the iPod® is connected?"
U	ISDNwatch	IWatch.exe	"FRITZ!X ISDNWatch - ""dialing filter for more security and control on the ISDN PC. The PC is doubly protected against dialer programs and premium-service numbers: ISDNWatch allows the user to block calls to and from both individual numbers and whole number blocks"""
U	Lavasoft Adwatch	Ad-watch.exe	"Part of Lavasoft Ad-aware Plus - realtime spyware-monitor watching your memory and registry for spyware that tries to install or change your system"
?	LoadWatcher	Test.exe	"Reportedly part of a webcam surveillance program that's supposed to test SMTP dialling in the event of an alert? Is this correct?"
X	LoadWatcher	watcher.exe	"Watcher spyware"
U	LogWatch	logwat95.exe	Licensing patch for products installed on NT by Computer Associates such as eTrust. Detects and updates old versions of lic98.dll. Not required if you already have a newer version or the patch has been applied
Y	lsburnwatcher	lsburnwatcher.exe	"HP software which helps one create labels after a music CD is burned using LightScribe discs. If you want to use LightScribe labeling
Y	LSBWatcher	lsburnwatcher.exe	"HP software which helps one create labels after a music CD is burned using LightScribe discs. If you want to use LightScribe labeling
X	Memory Watcher	MemoryWatcher.exe	"MemoryWatcher spyware"
?	MSLIB32	mswatch32.exe	"??"
U	myNetWatchman	nwclient.exe	"Sends your firewall alerts to a website
X	NAVWatch	NAVWatcher.exe	"VX2.Transponder parasite updater/installer related"
X	NetWatch32	netwatch.exe	"Added by the MIMAIL.C WORM!"
U	PCWatch	pcwatch.exe	"PCWatch surveillance software. Uninstall this software if you did not install it yourself"
N	Picture Motion Browser Media Check Tool	SPUVolumeWatcher.exe	"Part of the Sony Picture Uility software supplied with Sony camera/camcorder products. Automatically invokes an import process if the camera/camcorder is connected and has media on it"
X	PopUpWatch	PopUpWatch.exe	"BPS spyware remover - not recommended
X	Privacy Watcher	Privacy Watcher.exe	"Privacy Watcher rogue privacy program - not recommended
?	RAMGINAConnWatch	RAMConnWatcher.exe	"Part of Remote Access Manager (RAM) for Nortel Networks - which ""combines an intuitive
Y	Regrun2	WatchDog.exe	"Greatis Software's RegRun security suite which amongst other things replaces MSCONFIG. The WatchDog check for registry changes caused by trojan's
?	Restart Watch	Watch.exe	"Associated with an Eicon Networks Diva ISDN or ADSL modem. What does it do and is it required?"
N	RoboFormWatcher	RoboFormWatcher.exe	"Roboform from Siber Systems. Automatically completes web forms. Available via Start -> Programs"
N	RoxWatchTray	RoxWatchTray.exe	"System Tray access to managing the ""Watched Folders""
N	RoxWatchTray	RoxWatchTray10.exe	"System Tray access to managing the ""Watched Folders""
N	RoxWatchTray	RoxWatchTray9.exe	"System Tray access to managing the ""Watched Folders""
N	RoxWatchTray10	RoxWatchTray10.exe	"System Tray access to managing the ""Watched Folders""
N	RoxWatchTray9	RoxWatchTray9.exe	"System Tray access to managing the ""Watched Folders""
X	SB Watchdog	SBWatchdog.exe	Spyware utility installed by the manufacturers of some laptops (Sony) used to monitor browsing habits and send them back to whoever installed it - released by SoftBank
X	SPYWATCH	SpyWatch.exe	"BPS spyware remover - not recommended
X	SpyWatchE	SpyWatchE.exe	"SpyWatchE rogue security software - not recommended
N	Tiny Watcher Logon Time	Watcher.exe	"Tiny Watcher detects changes to your system. It will not prevent your system from being modified or corrupted. It will only tell you that something suspicious happened. Think of it as an early CAT scan against system tumors. Better to install a tool that will detect and remove bad items"
?	Tvwatch	tvwatch.exe	"Associated with the TV-oOut option on Asus AGP or Intel graphics cards. Is it required?"
N	UIWatcher	UIWatcher.exe	"Part of the Ashampoo® UnInstaller series from Ashampoo GmbH & Co. KG - including UnInstaller Platinum 2
?	VCDWATCH	VCDWATCH.EXE	"Confirmed as Voyetra CD Watcher as it was found in a Compaq/Voyetra/AS2 directory but what does it do?"
N	Watch	watch.exe	Found to be used by a Trust USB scanner for auto starting the scanning software when the lid is lifted
U	Watch	1200UBWATCH.EXE	Button press monitor for the Mustek 1200 UB Scanner
N	Watch Dog Program	watchdog.exe	For Compaq PC's. Associated with Compaq's internet services. Not required if you don't use services provided by them and may not be required even if you do
N	Watchdog	Watchdog.exe	"Definitely part of the Mustek scanner drivers and software (for 600 III EP Plus and maybe others)
?	WatchDog	watchdog.exe	"Part of Motorola ""Mobile Phone Tools"" v3 - in a ""Mobiile Phone Tools"" sub-directory of Program Files"
?	WatchDog	DVDCheck.exe	"Related to an Intervideo program. What does it do and is it required in startup?"
U	WatcherHelper	WaHelper.exe	"Sierra Wireless Watcher™ - wireless configuration utility"
N	WatchWAN	WatchWAN.exe	"WatchWAN keeps an accurate account of the data that is flowing between your computer and the Internet at any given moment. This readout is presented in both numerical and graphical format
N	WeatherWatcher	ww.exe	"WeatherWatcher - weather reporting in the System Tray"
N	Woowatch	Watch.exe	"Wanadoo broadband ISP (now rebranded as Orange) related - not required"
U	x3watch	x3watch.exe	"""program helping with online integrity. Whenever you browse the internet and accesses a site which may contain questionable material
?	XGIWatchDog	XWatDog.exe	"Related to XGI Technology's Volari graphics cards - what does it do and is it required?"
?	YOW tuner	WatchPNM.exe	"??"

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.

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.