Windows 7 - What startup programs are necessary?

Best way to help you is to post a screenshot from startup tab in msconfig,and post it here.

Generally speaking, a lot of folks disable all startup programs except for their antivirus suite and perhaps the touchpad if a laptop. One of our MSMVP forum members recommends just AV and gadgets.

Source: Reinstalling Windows 7

You could try a couple of methods to see what you need/don't need. Disable startup programs from msconfig and see how your machine acts. You can always enable a program again if necessary. Or, you could use a free tool called Soluto that suggests what you can safely remove from startup, what you might be able to remove (based on your own personal needs), and what you must not remove. If you uninstall Soluto, your computer goes back to its original default configuration. But you could install Soluto, see what it recommends, uninstall it, and then use msconfig to experiment with its recommendations.

Download Soluto | Soluto

this all

That's the way to go. And don't worry - All these processes will run when needed.

But if you have a lot of RAM (4GB or more), it does not matter one way or the other.

It looks good to me. You don't need to remove any items from startup.

Personally I would uncheck everything except AV, then swap AVG for Avast 6 or MSE for better performance.

You may want to add back Synaptics if you miss the scrolling bar function on a laptop. I like mine gone.

Display software (Intel) never needs to start up unless you use special settings within that Control Panel. Same with Sound (Realtek). I never install that software myself.

Only if you lose desired Bluetooth function would I add back those listings one at a time.

I would want to know my USB 3.0 is working correctly once I uncheck that. I've never seen USB in Startup list - is this an add-on card?

If you don't use GrooveMonitor I'd also uninstall it at Control Panel>Programs and Features>Office>Change.

VProtect seems to come from VMWare so you should know if it's needed by now. If not uncheck it to find out.

Once you uncheck these and decide for sure, check back to make sure none of them write themselves back in - if so turn them off in their Program Preferences, e.g. under Updates or Start with Windows, etc., or Uninstall them.

To get an even cleaner boot, go into msconfig>Services, Hide All MS Services, then uncheck everything there except your AV. Some offenders sneak in here, so after reboots check back to make sure nothing is freeloading, if so turn it off in Program prefs or uninstall it.

You now have a clean boot.

Interesting
I have USB 3 as startup item

AV (NIS 2011- each their own) is not on the list but certainly starts. So why insist AV be on the startup list?

I have sidebar.exe. Is this the same as Gadget startup?

If it's a MS entry, yes it is.

I've not tried unchecking AV because it's not necessary or desired.

Can you test USB3 to see if you still get it if unchecked?

+1 for this.