Which of these start-up applications should I remove?

Hello!

I am currently deactivating several programs from my boot-list in an attempt to stop a little problem I am having.

I came across a couple programs that I am not sure would be such a good idea to deactivate, and I am asking you all to help me. :)

Here is a screen shot of a list showing all the items I am confused about.

My computer is an Asus G74Sx and has an Intel i7 processor, so I have no idea why there is an AMD Dual-Core Optimizer in there, I suppose I should deactivate it, but I just want to check with you lot first.

The programs starting with ATK and such I assume have something to do with the functionality of my laptop, such as ACMON, i checked online and found that it controls the button which switches between high performance and all that.
Would disabling these affect my computer in any major way? i.e. make it more unstable, certain laptop specific keys, such as the Fn-key losing functionality etc.?

And the Win 7 DDK driver; it says something about USB 3.0 it's located under (...)\Fresco Logic USB3.0 Host Controller\amd64_host\FlxHCIm.exe. My PC had one USB 3.0 port, would disabling this make it stop working?

Finally there are;
"Finger-sensing Pad" %Program Files%\FSP\fspuip.exe - would diabling this make my touch-pad stop working?
"THXCfg64" C:\Windows\system32\RunDLL32.exe C:\Windows\system32\THXCfg64.dll,RunDLLEntry THXCfg64
and
"THXAudioNB" - Both made by Creative; would removing them affect audio?

This post looks pretty messy and I apologize. Hope I'm not coming across as too much of a greenhorn. ;p

Trial and error is your best method. Uncheck stuff and see if you lose functionality. If you do, then recheck it.

I'd make a Word document or some sort of list to keep track of what I had done and what functionality issues I then ran across.

Windows will start with all of it unchecked, but you should leave antivirus checked. (AVG in your case).

I've got only 4 or 5 things checked and don't need most of them.

I've got an Intel processor and have never seen that "dual core optimizer" thing that you have.

Establish a Clean boot as shown in Troubleshooting Steps for Windows 7.

You most likely don't need anything running except your AV and gadgets/stickies/Skydrive/fingerprint reader if you use them. All others are freeloaders on the your resources and spy on you to make money on the side.

I know this is a necro-bump and the OP has likely got the answers he needed, but there are still a few that use ancient machinerey from three years ago! (And a lot come to topics like these from Google.)

Thought I might just answer a few of these, as I have the same machine and have done some research myself.

Grey said:

The programs starting with ATK and such I assume have something to do with the functionality of my laptop, such as ACMON, i checked online and found that it controls the button which switches between high performance and all that.
Would disabling these affect my computer in any major way? i.e. make it more unstable, certain laptop specific keys, such as the Fn-key losing functionality etc.?

There are a few ATK entries, and they're all related to the FN keys and adjusting volume and brightness.
However, the glaring flamboyant animations that pop up really annoyed me, and so you can disable the process ATKOSD2 and delete the folder named that from the ATK folder. (If you don't delete it, it will start up again next time.)

Grey said:

And the Win 7 DDK driver; it says something about USB 3.0 it's located under (...)\Fresco Logic USB3.0 Host Controller\amd64_host\FlxHCIm.exe. My PC had one USB 3.0 port, would disabling this make it stop working?

It does indeed contain the drivers for the USB 3.0 port, without these installed, it won't work. I'm really liking Fresco because it does this one thing, and it does it well.

Grey said:

"THXCfg64" C:\Windows\system32\RunDLL32.exe C:\Windows\system32\THXCfg64.dll,RunDLLEntry THXCfg64
and
"THXAudioNB" - Both made by Creative; would removing them affect audio?

I am assuming the top one is the equaliser provided by THX (with the three settings External speakers - internal speakers - headphones), but I'm not sure.

THXAudioNB I never noticed myself, but it's on my system, I'm unchecking it now to see what happens next time I boot. (This is how I got here!)

Sound and USB controllers are of course needed for their driver, but not for the software which starts with Windows. I always 86.

Again, this is bargaining with the devil. You only need AV, Sync, gadgets, stickies and Flash to start with Windows.