MS Performance Check recurring multiple start-up programs

[ToniB]

Hi,

Am running a MS performance check on my Win7 x64, it has been slow for a while, getting worse. Potential memory leak, etc

Performance Check found duplicate programs running at startup. I clicked to disable one of them, it said problem wasn't fixed so I reran and found both had disappeared from startup list but another program showed up as duplicate. Same thing happened several times. I now have lost startup on several Intel and Toshiba items.

1) Wondering if this might be a virus or a pending failure as I didn't restart or do anything to change what was on the "start-up" list between running the changing performance check.

2) Although I assume MS wouldn't give me the option to remove them if they were vital, I have no idea what I have removed or if they are features I want/use.

Any help/insight would be much appreciated!

 

[Layback Bear]

Exactly what program are you using to do the performance check?

 

[ToniB]

I was using the Microsoft tool available from the control panel - all control panel options>troubleshooting>system and security>check for performance issues

 

[Layback Bear]

Could you post a picture of the results you get.

Use this tutorial to do so.

By Brink:

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/9733-screenshots-files-upload-post-seven-forums.html

 

[ToniB]

Here are an example run-though's screenshots. The duplicate file in this case is the Synaptics Pointing Device Driver (Snip1) located at C:\Program Files\Synaptics\SynTP\SynTPEnh.exe. Also shown is the control panel search window with the test I ran shown. I clicked on the first Synaptics Pointing Device Driver and ran.

Snip2 shows the notice that the problem wasn't fixed. Snip 3 shows detailed info mentioned in Snip 2.
As Snip4 shows, the Performance Check option doesn't show in a current search but was still available from the previously-opened window (shown in Snip1). [This is new on this run-through -- all the other times, the Performance Check option did show. Not sure what caused this.]

Snip5 shows the new results - BOTH Synaptics are gone but TOSHIBA eco Utility (C:\Program Files\TOSHIBA\TECO\Teco.exe" /r) is now duplicated.

This is what happened about 5 or 6 times now, each time with a different file affected.

 

[Layback Bear]

Well I have never used your method to find such things.

Try using these.


msconfig Startup and NON Microsoft services.

 

[ToniB]

I see a lot of junk in both of them and many old startup items that have been disabled but still show. No duplicates are obvious though with the exception of lastpass installer which was disabled but is now there again and active.

 

[Layback Bear]

Notice that I have very little with check marks. That means they will not start at boot.
Their is no need for them to. They will only start when I or Windows 7 tells them to.

I would start by unchecking things not need to start at boot. Just keep your security programs checked.
Then reboot.

Next I would run several security scans.
You may or may not have things on your computer that you don't want that are running in the background.

Update your Avast and do a complete scan.

Here are some more security programs I use and recommend. No one security programs does it all. So you can use these programs also. I would try the free versions first.

https://www.malwarebytes.org/mwb-download/

Free Virus Scan | Online Virus Scanner from ESET

SUPERAntiSpyware - AntiAdware. AntiSpyware. AntiMalware.

I only use one scanner at a time. When it's done I start another with another program.

 

[ToniB]

Thanks, will do. Quick question -- the list of unchecked items in my startup folder is very long, (maybe 25 programs), most of which are inactive. Is there a good way to get them out and will that perhaps help clear things up?

 

[Layback Bear]

You can remove any program you don't want.
msconfig Startup just allows you to choose what starts and when. It is not a method for removing programs.


Here is a tutorial by Brink that has many things to help you. Read it carefully.
Some things you will want to do and some you may choose not to do.
It will probably answer a lot of your questions.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/11728-optimize-windows-7-a.html

 

[ToniB]

Thank you. (I knew it wouldn't remove the programs themselves , I wasn't sure if the long list of "unchecked" things in the msconfig list made things slower somehow.

 

[Layback Bear]

Things in msconfig startup and non Microsoft services that are unchecked will not slow your computer down as far as I know.

Things that don't run don't slow down computers. They will just sit there and do nothing until requested to.