Workers' Edge

I get impatient waiting for my Vista PC to boot up. I could just leave the machine in sleep mode, but going long stretches without rebooting can cause problems of its own.

Instead of relying on sleep mode to get my workday started faster, I make it a habit to open Windows' list of start-up apps on a regular basis to determine whether any rogue programs have slipped in, slowing my start-ups unnecessarily. It seems that every time I check the list, some entry catches me by surprise.

To view your start-up apps in XP, click Start > Run, type msconfig.exe, press Enter, and click the Startup tab. You can follow these steps to open the System Configuration utilities' Startup tab in Vista as well, but I recommend you use Windows Defender's Software Explorer instead. To open Software Explorer, press the Windows key, type windows defender, and press Enter. Then click Tools > Software Explorer, and choose Startup Programs on the Category drop-down menu.

On my Vista laptop, Microsoft dominates the list with nine entries. HP, the machine's vendor, is next with six start-up programs, though they're listed in five different entries, one of which isn't labeled as belonging to HP but rather as "Publisher Not Identified." The file name is "HPHCScheduler.exe" and it's stored in an HP folder, so it's not hard to guess who's responsible for it.

Select entries in Vista's Software Explorer to get more information about your start-up apps.

(Credit: Microsoft)

As I worked my way through the Microsoft section of the start-up list on my Vista laptop, two entries caught my eye: Microsoft Media Center Tray Applet and Microsoft Userinit Logon Application. (The other Microsoft start-up apps were OneNote, Windows Explorer, Windows Defender, and four Rundll32 host processes--all either required by Windows or chosen explicitly by me to start automatically.)

I searched the name of the Media Center Tray Applet--ehtray.exe--and learned that it is used for viewing TV and other video. I also found out that it isn't essential and will start automatically when Media Center requires it, so the program doesn't really belong in my start-up list.

A similar search of the file name userinit.exe for the Userinit Logon Application made it clear that this is an essential Windows file that needs to start automatically. The program manages the boot sequence.

Figuring out what to do with the HP programs was tougher. The first two entries were for CyberLink's QuickPlay, a media player with functions similar to Windows' own Media Player, and Quick Launch Buttons, which activate the keyboard's multimedia controls.

HPHC_Scheduler.exe wasn't identified as an HP program in Software Explorer's start-up list, but it's associated with the HP Health Check Scheduler, the company's own built-in diagnostic utility. Likewise, the "hpwuSched Application" (which checks for updates from the company) and two HP Wireless Assistant utilities are worth retaining as auto-start apps.

After you've worked through your list of start-up apps, check your currently running processes. In Software Explorer, select Currently Running Programs on the Category drop-down menu. In XP, you can view the programs running on your PC by pressing Ctrl-Shift-Esc or Ctrl-Alt-Delete to open Task Manager and then clicking the Processes tab (not the Applications tab).

The entry that caught my eye on this list was "HpqToaster.exe." Like HPHC_Scheduler.exe, the program was not identified as an HP app but was stored in an HP folder. I searched the Internet for an explanation of this file but found out only that it may be a "gateway" utility used by other HP programs.

There's a good chance that "HpqToaster.exe" serves a valuable purpose and poses no risk to the security of my system, but I'll never know for sure. I don't understand why hardware and software vendors make it so difficult for their customers to figure out exactly what programs are running on their systems, and why they sometimes--or always--run without you starting them.

In researching these mystery executable files, I saw repeated references to problems related to them, such as security vulnerabilities with HP's Quick Launch Buttons. On the long list of Windows enhancements I'd like to see is a file-name library that describes what each executable file does and why you do--or don't--need it.

A lot of programs you don't need to start with Windows do anyway, or try to. And many that you try to prevent from auto-starting just re-enable themselves. Yesterday I described how to remove recalcitrant apps from Windows XP's auto-start list via the System Configuration utility, or Msconfig. Vista's new Software Explorer makes it easier to get rid of the unnecessary auto-starters on your PC.

(As I mentioned yesterday, the $30 WinPatrol, the free CCleaner, and many other Windows utilities can be used to prevent applications from starting with Windows. Here I'm focusing on the tools built into Windows.)

To open Software Explorer, press the Windows key, type defender, and press Enter, or click Start > All Programs > Windows Defender. Select Tools > Software Explorer, and choose Startup Programs on the drop-down menu (if it isn't already selected). Scroll through the list of programs in the left pane, and select one to see information about it, such as the date it was installed, whether it is part of Vista, and its location in the Registry.

Vista's Software Explorer provides information about the auto-start programs on your PC.

(Credit: Microsoft)

You can either disable or remove the program from Vista's auto-start lineup. If an item is grayed out, click "Show for all users" at the bottom of the screen. When you disable a program from auto-starting here, you don't get nagged about any settings changes the way Msconfig bugs you with pop-ups about diagnostic and selective startups whenever you reset something.

In addition to startup programs, Software Explorer lists the processes currently running on your PC, the programs connected to the network, and Winsock Service Providers, which handle TCP/IP and other network protocols. You can end a process listed under Currently Running Programs by selecting the entry and clicking End Process. However, choosing the Task Manager button merely opens that utility; you have to navigate manually to the process's entry in Task Manager to see more information about it there.

Tomorrow: smoothing the transition to OpenOffice.org.

A couple of times a year, I check the list of autostart programs in Windows XP's System Configuration Utility (aka Msconfig) to see if any apps that I don't need to start automatically have snuck onto the roster.

The older my PC gets, the more important it is to avoid slowing down XP's start-ups as the OS loads programs I'll probably never use.

(Note that the $30 WinPatrol, the free CCleaner, and many other Windows utilities can be used to prevent applications from starting with Windows.

Here, I'm focusing on the tools built into XP. Also, the Software Explorer component of Vista's Windows Defender security application gives you a clearer view of the OS's autostart applications. I'll describe that program tomorrow.)

Msconfig-uring out CTFmon
To view your autostart apps in Msconfig, press the Windows key (or Ctrl-Esc), press R, type msconfig.exe, and press Enter. The last time I checked the list, I noticed an entry for CTFmon.exe. This is an extension for Microsoft Office XP, 2003, and 2007 that enables speech and handwriting recognition, as well as other language functions. Unchecking the program's option in Msconfig does no good because it returns to the list automatically the next time Windows loads.

Microsoft's support site describes a convoluted, multistep process for removing the program from your start-up list. You begin by deactivating it in Microsoft Office via the Control Panel's Add or Remove Programs applet, then you change settings in the Regional and Language Options, and finally, you delete two DLLs manually from the Run box.

"There's gotta be a better way," I thought, as I read through Microsoft's instructions. There is. Gerhard Schlager's CTFMON-Remover does the trick in a fraction of the time. Simply unzip the download file, double-click CtfmonRemover.exe, and select Deactivate CTFMON.EXE. Step through the short wizard, and the program is removed automatically (the option "Is the CTFMON.EXE installed?" switches from a green "Yes" to a red "No.")

The free CTFMON-Remover utility rids Windows' list of autostart apps of this little-used Microsoft Office extension.

(Credit: Gerhard Schlager)

Pruning your list of autostart apps
Uncheck the programs on XP's autostart list that you don't need to have on all the time. Candidates include iTunes, Adobe Acrobat, and utilities for cameras, printers, PDAs, and other peripherals you rarely use. (I noticed that my system was loading control programs for a printer I replaced six months ago.)

Of course, an entry such as the one on my PC for a discarded printer indicates that you're overdue in uninstalling the program altogether, either by using its own uninstall option off the Start menu, or via Add or Remove Programs.

If an entry in your autostart list is unidentifiable, enter the name in your favorite Web search engine, and look for information about it. That's how I found out that I didn't need "point32.exe", which is for Microsoft's IntelliMouse, nor "nwiz.exe", Nvidia's program for "enhancing" my graphics display with features I'll never use.

Just be careful not to uncheck the entry for an autostart program that your system needs to function properly. Keep the entries for your antivirus, firewall, and other security programs checked. Also leave active the listings for your network and Windows itself, as well as for printer and other peripherals you use frequently. When in doubt, leave it checked, though a Web search should shine a light on any mystery file names you find there.

Msconfig craziness
Whenever you make a change in Msconfig, the program prompts you to restart your system. To prevent the message from popping up in the future, check "Don't show this message again" before you click either Restart or Exit without restarting. The next time you start your PC, you'll see a message stating that the System Configuration utility started in "Diagnostic or Selective Startup" mode. Check "Don't show this message or start up the System Configuration Utility when Windows starts," reopen Msconfig, press the General tab, and select Normal Startup > OK > Exit without restart.

Tomorrow: Pare your list of autostart applications in Windows Vista via the Software Explorer.

The more I use Ubuntu, the more I like it. That's not to say I was happy with the operating system's default start-up settings, however. Here are three Ubuntu tweaks that speed up the start of my workday.

Do away with the log-in
I'm the only one using the ancient laptop I installed Ubuntu on, and I don't feel the need to keep interlopers off it, so I set it to start without requiring a log-in ID and password. To cancel the log-in, click System > Administration > Login Window, enter your password, and select the Security tab in the Login Windows Preferences dialog box. Choose your ID in the User drop-down menu, and click Close. The next time you start Ubuntu, the OS will load without prompting you for a username and password. You'll still have to enter your password to access Administration tools, however.

Set Ubuntu to start without prompting for a username and password via this option in the Login Window Preferences dialog box.

Add shortcuts to the top panel of the desktop
One of my favorite Ubuntu applications is the Tomboy note-taker, but opening it by clicking Applications > Accessories > Tomboy Notes takes too long. Instead, I added a shortcut to the program on the panel that runs across the top of the screen, much like Windows' Quick Launch toolbar reversed. To do so, right-click an empty area of the panel, choose Add to Panel, select the program you want to add in the list of Accessories, or scroll down the page to the Desktop & Windows, System & Hardware, or Utilities section, click Add at the bottom of the window, and close it.

Add shortcuts to your favorite Ubuntu apps by selecting them in the Add to Panel dialog box and clicking Add.

Keep your favorite app window on top
Now that I have my notepad at the ready on my desktop, I want to keep other windows I open from obfuscating it. A nice feature of Ubuntu that Windows lacks (unless you tweak the Registry or download a separate always-on-top utility) is the ability to keep a window on top of all others. Just right-click the bar along the top of the window, and select Always on Top from the drop-down menu.

Right-click the top of a program's window in Ubuntu and choose Always on Top to keep it in view as new windows open.

Bonus tip: Get a snapshot of your system performance by adding a mini System Monitor window to your panel: Right-click the panel, choose Add to Panel, scroll down to and select System Monitor, and click Add and Close. Now you can get a continuous glimpse of your system activity, though you may have to squint to make out the miniscule green blips in the tiny black rectangle that appears.

Tomorrow: Tell-tale signs of a Web site's trustworthiness.

One of the first things I noticed after using Ubuntu for a while was how snappy the OS is, especially compared to Windows Vista (which in my experience can't even keep up with its predecessor XP). Then I poked around the Linux forums a little bit and found out that I could work even faster in Ubuntu by changing some default settings, and using a few of the OS's unique keyboard shortcuts.

Start at the beginning by disabling the auto-start Ubuntu apps that you don't need. For example, the ancient laptop I run Ubuntu on has no Bluetooth connection, so I don't need the Bluetooth Manager applet that loads with the OS. To disable this and other unneeded startup programs, click System > Preferences > Sessions, and uncheck the programs you don't use. Other candidates for disabling are the Evolution Alarm Notifier, the Restricted Drivers Manager, Tracker (the search and indexing service), User folders update, and Visual.

Speed Ubuntu's startup by disabling the auto-start apps you don't need.

Another way to cut back on the interface overhead is to disable visual effects: Click System > Preferences > Appearance, select the Visual Effects tab, and choose None.

Pare down the overhead in Ubuntu by disabling unnecessary visual effects.

One thing Ubuntu and Windows have in common is their tendency to run more services than you need. To trim the services overhead in Ubuntu, click System > Administration > Services, and uncheck any unnecessary entries. Just as in Windows, be careful not to disable a required service. In my case, I unchecked Bluetooth device management (bluetooth) and Printer service (cupsys), the former because my laptop lacks Bluetooth capability, and the latter because it isn't connected to any printers. You'll find a list of common Ubuntu services, along with a brief description and advice for leaving them on or turning them off, at this Ubuntu Forum.

Keep Ubuntu running at top speed by disabling unneeded services.

Navigate faster in Ubuntu via keyboard shortcuts: Several of the most popular keyboard shortcuts in Windows work in Ubuntu as well, such as Ctrl-C to copy, Ctrl-V to paste, and Ctrl-S to save a file. Here are a few others for working faster in Ubuntu and its apps:
Alt-F1 opens the Applications menu, then use the arrow keys to navigate the submenus.
Alt-F2 opens the Run Application dialog box.
Alt-F3 opens the Deskbar Applet (F3 opens the search bar at the bottom of the window).
Alt-F4 closes the current window.
Alt-F5 unmaximizes the current window (if it's maximized, of course).
Alt-F7, followed by arrow keys or mouse movement, adjusts the current window's position.
Alt-F8 resizes the current window.
Alt-F9 minimizes the current window.
Alt-F10 maximizes the current window.
Alt-spacebar opens the window menu.
Alt-Tab moves between open windows.
Ctrl-Alt-Tab moves between open panels on the desktop.
Ctrl-W closes the current window.
Ctrl-Q closes the current application.
Here are some keyboard shortcuts for working in the Terminal window:
Ctrl-C kills the current process.
Ctrl-Z sends the current process to the background.
Ctrl-D logs you out.
Ctrl-R finds the last command matching the entered letters.
Tab followed by entered letters lists the available commands beginning with those letters.
Ctrl-U deletes the current line.
Ctrl-K deletes from the cursor right.
Ctrl-W deletes the word before the cursor.
Ctrl-L clears the terminal output.
Shift-Insert pastes the contents of the clipboard.
Alt-F moves forward one word.
Alt-B moves backward one word.

Adjust your keyboard shortcuts: Ubuntu makes it easy to customize your shortcuts. Click System > Preferences > Keyboard Shortcuts, select one of the shortcuts in the list, and enter your preferred keystroke combination. You can also alter your keyboard accessibility options by clicking System > Preferences > Universal Access > Keyboard Accessibility. Here you can enable and adjust the timing for sticky keys, repeat keys, slow keys, bounce keys, toggle keys, and mouse keys (these convert your numeric keypad into mouse controls).

Tomorrow: Diagnose Office crashes.

One way to get Windows to load faster is by using the System Configuration utility (aka Msconfig) to disable programs that start unnecessarily when you boot the operating system. To view this list in XP, click Start>Run, type msconfig, press Enter, and click the Startup tab. In Vista, open your Startup list by pressing the Windows key, typing msconfig, pressing Enter, and clicking the Startup tab.

Be careful not to disable a program that your system needs to start properly. Paul Collins' Startup Applications List can help you determine whether a program is required, or if it can (and sometimes definitely should) be disabled. Play it safe by disabling the programs one at a time, and restarting your system to make sure everything's copacetic before disabling another and repeating the process.

After you uncheck an entry in the Startup list, it remains there, waiting for you to change your mind, I imagine. You can remove the unselected items by editing the Registry, but a simpler way is to use the free MSConfig Cleanup utility from Virtuoza. After you download and install the program, simply open it to view a list of the deselected items in your machine's Startup list. Check those you want to remove permanently and click Clean Up Selected to give the entries the boot for good.

The free MSConfig Cleanup utility removes unchecked items from Windows' Startup list.

Stop Msconfig from starting automatically
One of my Windows XP systems insisted on starting Msconfig every time it booted. I tried clicking Start>Run, typing Msconfig /auto, pressing Enter, and checking "Don't show this message or launch the System Configuration Utility when Windows starts," but the Selective Startup window still popped up whenever Windows opened, requiring me to click OK>Exit Without Restart.

I found a script written by Doug Knox called xp_nomsconfig.vbs that is intended to close the Selective Startup window once and for all, but it didn't work on my system, generating an error message about needing Administrator permissions to run the script. I opened the script in Notepad (right-click it and choose Open With>Notepad), and then noticed that it removed a particular Registry entry called MSConfigReminder. After opening the Registry Editor (click Start>Run, type regedit, and press Enter), I noticed that the entry wasn't located in the key referenced by the script, but was in another: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run (one level up from the key the script pointed to). I deleted the key, restarted the machine, and was delighted to see it start without Selective Startup appearing. Note that before you make any changes to your Registry, create a system-restore point, just in case.

Tomorrow: Troubleshoot Ubuntu Linux wireless-adapter woes.

No two jobs are alike, but one thing millions of us have in common is the daily wait for Windows to get going. Why can't our PCs start as quickly as our radios, TVs, and other electronic devices?

Well, the instant-on PC isn't likely to arrive anytime soon, but you can get your workday rolling without having to stare down that annoying Windows logo. The simplest solution is to set Windows' Power Options to send your system into XP's standby or Vista's sleep mode after it has been idle for a while. Then you can simply head for the door when your work day is done. When you return, just tap your mouse or a key on your keyboard, and say "Good morning!" to your desktop, or whatever apps you left open when you left. (Note that some systems require that you press the power button to bring them back to life.)

You might think this would be a waste of electricity, but your PC actually uses just a tad more power when in standby, hibernate, or sleep mode than it does when it's powered off but plugged in.

Why not use XP's hibernate mode? Your system wakes up faster from standby than from hibernation because standby stores your PC's current state in RAM, while hibernate puts all the system information on your hard drive. It takes longer to read data from a drive than from RAM, so you'll save yourself several seconds by using standby rather than hibernate. Just be sure to save your data before you leave, because if your PC should lose power, the information stored in RAM gets wiped out.

To set Windows XP to standby, right-click the desktop, choose Properties, click the Screen Saver tab, and select the Power button. You can leave the monitor and hard-disk settings at "Never", but pick a time in the System standby drop-down menu that you can live with. For me, 30 minutes is the right balance between going off too soon, and staying on too long.

Set Windows XP to enter standby mode after 30 minutes via this setting in Power Options.

(Credit: Dennis O'Reilly)

If you're not comfortable leaving your PC on when you're not around, click the Advanced tab and check Prompt for password when computer resumes from standby (this feature requires that you are logged into a password-protected account). When you're done, click OK twice.

To put Vista to sleep, click the Start button, type power options, and press Enter. Select Change when the computer sleeps in the left pane, choose 30 minutes in the drop-down menu next to 'Put the computer to sleep', and click Save changes. To have Vista prompt for a password when resuming from standby, click Change advanced power settings, and choose Yes under 'Additional settings/Require a password on wakeup'. Click OK, choose Save changes, and close the Power Options dialog box.

Windows Vista's Power Options applet lets you put your system to sleep after a period of inactivity.

(Credit: Dennis O'Reilly)

Maybe you're the impatient type and don't want to wait 30 minutes, or any length of time, to send your system to dreamland. To put your PC into standby right away, reset its power button from "off" to "standby": In XP, reopen the Power Options Properties dialog box, click the Advanced tab, choose Stand by in the drop-down menu under 'When I press the power button on my computer', and click OK twice.

Do the same in Vista by returning to the Power Options window, then click Choose what the power button does in the left pane, and select Sleep in the drop-down menu next to 'When I press the power button:'. You can also choose Require a password (recommended). When you're done, click Save Changes, and then close the Power Options dialog box.

Security alert: The occasional fresh start does all of us good sometimes, and that goes for Windows as well. Many of the OS's updates require a restart to take effect, so it's a good idea to turn off your PC and reboot Windows from scratch about once a week. Since Microsoft releases most Windows patches on Tuesdays, get into the habit of shutting down your PC manually on Tuesday nights: Click Start*Turn Off Computer*Turn Off in XP, and in Vista press the Windows key, then hit the left-arrow key three times, and finally type u.

Tomorrow: Sometimes a sleeping PC comes to life for no apparent reason, which can be enervating if the sound of a whirring hard drive wakes you up in the middle of the night. And it can be downright disastrous if it happens to a laptop stored in a bag, unless you're looking for a reason to get acquainted with your local PC repair shop after the machine overheats. Another common standby/sleep problem is a dozing system that doesn't want to wake up. I'll cover both subjects in tomorrow's post.