Manage Windows Startup Programs, Processes and Services with Portable Program – Starter
Posted by: Barry Cleave in Portable Freeware, tags: Freeware, Independent Review, Portable Application, Portable Freeware, Process Manager, Services Manager, Startup Manager, Windows, WIndows Vista, Windows XP
What’s This About?
Starter is a portable program that will list all your startup programs, running processes and windows services in a simple and well laid out tabbed window. It allows startup programs to be disabled/enabled as well as editing and adding new programs to startup on system boot. All Windows Services are also shown and these can also be edited or details shown. Finally, you can also manage all running processes in a similar way to the Windows Taskmanager. The program is simple and the user interface is well thought out for simplicity combined with good features. As a bonus you also get real-time information on CPU (by core and total) and memory usage in the statusbar area.
Why Would You Want It?
Many Windows systems end up with a lot of programs added into the registry or Startup folder so that they are automatically run when the system ids first started (at system boot). While this can be immensely useful and save time it can also slow down the boot process and the overall performance of the computer if too many programs and services are running. Often these programs are automatically added to be started by the installer (another good reason to use a portable program suite!). Quite often the program or service is really unnecessary for the day to day use of the compute and is just draining resources and slowing down everything else. Windows provides the msconfig utility to view and mange startup programs and you can also view or manage services through the Computer Management console. However, Startup provides a single, well thought out and easy to use utility to manage both of these as well as running processes.
What Does It Do – The Essentials?
Summary:
- Identifies Startup programs in registry, startup folder and system ini files (win.ini, etc)
- Allows startup programs to be:
- disabled
- enabled
- edited
- Shows details of programs in Tooltip or separate window
- Identifies all Windows services
- Allows services to be edited
- Shows details of services in Tooltip or separate window
- Identifies all running processes
- Gives details of processes in main GUI (similar to Taskmanager)
- Allows process priorities to be changed
- Gives details of processes in separate window
Pros: What’s Good?
Features & Benefits
- Freeware
- Portable
- Easy to use
- Good information provided
- Simple options
Cons:What’s Not So Good?
- Lack of help*
* There is absolutely no direct help for the program either with the download or on a website. While the program is simple and intuitive the very minimum should be a list f the available options and functions
More About What it Does in Detail:
Go to Page 2 for details and screenshots
Go to Page 3 for ProReviewer Summary
(see Page Navigation below)
Popularity: 88% [?]
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December 8th, 2008 at 7:27 am - Edit
looking at the screenshot, this software has more detail info compared to msconfig. it looks good.
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December 16th, 2008 at 1:32 pm - Edit
Thanks. Perhaps I can now get finally rid of the @#$% RealScheduler…
December 29th, 2008 at 4:50 pm - Edit
Good review, i like the fact that it does similar things to the taskmanager and various startup programs so you could switch to this and only have one program to worry about. thanks
January 14th, 2009 at 6:48 pm - Edit
Hi again,
I know this is probably a dumb question, but does this mean that if you have a poor machine with low amounts of RAM, then you can actually speed it all up again by removing stuff from startup?
What if you disable something and then all goes wrong, can you then just do the changes with the same tool in SAFE MODE?
Thanks in advance,
Andy
January 15th, 2009 at 9:59 am - Edit
I think the best program in this class is Autoruns, by Sysinternals; it is now a part of Microsoft. This program is also portable, so you can run it without having it installed locally.
I wrote a short tutorial about dealing with Windows blue screen errors using Autoruns (it is one of the many ways in which this program can be helpful).
They also have a tool called Process Monitor, which is an advanced analogue of Task Manager.
——
Andy, you are right – you can speed the machine up by removing various unused components. If you disable something that should stay untouched, you will be able to undo that in safe mode – there is no risk to cause damage that cannot be undone.
February 8th, 2009 at 11:48 am - Edit
Your blog is always a must visits, always have something new, exciting and most importantly very useful stuff. Keep up the good work and Thanks!!
March 5th, 2009 at 11:52 pm - Edit
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March 19th, 2009 at 6:33 pm - Edit
I came to this site looking for something to stop the annoying habit of some windows to steal focus, and found DeskPins. . .which is exactly what I needed.
I have another Window hijack habit I would like to corral with a freeware program; the carpeting of my Desktop by programs that spawn windows and place them where they want to on my Desktop real estate, requiring me to stop what I’m doing and move windows into stacks to avoid the carpeting of my Desktop and what I’m working on.
I’m talking about legit programs that I might be running, like Yahoo Messenger Chat, not POPUPS.
Have you run across anthing that lets you dictate where on the Desktop a program’s windows WILL/CAN be opened. For instance, Yahoo Messenger seems to avoid opening an IM window on top of an existing IM window, scattering them all over. I would like control where on the Desktop the IM windows will/can open (and also their size, if that’s not asking too much) without me having to take action to move/stack the windows there, as I must do now.
I found the recent post on Window Managers (ZoneSize, etc) and will check if the programs cited are what i want. But reading the descriptions, I suspect they are for controling existing windows, not to pre-set where a program will/can open a window. They do seem to have window sizing features that would be useful, regardless.
Thank you for any help….
April 24th, 2009 at 9:59 pm - Edit
Good review, i like the fact that it does similar things to the taskmanager and various start up programs so you could switch to this and only have one program to worry about. thanks
May 5th, 2009 at 9:18 pm - Edit
Have you run across anthing that lets you dictate where on the Desktop a program’s windows WILL/CAN be opened. For instance, Yahoo Messenger seems to avoid opening an IM window on top of an existing IM window, scattering them all over.
June 9th, 2009 at 3:36 am - Edit
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June 24th, 2009 at 5:29 am - Edit
Very informative… Thanks for sharing this information with us…
July 6th, 2009 at 7:45 am - Edit
I just downloaded after reading your review of it. Looks to me like a very good program, with simple interface and hence the lack of help can be obliged.
Does a much better job than the bare bones msconfig in windows.
July 15th, 2009 at 2:42 pm - Edit
this is a useful tip for finding or some time screwing the registry
July 25th, 2009 at 7:00 pm - Edit
It’s a simple application with much benefits, we should install one.
September 10th, 2009 at 2:25 am - Edit
I know this is probably a dumb question, but does this mean that if you have a poor machine with low amounts of RAM, then you can actually speed it all up again by removing stuff from start up?
September 16th, 2009 at 5:02 pm - Edit
excellent review, thank you.
I learned something about Windows Startup Program.
September 25th, 2009 at 9:56 pm - Edit
I work for a software company and once a while i see everyones’ system use to get slower. all that they never see how many process they are running by default. Clean it….
November 18th, 2009 at 2:55 am - Edit
Coolpost..your post increase my know;edge.. Thanks
November 18th, 2009 at 3:03 am - Edit
I know about it..thanks your info
January 27th, 2010 at 10:13 pm - Edit
Great article. well done on taking the time to write it. I know that this can be a big problem when running this OS.