which processes should be running?

There are about 50 processes running in my task manager. Which ones should or should not be running?

uh? What Operating System?
And you could start by using msconfig to keep some of those from even starting.

Ok sorry ABOUT THAT.

ok you need to let us know what process's you are running.

I mean dude we are shotting in the dark here, Know 50 sounds a little high , I would understand 10. 20, 25 but fifty is a little high

Now if it is a problem with the, start up.

Then just go to Start--> All Programs--> Startup AND right click and delete the ones you don't want.

You give us the name and maybe we can help you

Jizz

Are you using Win9x? Because unlike Win9x Win2000/XP lists every process, I use Win98 and the only things I see running when pressing CTRL+ALT+DEL is explorer/Wlan monitoring utility/firewall/antivirus. WinXP/2000 list everything that is running so there are many more items.

For Win98 (maybe the registrykeys are different in XP/2000 don't know):
Run Msconfig and remove everything in the startuplist you don't know what it is or you don't want to run.
Launch regedit
->
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Currentversion\Run
and/or
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Currentversion\Run
Check also every other key that begins with "Run" like Run-, Runonce they may also contain things you don't want to run.

System.ini/autoexec.bat/win.ini may also contain things that aren't needed
Again remove everything that you don't need to run.

Watch out what you do!!
Typically the only additional things that should be running automaticly are an antivirusprogram and a firewall.

Don't know about *nix.

Windows 2000 List: http://www.blackviper.com/WIN2K/servicecfg.htm
Windows XP List: http://www.blackviper.com/WinXP/servicecfg.htm

Do some research next time. This has been discussed quite a few times in the past.

AJ