PC expert help needed! Optimizing DVD playback on laptop.

[Jim A. Banville]

I am a PC novice. I want to optimize my new Compaq laptop for DVD playback. I would therefore like to permanently close a slew of programs that auto start when I boot the PC. Here's the list I get when I press Control-Alt-Delete.(along with what I think they are in parenthesis)...
Cpqeadm(Compaq?), Realplay(Realplayer), Bttnserv, Osa, Findfast, Remind32, WKcalrem(weekly calender reminder?), syntpenh, systray, syntplpr, starteak and CStray(Compuserve tray icon?).
Thanks!
Jim

 

[Roy Van Nostrand]

On Win9x, hit start button, select run and type in msconfig, select the startup tab and uncheck the items you want to disable in startup. You need to at the very least, have systray and explorer enabled.
If you have Windows 2000, you'll have to download a startup utility such as Startup CPL, Startup Cop, Startup Mgr. or download the msconfig for Windows XP. If this is the case, let me know and I'll email you or post some links.
Roy Van Nostrand

 

[Jim A. Banville]

Thanks Roy! When I use startup>run>msconfig to cancel all the programs at startup except system tray and explorer, I get a dialog box upon reboot that says I'm using selective startup to troubleshoot problems. Should this concern me?
thanks again Roy!
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Jim
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Mancow rocks! www.mancow.com

 

[Roy Van Nostrand]

Sounds like a Windows ME message. After you run the msconfig utility, the next startup will give you that message automatically. Nothing too worry about, just click the "don't show this again" box and it won't give you that message again until you go back in and adjust something in msconfig again.
You can't get into too much trouble with turning things off under the startup tab in msconfig. You'll always have the ability to access the msconfig utility in safe mode and turn back on anything that it didn't like to have turned off, if your computer decides you undid too much and it starts up in safe mode. Also, you can simply check the "normal startup" box in msconfig and restore all the startup items.
You can get into lots of trouble ie. the computer won't boot up, if you mess around with the other tabs in msconfig. Beware.
Roy Van Nostrand