Manage Add-ons in IE7

:cool I read an article about improving browser speed and poked around in IE7's Tools/Manage Add-ons/Enable or disable Add-ons...

I am not experiencing problems (that I know of), yet am always after more speed as well as getting rid of bloat and any potential mal-ware.

The articles I read advise disabling unneeded entries. Thing is, even when looking at properties where they are available, I am clueless as to what to leave enabled or what to disable. (and I have spent too long searching for relevant answers)

For example, Under the drop-down, "Add-ons currenty loaded in Internet Explorer", the first item is a long series of characters in the pointy brackets... like this {CD67F990-D8E9-11D2-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX}. Left or right clicking shows nothing.

:confused I am assuming that "Adobe PDF" from "Adobe Systems, Inc." enables .pdf's to be read within IE7 and that the other Adobe entries perform similarly.

Here are some other entries under "currently loaded."

Name - Publisher - [all enabled] - Type - File
Spybot Search & Destroy Configuration - (blank) - Browser Extension - (none)
Spybot-SD IE Protection - Safer Networking - BHO - SDHelper.dll
SSVHelper Class - Sun Micro - BHO - ssv.dll
Sun Java Console - Sun Micro - Browser Extension - ssv.dll
Uninstall BitDefender Online Scanner v8 - (blank) - Browser Extension - (blank)
Windows Messenger - (blank) - Browser Extension - (blank)

:confused I suppose I'd keep the Adobe ones, but what about the others? Should I leave the Sun Micro's because I use Java sometimes? And what's up with all the others?

Next we have "Add-ons that have been used...some eighty (80) entries.
Some duplicated with identical files, some duplicated with different files, some identifyable by either the Name or the Publisher. Almost all are Active X's, 6 Browser Extensions :confused, 4 Browser Helper Objects :confused, and 1 Toolbar (Adobe PDF :confused). And of course there is the Long {...XXX-XXXX-etc...} entry.

:confused I wonder if I can get rid of all of these somehow and allow IE to request them as needed.

:major With no apparent problems, I do not want to make a giant job for myself unnecessarily.

Same kinds of questions for the 56 entries under "Add-ons that run without requiring permission" I can recognize some of them but certainly not all. :confused What's a "XSL Template"? --or a :confused "SSVHelper Class" from Sun, --or :confused "Yahoo! VersionInfo" ? I get mail at yahoo but don't use the stupid toolbar...can it go or must it stay? What about the :confused "BDSCANONLINE Control" and its associated "oscan82.ocx" ?

Is ther a way to make this (what is starting to seem like a) 'mountain' into a 'mole hill' ?

TIA

drcarl

 

Add-ons assist in the functionality of software on your pc when that software is accessed or run from within your web browser. None of the add-ons you list are threats, although you can safely delete the BitDefender scanner which may however reappear if you run BitDefender again or often. Sun add-ons relate to Java, Spybot add-ons are security related with Spybots browser protection, and Windows Messenger add-on lets you access the program from your browser. Those previously used add-ons such as XSL Template are Microsoft related and executed from the browser at some point when needed. If you don't use the Yahoo toolbar, assuming its installed, you can remove it from the control panel add/remove programs list, and you may see the related add-on disappear from the list. If you frequently check the manage add-ons window, you will gain a sense of what is a threat or not, and link them to specific software or Windows system activity, etc. You can also visit the directory in processlibrary.com and learn about some of the functions of the associated add-on .exe or .dll file types.

 

Tritonobx - AWESOME!

Thank you...

dr carl

 

That other add-on you mentioned as CD67F990D8E911D2, I had once, and seem to recall as being associated with an old Real Player version. In any event, I think you may safely delete it if desired.

 

--and even if I deleted something needed (the old real player), wouldn't it just re-install when some program calls for it?

 

That's correct. Note however that depending on your browser settings, you may be prompted when an add-on such as an active-X control wants to install. I've also found that browser speed isn't significantly affected by the presence of loading add-ons, assuming they aren't malicious ones. Good luck.