Question About Chkdsk

Oh please god, enough of this crap, I'm sick to death of it. Enough with the conflicting advice! In this thread, every piece of advice I got was contradicted by somebody else. One person would tell me to do one thing, another would tell me to do exactly the opposite. One person would tell me I should be really worried about something I'd done and it could cause major damage, another would tell me to relax, take a chill pill, there was nothing to worry about. Guys, when I come here with a problem, the only thing I ask is someone to tell me exactly what I should do, step by step, to resolve it. That's all. I don't want people's differing opinions. All I want are facts. What I should do, what I shouldn't do.

 

Every time I make a new backup image, I replace the last one. Unfortunately, the last one I made was just after this task host problem started. I thought then it had just been a result of the chkdsk I'd just done, and as it didn't occur again for a few days, I made the mistake of thinking everything was fine and I could go ahead and make another backup image, but a few days after I'd done so, the task host problem occurred again without being preceded by a chkdsk. So, unfortunately, the last backup image I have is probably corrupt.

 

I haven't tried it yet. I tried the tweaking tool first. It did 43 jobs. I've restarted the computer a few times now. No repeat yet of the task host problem. My system tray icons are appearing normally. The only problem I'm having now is a restart suddenly takes ages. It used to take about 5 minutes before my desktop was fully loaded and all my system tray icons were appearing as they should. Now it seems to be taking 10-15 minutes each time. I can't keep waiting that long for the computer to start up. What's causing it?

 

Tweaking.com - Windows Repair is the best utility of it's kind. The portable version has been downloaded from MajorGeeks almost a million times. The installer is approaching 3 million. At that's only from MajorGeeks.
I suggest you download and run the portable version.
http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/tweaking_com_windows_repair_portable.html

What the program does is reset everything in Windows to the defaults - it does not tweak or optimize anything.
And a registry backup is made.
Follow the instructions word for word.

Important: The program must be run in safe mode.
Restart and run only the Repairs a second time.

 

Um, see the post just above this one. I have run the tweaking tool. In safe mode. I bypassed "Step 1" and jumped straight to repairs, clicked Open Repairs, didn't change any of the defaults, clicked Start Repairs, it did 43 jobs, took about an hour and a half, and now the only problem I'm having (no more task host crap, so far) is the 10-15 minute wait time for the computer to fully restart where it normally took about 5 minutes.

 

I was typing while you posted.

 

Yep, I see the box. It's checked. I haven't tried a regular shut down yet. I will now. It says under the box, "This helps start your PC faster after shut-down. Restart isn't affected." What setting should I change to ensure restarts are also speeded up?

 

Seems you don't get what I'm asking. I know it doesn't help when I do a restart. That's why I put that part of the quote in bold. What I asked after that quote was what setting should I change to ensure restarts are also speeded up? Great if the computer starts up fast after shut down, but I want it to also start up fast after a restart. That used to be the norm. Shut down or restart, the computer would start up again fast. Now, after I ran the tweaking tool, restarts are taking ages. I assume after I shut down the machine, it'll start up fast (I don't know, I still haven't tried it yet) but I want it to start up fast regardless of whether I've shut down or restarted. Back to the way it did normally.

 

I'll do an experiment now. I'll shut down the machine and see how long it takes to come back on. Then I'll make sure all windows are closed and only the apps that have icons in my system tray are running (unless you think I should shut all them down too), then I'll see how long it takes to restart.

 

Well I just shut down, and timed how long it took before everything on the desktop and all the system tray icons appeared. Unfortunately, it seemed to take the same length of time as the last restart I did. No major difference, even though it was after a shut down and not a restart. About 8-9 mins. Normally (again, before I ran the tweaking tool), after both shut downs and restarts it would take about 4-5 minutes. Tops. What do you think my next step should be?

 

Now I may have a serious problem. I was looking through Task Manager's list of all the startup apps, and I saw GWX Control Panel, and I thought about uninstalling that entirely, but then I went to Windows Update to check the number of an update I'd hidden so I could Google something about it, and Windows Update told me I had no hidden updates, that I'd never checked for updates, that I'd never installed any updates, that I had no update history. It seems the tweaking tool wiped it clean. I'm checking for updates now. I'm dreading the number it'll come up with.

 

What made you think I have Windows 10? I'm on 8.1 Did the tweaking tool remove all my old updates?

 

OK, thanks. Do I also need to be running Macrium Reflect UI Watcher? I looked it up but I couldn't understand anything I read. I don't want to uninstall any Macrium Reflect stuff but do I need it running at startup?

 

Yep, that's the page I found when I looked it up. Couldn't really understand any of that but I'll leave it running as it is. I've also got Malwarebytes running at startup which I don't want to change but I'm wondering why it's not showing up in the list of startup apps in Task Manager.

Now that I look more closely, I see Hard Disk Sentinel and my vpn aren't showing in the list either.

 

So... if not all the apps that run at startup are showing, how can I be sure I'm disabling all the ones I want to?

 

Services ( in Task Manager) will show everything that starts with Windows.

 

Great, thanks.

 

Oh, wow, that's a pretty big list. And I still can't see everything that I know runs at startup. I can't find Dropbox. I arranged all the services by name but couldn't find it in the D's. I've arranged them all by status now. Is there any way I can copy and paste this list so you guys can advise me on which services I can disable? I don't see any way of copying them all to a text file. Should I just take a screenshot and then scroll down and take another one and then just keep doing that until it's finished?

 

I've figured out now how to export the list of services to a .csv file but several of the fields are overlapping. Some of the descriptions are running into the status fields. Is there a way to fix this and tidy it all up?

 

The plot thickens...
Not every third-party program that starts with Windows will run as a Service, some will run as a Process, some will run as both a Service and a Process, some won't run as either, and just to confuse the matter further, some will have different names.

Example: I have a program called Free Desktop Clock and it shows as such under Processes. But under Services it shows as Atomic Alarm Clock.
And CFi ShellToys doesn't show as a Service or a Process.

Resize the columns.

 

Oh, wow, this is becoming nightmarish. I thought I could just make a neat and tidy list of every single thing that runs at startup so people could advise me on what doesn't need to run at startup. But if some things are services, some things are processes, some things are services and processes, some things aren't services or processes, some things are called John when they're services and Jane when they're processes, and the only way to tidy this list is to resize the columns and I can't figure out how to do that, I may just give up and put up with the exhausting startup time. Why can't things just be simple?

 

Are you opening the .csv file in Excel?

 

Nope, LibreOffice.

 

At the top of the spreadsheet you'll see the letters A, B, C, etc. Hover the mouse pointer over the line between 2 letters, it will change to a cross, click and drag to the right.

 

Nope, sorry, don't see A,B,C. Here's what I see.

 

Click OK.

 

Sorry for taking so long to get back about this. Also sorry because I just can't control this spreadsheet. It's crazy. Some of the descriptions go on for****ingever and are running into the next column and the next and the next. The spreadsheet's just ****ed up and impossible to read clearly. Maybe you can just look at the first column for me, with all the names of the services, and tell me if there are any I can disable. I just can't get my head around this spreadsheet.

Turns out I can't even attach the spreadsheet because it's a .csv file and they aren't allowed here, so I'll just try and paste the first column with all the service names. I have no idea how many of these are running. That column of the spreadsheet's just ****ed.

Name
ActiveX Installer (AxInstSV)
Adobe Acrobat Update Service
Adobe Flash Player Update Service
App Readiness
Apple Mobile Device Service
Application Experience
Application Identity
Application Information
Application Layer Gateway Service
AppX Deployment Service (AppXSVC)
aswbIDSAgent
AtherosSvc
Avast Antivirus
Background Intelligent Transfer Service
Background Tasks Infrastructure Service
Base Filtering Engine
BitLocker Drive Encryption Service
Block Level Backup Engine Service
Bluetooth Handsfree Service
Bluetooth Support Service
Bonjour Service
CCDMonitorService
Certificate Propagation
CNG Key Isolation
COM+ Event System
COM+ System Application
Computer Browser
Credential Manager
Cryptographic Services
Cyberlink RichVideo Service(CRVS)
DbxSvc
DCOM Server Process Launcher
Device Association Service
Device Install Service
Device Setup Manager
DHCP Client
Diagnostic Policy Service
Diagnostic Service Host
Diagnostic System Host
Diagnostics Tracking Service
Distributed Link Tracking Client
Distributed Transaction Coordinator
dlcg_device
DNS Client
Dropbox Update Service (dbupdate)
Dropbox Update Service (dbupdatem)
Encrypting File System (EFS)
Energy Server Service WILLAMETTE
ePower Service
Extensible Authentication Protocol
Family Safety
Fax
File History Service
Function Discovery Provider Host
Function Discovery Resource Publication
Google Update Service (gupdate)
Google Update Service (gupdatem)
Group Policy Client
Health Key and Certificate Management
HomeGroup Listener
HomeGroup Provider
Human Interface Device Service
Hyper-V Data Exchange Service
Hyper-V Guest Service Interface
Hyper-V Guest Shutdown Service
Hyper-V Heartbeat Service
Hyper-V Remote Desktop Virtualization Service
Hyper-V Time Synchronization Service
Hyper-V Volume Shadow Copy Requestor
IKE and AuthIP IPsec Keying Modules
Intel(R) Capability Licensing Service Interface
Intel(R) Capability Licensing Service TCP IP Interface
Intel(R) Content Protection HECI Service
Intel(R) HD Graphics Control Panel Service
Intel(R) Integrated Clock Controller Service - Intel(R) ICCS
Intel(R) System Usage Report Service SystemUsageReportSvc_WILLAMETTE
Interactive Services Detection
Internet Connection Sharing (ICS)
Internet Explorer ETW Collector Service
IP Helper
iPod Service
IPsec Policy Agent
KtmRm for Distributed Transaction Coordinator
Launch Manager Service
Link-Layer Topology Discovery Mapper
Local Session Manager
Macrium Service
Malwarebytes Service
Microsoft Account Sign-in Assistant
Microsoft iSCSI Initiator Service
Microsoft Software Shadow Copy Provider
Microsoft Storage Spaces SMP
Mozilla Maintenance Service
Multimedia Class Scheduler
Netlogon
NetTcpPortSharing
Network Access Protection Agent
Network Connected Devices Auto-Setup
Network Connection Broker
Network Connections
Network Connectivity Assistant
Network List Service
Network Location Awareness
Network Store Interface Service
Optimise drives
Peer Name Resolution Protocol
Peer Networking Grouping
Peer Networking Identity Manager
Performance Counter DLL Host
Performance Logs & Alerts
Plug and Play
PNRP Machine Name Publication Service
Portable Device Enumerator Service
Power
Print Spooler
Printer Extensions and Notifications
Problem Reports and Solutions Control Panel Support
Program Compatibility Assistant Service
Quality Windows Audio Video Experience
Quick Access RadioMgr Service
Quick Access Service
Remote Access Auto Connection Manager
Remote Access Connection Manager
Remote Desktop Configuration
Remote Desktop Services
Remote Desktop Services UserMode Port Redirector
Remote Procedure Call (RPC)
Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Locator
Remote Registry
Routing and Remote Access
RPC Endpoint Mapper
Secondary Log-on
Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol Service
Security Accounts Manager
Security Center
Sensor Monitoring Service
Server
Shell Hardware Detection
Smart Card
Smart Card Device Enumeration Service
Smart Card Removal Policy
SNMP Trap
Software Protection
Spot Verifier
SSDP Discovery
Still Image Acquisition Events
Storage Service
Superfetch
System Event Notification Service
System Events Broker
Task Scheduler
TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper
Telephony
Themes
Thread Ordering Server
Time Broker
Touch Keyboard and Handwriting Panel Service
Unsigned Themes
UPnP Device Host
User Energy Server Service WILLAMETTE
User Profile Service
Virtual Disk
Volume Shadow Copy
WebClient
Windows Audio
Windows Audio Endpoint Builder
Windows Biometric Service
Windows Colour System
Windows Connect Now - Config Registrar
Windows Connection Manager
Windows Defender Network Inspection Service
Windows Defender Service
Windows Driver Foundation - User-mode Driver Framework
Windows Encryption Provider Host Service
Windows Error Reporting Service
Windows Event Collector
Windows Event Log
Windows Firewall
Windows Font Cache Service
Windows Image Acquisition (WIA)
Windows Installer
Windows Location Framework Service
Windows Management Instrumentation
Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service
Windows Modules Installer
Windows Presentation Foundation Font Cache 3.0.0.0
Windows Remote Management (WS-Management)
Windows Search
Windows Store Service (WSService)
Windows Time
Windows Update
WinHTTP Web Proxy Auto-Discovery Service
Wired AutoConfig
WLAN AutoConfig
WMI Performance Adapter
Work Folders
Workstation
WWAN AutoConfig

 

I'll help but I'm not going through ±200 entries.
Head over to Black Viper. In the far right column you'll see the 'safe' startups. To change the startup just double-click the service and then change it.
http://www.blackviper.com/service-configurations/black-vipers-windows-8-1-service-configurations/

In future, when you need to attach an unsupported file type, just put it in a ZIP file, like I have done.
In the ZIP file are the startups as per Black Viper in PDF format.

 

Thanks. I just read this on Black Viper's page:

"Before adjusting your service settings, ensure that your system has already installed all updates by “checking now” for any available updates via Windows Update. At this time, it is best for you to ensure that all services are set to the default values before updating your system."

How do I check that all services are set to the default values?

 

Look at the PDF I uploaded for you.

 

Oh, wow, looks like that would take me hours and hours and hours. To go through every service listed in that pdf, check to see whether or not I have it set to its default value and, if not, change it. Oh jesus...

 

All of the standard windows services should be already set to default as a result of running Tweaking.com - Windows Repair.

 

Oh thank **** for that! Thanks!

 

Nope, seems that's not the case. Example: the default value for Device Association Service is Automatic (Trigger Start, Started). Seems, however, that I've got it set at Manual (Trigger Start).

 

And yet you asked me to go through your list which includes third-party programs therefore making it longer...

I have to go, it's 3AM.

 

I wasn't expecting you to look at every single one. I just thought you could skim through the list and point out some ones I could maybe do without.

 

Thanks but I think those steps would be way too drastic. I also don't have any Windows discs that are supposed to come with the PC (got it from an Amazon Marketplace seller). I think I might just go slowly through that PDF list over a few days, try to narrow the slow startup time down. Failing that, just get used to it.

 

Good Idea.
I believe with WinPatrol you can hide the Windows Services and only show those from third-party programs which are the real culprits.
http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/winpatrol.html