Is there a file description site that doesn't ask you to donwload their 'free tool'?

Factual Questions
1

Often I want to find out what a particular startup file is for (so I can know whether it’s safe to switch it off)

So I google it. What I end up with is a load of links to sites giving an inadequate description and an offer to download their ‘free task manager tool’ or ‘free registry checker too’

I’m trying to make my PC cleaner, not dirtier. I don’t want no lousy sleazy unknown-ware on my computer.

So can anyone recommend a good website for giving descriptions of files that will give you a good description and isn’t trying to peddle some crappy tool?

Note: I also don’t want to do yet another signup to a service. It bugs me that the typical person has to end up with fourty sets of username/password just because he wants to use the internet to find information.

2

Try http://www.sysinfo.org/

There’s also the liutilities Site.

Finally, try googling the file. If there are no hits, then it’s a random name, which is Very Bad.

3

Thanks. I did google. I mentioned that in the OP.

I usually get hits so no badness there. I mainly want to turn off legit stuff that’s not needed (like ‘helpers’ and update managers and so on) I’m pretty good at avoiding bad stuff (touch wood)

sysinfo.org looks good. I’ll use that.

4

A site that is highly recommended by Leo Laporte is BlackViper

I’m not sure if it has the kind of info you are looking for, it seems to be very technical.