# What programs are running on my computer? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 22, 2001, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-programs-are-running-on-my-computer/94729 "2001-11-22T05:12:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2001, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-programs-are-running-on-my-computer/94729/21 "2001-11-22T22:48:26Z")
\>\> Don’t change your logo.sys etc bmps without using a set of proper instructions I have done this several times with no problem. As long as you make sure the dimensions are the same I cannot see how windows could tell the difference. ---
**Author:** ![Hanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b3f665/32.png) [@Hanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hanna)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2001, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-programs-are-running-on-my-computer/94729/22 "2001-11-22T23:03:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by puk \* > \*\*uhm… > > some of those programs do have a purpouse, such as display, mouse and sound driver. Hardly fluff > You might want to make sure you’re not deleting anything ‘important’. \*\* Disabling those programs is not ‘deleting’ them, you’re just shutting them off. It’s easy to go back in and turn them back on if you’re having a problem and need 'em back. What I do if I can’t tell a program/whatever from simply looking at the file name is plunk it into Google. I can usually get a good idea what it is used for from there. ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2001, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-programs-are-running-on-my-computer/94729/23 "2001-11-23T00:10:07Z")
[http://www2.whidbey.net/djdenham/Running\_items.htm](http://www2.whidbey.net/djdenham/Running_items.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Frink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Mr.Frink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Frink)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2001, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-programs-are-running-on-my-computer/94729/24 "2001-11-26T04:19:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by handy \* > \*\* > \*\*If you want to know what a program does, say, ‘rundll’, you can usually put it in your browser as a URL & the keyword search should turn up just what it does. \*\* THIS IS NOT TRUE!!! I’m using Internet Explorer, and when I type in something like “rundll”, it just brings up a _HTTP 500 Internal Server Error_ message. Perhaps, **Handy** , you have your Explorer configured to search for terms entered in the address toolbar in a search engine. If this is the case, you should say so & not assume that everyone else has their browser configured like yours… ---
**Author:** ![Lao\_Tzu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Lao\_Tzu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lao_Tzu)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2001, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-programs-are-running-on-my-computer/94729/25 "2001-11-26T04:45:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by sailor \* > \*\*Things that have been beat to death in quite a few previous threads: > > - What systray.exe is and does (hint: it is _not_ the system tray) > > A search of old threads should give you all the info you need about these topics \*\* I searched and came up empty about systray.exe. I’d sure like to know how to start the systray, because when Internet Explorer crashes on me, it often takes the tray with it (and puts the desktop in “safe” mode). … “Everything has been figured out, except how to live.” --Jean-Paul Sartre [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-programs-are-running-on-my-computer/94729.md?page=1)