Asus G1 Bloatware Investigations

People have been asking what all those start-up processes do. I received my G1 yesterday (Thanks Milestonepc.com!) and figured I'd keep a record of what I did in case it's helpful to others. I'm no high level computer professional, so I'm not guaranteeing any of the below info. Just trying to help out.

Add/Remove Programs:
Removed Norton Virus Checker

Start/Run/msconfig.exe
Click on Startup tab

I unchecked:

alcmtr: Realtek AC97 Audio - used to gather data about customers
ALU: Asus Live Update - can be run from Start menu if needed
ehtray: tray bar process for the Microsoft Media Center- not neede
Zcfgsvc: Intel Zero Config MFC Application - something to do with the wireless card, but I removed it after looking it up and was still online just fine. If it knock you offline, better add it back in.
nerocheck: non essential nero CD fine
qttask: this will appear the first tim you use quicktime. It's unneccessary
rdtask: Virtual Hard Drive (Ram Drive) takes a portion of your system memory (RAM) and uses it to simulate a hard disk drive. Not interested
sm56hlpr: something to do with the modem - haven't used a modem in years
vdtask: virtual drive program - I'll start it manually if I ever want it
logitech setpoint: something to update the mouse software - shouldn't be needed, but if the mouse doesn't work after restart add it in again
(I don't use a mouse and didn't test)

Things I left alone:

multiframe: Allows you to put your open windows in different configurations, see icon in taskbar...unnecessary but I like it
bluetooth manager: figured it was necessary to add bluetooth devices
asus chkmail: don't know for sure, but think this is the utility that makes your front light come on if you have mail. So I left it.
msmsgs: MS Messenger chat program. I use is so I left it. If you don't use, get rid of it.
skype: VOIP program. I use it often, I kept it. If you don't use skype, you can start it from the start menu if you ever need it
lcmp: direct console - controls the flashing lights and the blue lit up area above the keyboard
ACMON: controls Asus Splendid Utility. Press Function "c" to see what this does. I like it.
ABLKSR: supposed to be necessary for Power4Gear which is a power configuration program. Leaving it alone for now.
powerforphone: an asus utility that has something to do with VOIP, because skype asks me about it. Can't figure out what it is so leaving it or now.
batterylife: assume this will light up the front lights to show you when battery is below 10%
ifrmewrk: has something to do with the Intel Proset Wireless Card so leaving it alone although it is supposed to be non-essential. Untested.
wcourier: found this online "wcourier.exe is the ASUS wireless console (which controls bluetooth and wlan) it is set to startup automatically (see msconfig). Hcontrol is also in the startup I think to run the hotkeys along the top of the keyboard. wcourier causes errors on shutdown if hcontrol is not also running."
syntpenh: touchpad utility (and a really good one too)
skytel: some sort of REaltek audio driver. I don't think this is necessary unless you use VOIP and maybe not even then
rthdcpl: Realtek HD Audio Control Panel - see icon in taskbar. You only need this if you want access to that icon in the taskbar. I find it useful.
NvMcTray: gives you access to the Nvidia icon in the task bar.
nwiz: manage multi display or tv-out setups - a Nvidia application that isn't hurting anything but you don't need it
NvCpl: library file for Nvidia
HControl: needed to use Asus' keyboard hotkeys

Feel free to make comments....I'll edit this post if I see good info and moderators are welcome to mess with it as well.

 

I would think this is the Audio driver, but hmmm..

This is not needed, you can uninstall it(It barely ever works...), and updating from the ASUS site is easy enough.

I guess....

Not needed as well, depending on what wireless client you use, Window's built in, or the Intel one.

Not needed as well.

No idea hehe

Hmmmm, interesting...

I think its for the 56k dialup modem.

For the mouse that's included, and its not needed.

 

Yup that's pretty good, most of what you did is basically how my laptop is also setup.

Here's one difference I noticed, you unchecked Zcfgsvc, I personally like Windows Wireless management compared to Intel's program.

Logitech Setpoint is for external mice, like the MX518, G5 and G7, plus other models too, this doesn't hurt your boot up time, also you can even select in the option to have it to load up, but not have an icon in system tray.

 

This brings to mind a question I've always had. Does anyone here know if removing the sytem tray icon saves anything in terms of system resources? I mean if it's still running but not being displayed it's using the same amount of RAM & CPU cycles isn't it?

 

i can't imagine an icon running that much more resources than in the case of not running... it IS just an icon afterall... well this is IMHO anyways

 

Eventhough the icon of SetPoint is not in your system tray, it is still a process running in the background, utilising a small amount of ram and cpu.

I personaly like to have less icons in my system tray, the only one I like to run as an extra is Internet Connections Icon which shows whether i'm connected using LAN (cables) or the Wireless Icon (wirelessly).

 

Not quite clear with you on this one. I think Zcfgscv is an Intel exe, and I use Windows wireless management too (mostly because on two different computers now I haven't been able to get Intel's sorftware to work with my wireless connection), so I assumed I didn't need this. When I restarted I was still online with windows wireless.

It was my understanding from looking that this was just a utility to update the software automatically and not anything to do with the actually mouse functionality, but I could be wrong.

 

Your right it is an the author is Intel, I personaly run my Wireless internet using Zcfgsvc, I had to manually turn it on in the services and then tell it to be my default method of connecting to the internet.

Running Setpoint will also update, but also put an icon in the system tray if you wanted. Then a user would just have to click it to open the utlitiy and then can adjust settings, like DPI management and game profiles. This would be a lot easier than looking for the setpoint icon located somewhere on your computer. You can also tell it not to update, so that you don't get that pop up.

 

How do you disable outlook.exe?

 

Nothing to say. What has this got to do with this thread..

BatteryLife.exe seems associated to Power4Gear+. Regardless of wether the services is running or not, the battery indicator will still flash at 10% regardless.