14 DAY TRIAL // Most of you know that when Windows is starting it will also load some additional processes. Some of them are from the system while others are set to start automatically by the user. The latter case involves e-mail clients, antiviruses, firewalls, widget engines, RSS readers, instant messaging software or God knows what else you want to be started with Windows.
I try to keep the list of loading processes as short as possible as many of the items do nothing then using my computers resource (RAM) for nothing. Adobe Reader for instance will load with Windows and unless you are frequently using the application you should remove it from the startup folder as soon as you have the chance.
Managing the processes that run on your computer eating up your RAM can be done with Task Manager utility provided in Windows OS. But the limitations of this program restrict removing one process for good from the list or adding one that you really need to speed up the launch of an application that you also really need. All you can do in here is end the process and at the next restart of the computer it'll be right back in the list.
StartU is a nifty little application that can help you properly manage the processes loading with your OS. The program has been redesigned a couple of times and the beta version it did not do too well the last time we checked. However, the developer insisted in straightening the minor bugs and glitches of the software and came up with version 1 of the program. The interface has a different look from what I have noticed and I must say that this color fits even better than the last one. That's about all there is changed in what concerns the looks of the program.
The installation was smooth and created absolutely no problems. After its completion, the user will be invited to configure the application according to his/her needs. The Setup Wizard walks you through the options available (language choosing and General Settings - enabling of the process monitor and automatic checking for updates). It will not take more than three seconds to complete the wizard and after the finish you will have the list of the processes that start with Windows.
Clicking on them will result in StartU's display of the details available: the location of the executable on your hard disk and the properties (loads for all users of the computer or just the current user). A context menu has been added for each item and now you can quickly add a new process or delete an old one. Upon deletion, you can create a backup of the file so - in case you change your mind - you can undo the last action and load that process again. Restoring the backups can be done from both File menu and from right-clicking one of the elements in the list.
Adding new elements and removing existing ones is also possible from the toolbar. Changing the properties of the items that start with your OS (operating system) is easy now and can be achieved from the context menu's Edit option. You can now easily change its loading preferences (for all the users of the computer or just for the current user).
Settings box has remained the same and the same process identifying engines are available: processlibrary.com and programchecker.com. These are both reliable sources if you want to learn a thing or two about the system processes and identifying the ones you need from those you don't need.
The general details on your computer have been preserved and in case you did not know the OS you are running and the power of the processor, then a little section in the right hand side of the application window will tell you.
All in all, StartU has progressed just fine and the result is a very good process manager. The developer kept the application simple and any user can handle it without running any risk (provided that you check the process identifier engine available and read carefully the description)
The Good
Easy to install and even easier to handle. Adding processes to start with your operating system is a cinch with StartU.
The interface looks better then in the beta version and great progress has been made since the last evaluation.
Backup feature is the safety net any newbie needs.
The Bad
Setup Wizard kept changing its position a couple of inches every time I pressed "Next" button. This is not terrible, but chasing the box on my desktop is quite uncomfortable. Luckily, you do not have to run it frequently.
The Truth
StartU is an old friend of ours and until now the beta version of the application did not do too well during our evaluation. But the developer insisted in perfecting the program so a great result had to be achieved.
Try it and see how it suits your needs. It is small and very easy to use.
Here are some snapshots of the application in action:
