Windows Stuff

Quite a many programs/processes start registering themselves to be run everytime I log-onto my windows 2000 machine. Places to look out for when you want them not to
automatically start executing and wasting your CPU time :-
1) Delete from the list of Processes in the NT Task Manager
2) Go and look out if it is registered as a service through Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Computer Management (shortcut : "Windows+r" and Type "compmgmt.msc")
3) Check in the folder %USER_DIR%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
4) Check the registry key
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
for any entries..
(NOTE : sometimes the values may not be executables but files like *.vbs which
will start up the corresponing program say wscript.exe automatically)

Some spyware/adware programs that I have noticed
- Istvc.exe