WinPatrol is a very interesting free software utility that will alert users when a program attempts to install itself on a PC.
It can also gives you lots of information about what’s running on your PC, both obvious and not so obvious programs. I found it valuable to identify stuff running in the background for apps that I removed some time ago – who knew!
WinPatrol installs a small doggie icon in the taskbar while it’s running in the background. Clicking on it will open the program’s many screens to deliver a wealth of information on what’s going on inside your PC. While some of this replicates what you can do with msconfig, some you can not.
What you might find particularly useful is the ability to use Delayed Start – this allows you to select programs to run after a delay when you boot up your PC. If it’s frustrating for you to sit and wait while a bunch of apps load on boot up, this little gem staggers program start-ups so you can start using your browser more quickly.
WinPatrol is a small download and it can give you good protection against malware; it’s non-intrusive and the information it displays on what’s going on could help to clean up software pieces that are left over from deleted programs. Worth a try.
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