Task List Programs - AnswersThatWork's famous Database of Processes, Process Library, Windows Startups, Windows XP Services, Windows Vista Services, Vista Services

Task List
Name

PROGRAM &
MANUFACTURER

WHAT IT IS
AND WHAT YOU CAN DO

UAService

UAService7

UAService.exe

UAService7.exe

(Sony DADC Austria AG)

SecuROM User Access Service. Service installed by Sony’s SecuROM copy protection software. SecuROM is copyright protection software which protects programs from unauthorized copying thus protecting the software publisher from loss of revenue. In its early days SecuROM was used primarily by Sony itself and game manufacturers to protect their software titles. In 2007, however, SecuROM is increasingly used by business software publishers as well. This program gets installed as part of the installation of the product which has been protected with SecuROM – it is never installed on its own.

Recommendation :
Down to end-user requirements. If you do not know how this service got installed on your PC, then we strongly advise that you leave it running as stopping it may prevent a game or business program that you use, from running at all. If, on the other hand, you do know that you no longer use software protected with SecuROM then you can disable this service by changing its Startup Mode to Disabled on the Services tab of The Ultimate Troubleshooter – Sony do not unfortunately provide a method for uninstalling the SecuROM copy protection software.

Udserve

UdServe.exe

(Executive Software)

Background task/service which is part of Executive Software’s Undelete product.

Recommendation :
Leave alone as it is essential to the proper functioning of Undelete. The most common complaint about UDSERVE is excessive CPU usage reaching such extent that it may almost grind your PC or server to a halt. In the vast majority of cases upgrading to the latest version of Undelete solves the problem.

Udsi

Udsi.exe

(KYE Systems Corp)

KYE’s Card Reader Drive icon and Label background task installed by the drivers for a variety of card readers made by KYE and sold under the name of Genius, Genius-Kye, or under the name of some other manufacturer reselling it under their own name. These drivers are only absolutely necessary for Windows 98 and no other version of Windows. Windows 98 does not have the inbuilt ability to recognize a card reader, so this task enables Windows 98 to see your USB card reader, and to display drive icons and labels (e.g. “SD/SmartMedia”, “CompactFlash”) so that you can use the card reader. Depending on the number of card formats that your card reader can handle, this task may show up twice, three times, or more, on the Tasks tab of The Ultimate Troubleshooter.

Recommendation :
If you have Windows 98 then leave this task alone so you can use your USB card reader.

If, however, you have Windows ME/2000/XP/2003, you absolutely do not need this software as these versions of Windows are able to use USB card readers without the use of any drivers. Having this task running, multiple times, on WinME/2000/XP/2003 simply results in Windows devoting between 1Mb to 4Mb of memory to software you just do not need. You can uninstall the card reader drivers from the “Add\Remove Programs” icon in the Control Panel, or you can disable (and eventually delete at a later stage) this task on the Startups tab of The Ultimate Troubleshooter.

Before you get rid of this task on WinME/2000/XP, note the following : UDSI.EXE also adds the nice feature of labelling your various card reader drives accordingly, e.g. “SD/SmartMedia”, “CompactFlash”, etc... These labels will disappear when you uninstall/remove these drivers and all your card reader drives will show as “Removable Drive” and be undistinguishable from each other. But fear not ! Windows ME/2000/XP/2003 all have the extremely useful feature of allowing you to rename a drive. Simply start Windows Explorer (or “My Computer” if that is what you are more comfortable with), insert your memory card into the card reader, work out which “Removable Drive” that card shows up in, right‑click on that Removable Drive, and choose Rename – good names are “SD & MMC”, “CompactFlash”, “SmartMedia”, “XD Card”, “Sony Memory Stick” or “Sony MS”, etc... These names will stick until you change your card reader for a new one – Hey Presto !

Ufd

Ufd.exe

(???)

USB Flash Disk support task found installed by the drivers for some USB Flash Disk devices.

Recommendation :
We do not yet know the exact role of this task, so we can only recommend that you leave it alone.

UfNavi

UfNavi.exe

(Trend Micro)

You have the Trend Micro Control Center currently open. The Trend Micro Control Center enables the user to configure options in Trend Micro security products (Antivirus, Internet Security) and/or manually run the updating process, virus scans, threat detection, etc...

Note : at the time of writing, 21-Jul-2008, the Trend Micro Control Center consumes A LOT of resources and seems to significantly slow down all the PCs on which we have tested it, so it is advisable not to have it open unnecessarily in the background – once you’ve finished using it, close it !!

UI0Detect

UI0Detect.exe

(Microsoft)

Vista Interactive Services Detection Service. We are not able to have a plain language description for this service, so a summarised technical description follows. This service is part of Windows Vista security infrastructure. In Windows Vista , in order to better protect them against security risks, all system processes and services run in Session 0 and Session 0 is non‑interactive. The user logs on to Session 1 and runs his applications in that session. If a Session 0 service needs to interact with the user (for example : a backup program wanting to inform the user that it cannot start an automated backup because the external USB hard drive is disconnected), it invokes the services of this service, the Interactive Services Detection Service, which in turn presents to the user a window telling him that a particular service needs some interaction. The user gets two choices : Show me the message, or Remind me in a few minutes. Clicking “Show me the message” switches the display to the service which wanted to interact with the user (to display a warning, information, choices, or an error message for example).

Recommendation :
Leave alone. The startup mode of this service is Manual which means that it will only kick in when it is needed, and it will automatically terminate when it is no longer needed.

UMI

UMI.exe

(Pinnacle Systems)

Background task which appears on the Tasks tab of The Ultimate Troubleshooter when you open the Pinnacle Studio video editing program. We do not currently know the exact role of this task but one thing is certain and that is that Pinnacle Studio needs to have this task running in order to work properly.

Recommendation :
Essential to the proper operation of Pinnacle Studio – Leave alone therefore. The program will close when you close Pinnacle Studio.

Umonit

Umonit.exe

(???)

Trojan virus program which masquerades as a supposed “USB Monitor” program. The deception has been so successful that many sources on the web genuinely believe that this task alerts the user when a USB device has been plugged in. It does nothing of the sort : in fact, one of its unwanted side-effects on many PCs that we have found the program on, is that it actually makes the PC unbearably slow as soon as specific types of USB devices are plugged in. There are different versions of this program, some of them clearly communicating with some servers out on the Internet, and we have found one or two to download other Trojans and viruses. Crazily, in our experience this program seems to come on the [usually not required] installation CDs of generic brands of card readers. Before you get worried about the card reader you have just bought, this is in no way an indication that you have bought a bad card reader, but it is an indication that the manufacturers of the card reader did not do a good quality assurance check on the software which comes on the included CD (and which they in most cases will have sourced rather than written themselves).

Recommendation :
1) Right-click on this task on the Tasks tab of The Ultimate Troubleshooter and terminate it.

2) Switch to the Startups tab, right-click on this entry and choose Delete from the hard disk the file that this Startup points to.

3) Next, staying on the Startups tab, delete this startup entry.

4) Click the big green APPLY button to make your changes stick.

Unsecapp

Unsecapp.exe

(Microsoft)

Sink to receive asynchronous callbacks for WMI client application running in different processes. WMI, Windows Management Instrumentation, enables software developers to write scripts and programs for the management or querying of devices, user accounts, Windows services, running programs, networking, and many other internal technical aspects of Windows – in other words the sort of work TUT does (for example : TUT, The Ultimate Troubleshooter, uses WMI to retrieve all the information that it shows on the System Info tab).

This particular task, UNSECAPP.EXE, is started by Windows Vista when a program needs to use WMI programming – it provides programs with a conduit (sink) to receive from Windows the results of their WMI queries and commands.

Recommendation :
Leave alone – if this program is running it is because Windows Vista started it automatically in order to support a program that is using WMI.

Upd

UPD.exe

(Totem???)

This program is normally run from a folder called "Totem Shared\Uninstall0001" somewhere in your PC. We do not yet know what this task does but we do know that it gets installed by pornographic (our definition) screensavers such as VirtualGirl, VirtualGuy, VirtualGay, and StripSaver.

Recommendation :
This task dramatically slows down PCs at boot-up, and it also has a noticeable performance impact on Windows on PCs below 1.3GHz. If you want to get rid of it run SpyBot Search & Destroy available from our Downloads page.

Updatestats

UpdateStats.exe

(???)

See STCLOADER elsewhere in these Task List pages.

Updmgr

Updmgr.exe

(???)

Nightmarish background task which we have found responsible for popup advertisements, Internet Explorer crashes, boot-up errors, Internet connection slow-down, and more, and more. Worse, the biggest culprit for installing this task is the popular file sharing program KaZaA. We do not at this stage know who wrote this piece of terribleware but from our records it seems to have started appearing on users’ PCs from February 2004 onward.

Recommendation :
We have nothing good to say about this task. However, KaZaA users beware : disabling or deleting this task can prevent the latest versions of KaZaA from working (there are advertisements-free alternatives to KaZaA, WinMX is one of them). To all other users we recommend disabling this task on the Startups tab of The Ultimate Troubleshooter, then restarting your PC and deleting the “C:\Program File\Common Files\UPDMGR” folder. Finally, delete this entry from the Startups tab of The Ultimate Troubleshooter.

Updreg

UpdReg.exe

(Creative Labs)

Registry updater task installed by the LiveWare software that comes with SoundBlaster Live or Audigy cards. When LiveWare is installed, and configured, some settings are saved in the Current User profile in the Windows Registry and UPDREG is installed as a startup item to ensure that if a new profile is created on the PC in question, then the settings saved under the “Current User” profile in the Registry are replicated to the new user profile just created.

Recommendation :
99% of the time, and for many users 100% of the time, you will not need this task and should disable it on the Startups tab of The Ultimate Troubleshooter. However, if you plan on creating a new user on your Windows 2000/XP/2003 PC, or a new user/profile on your Windows 98/ME PC, then, to save yourself configuration hassles, you may want to re‑enable this task before you create the new profile and keep it enabled till after the next reboot. If you do not re-enable it, then, when you use some of the LiveWare programs while in the newly created profile, the LiveWare software will, on the first use, take you through configuration screens, the same screens you went through when you originally installed the software.

Updtray

UpdTray.exe

(Creative Labs & DELL)

Called NEWSUPD on non-DELL systems.

See NEWSUPD for full details.

Uprootkit

Uprootkit.exe

(???)

You have the Backdoor.UpRootKit virus.

Ups

UPS.exe

(Microsoft)

Uninterruptible Power Supply service – Windows NT4/2000/XP/2003. This is a service which you can run if you have a UPS connected to your PC to protect it against power problems at the mains – it monitors your UPS and, if the UPS has to kick in because of power failure, it can be configured to warn you at specific intervals that you are working off the UPS, it can later run a pre-shutdown program, and eventually shut down your PC altogether after a specific amount of time that you have been running off the UPS and that mains power has not been restored. You can configure the UPS service through the UPS tab of the Power icon in the Control Panel.

Recommendation :
If you use a UPS, particularly an APC UPS, it is a good idea to run this program. Note, however, than you should have at least Service Pack 4 for Windows 2000 or Service Pack 1a for Windows XP installed, as the earlier versions of UPS.EXE could sometimes result in your computer shutting down because UPS.EXE erroneously thought that it had been on UPS power for too long ! If you do not use a UPS, then disable this service by setting the Uninterruptible Power Supply service to Manual in “Control Panel \ Administrative Tools \ Services” in WinXP/2000/2003.

Upsd

UPSD.exe

(Belkin)

UPS – UPS Sentry Service installed on Windows NT4/2000/XP/2003 by the Bulldog Plus software which comes with Belkin UPSs (also called the “UPSentry_Smart” service). This service monitors and logs UPS events (such as when the UPS regulates the power because of a power dip, brownout, or over-voltage situation) and alerts (power cut). This service also performs a controlled shutdown of the PC if you have configured the Bulldog Plus software to shut the PC down in cases of prolonged power cuts during which the PC is working off the UPS rather than off the mains.

Recommendation :
This service is essential if you want a record kept of all UPS events and alerts and if you want your PC to auto shut down in case of prolonged power cuts – Leave alone.

Upsio

UPSIO.exe

(Cyber Power Systems)

Cyber Power Systems’ UPS Serial Communications Handling task. This task is started by the Cyber Power Systems UPS monitoring service and enables your UPS to communicate with the Cyber Power Systems UPS monitoring service via a serial cable connected to one of your computer’s serial ports (Note: Cyber Power Systems UPSs are also resold under different badges, such as MINUTEMAN from Para Systems, Geek Squad Battery, etc...).

Recommendation :
Essential for the proper functioning of your UPS monitoring software – Leave alone.

Upssrv

CyberPowerUPS

UPS Service

Upssrv.exe

(Cyber Power Systems)

Cyber Power Systems’ PowerPanel UPS Monitoring Service. Service installed on Windows NT4/2000/XP/2003 by the PowerPanel software which comes with Cyber Power Systems UPSs (Note: Cyber Power Systems UPSs are also resold under different badges, such as MINUTEMAN from Para Systems, Geek Squad Battery, etc...). This service monitors and logs UPS events (such as when the UPS regulates the power because of a power dip, brownout, or over-voltage situation) and alerts (power cut). This service also performs a controlled shutdown of the PC if you have configured the PowerPanel software to shut the PC down in cases of prolonged power cuts during which the PC is working off the UPS rather than off the mains. You can also right-click the icon in the System Tray to adjust the configuration of PowerPanel to your specific requirements or to perform a Battery Self‑Test.

Recommendation :
This service is essential if you want a record kept of all UPS events and alerts and if you want your PC to auto shut down in case of prolonged power cuts – Leave alone.

Urlmap

URLMap.exe

(Microsoft)

URLMAP is a program which gets installed with all versions of Microsoft Money 2002. URLMAP runs in the background and works with Internet Explorer and the MoneySide applet from Microsoft Money. URLMAP monitors the web pages you visit and if you come to a page with financial information which may be relevant to the sort of personal financial information you keep in Microsoft Money, URLMAP then brings up the MoneySide toolbar which enables you to access, from within Internet Explorer, data that you keep in Microsoft Money.

Recommendation :
This is a matter of personal preference. If you want to disable MoneySide, and URLMAP in the process, start MoneySide by clicking the MoneySide icon in Internet Explorer, then go to the "Help \ Settings" menu option, then choose Never under Open MoneySide (you can always start MoneySide manually).

Usb

USB.exe

(N/A)

There are dozens of drivers out there from different manufacturers which install a USB background task or service – too many for us to list them all. If you have a USB background task or service running, assume it will have been installed by the drivers for one of your USB devices.

Userinit

Userinit.exe

(Microsoft)

USERINIT is the program which Winlogon runs immediately after a user successfully logs onto a Windows NT4/2000/XP/2003 PC. USERINIT runs logon scripts, re-establishes network connections, and then starts Explorer.exe, the Windows user interface (the START button, etc..).

Recommendation :
An integral part of the operating system – leave well alone. Depending on what runs at logon on your PC and on the network (if you are connected to one), and also depending on the speed of your PC, USERINIT will normally stay in your Task List for only 30 seconds to 3 minutes, and will then terminate and disappear off the Task List. If you experience USERINIT errors on logon on a Windows 2000 PC/Server, make sure you have installed at least Service Pack 4 for Windows 2000. If you experience errors in other circumstances, then check your PC for viruses.

Usrsureconnect

Usrsureconnect.exe

(U.S. Robotics)

U.S. Robotics SureConnect ADSL Utility. System Tray icon installed by the drivers for U.S. Robotics ADSL modems. This task provides you the user with various technical information about your ADSL connection and also allows you to connect or disconnect your modem from the ADSL signal (as a different process from connecting to and login into your ISP’s server).

Recommendation :
Although the SureConnect is another Conexant based ADSL modem, this particular System Tray icon is not as visually useful as the CNXDSLTB task used by other Conexant based ADSL modems, so we ourselves tend to always disable it with The Ultimate Troubleshooter.

Ussshreg

USSShreg.exe

(Ulead)

Background Registration reminder task installed with ULead’s SmartSaver Pro web graphics software.

Recommendation :
Background registration reminder programs are a pain, period. Worse, some of them sometimes cause Windows loading problems, so our recommendation for all of them is always to "Delete with The Ultimate Troubleshooter".

UTSCSI

UTSCSI.EXE

(USBest)

Utterly useless and resource sucking background service installed when a user installs the CD that comes with some USB thumb drives (Memory sticks / Flash memory / USB memory / Pen Drive). This service is also installed when you run the installation CD of the MajicJack Internet calling device. From our tests, and from our experience, despite using very little memory this service performs no function other than seriously impact the performance of the PC. It will often cause PC slowness, regular problems when burning CDs and DVDs, stuttering Internet video streaming, or slow network performance – there is absolutely nothing good about this task.

Recommendation :
Immediately disable this task by setting its Startup Mode to Disabled on the Services tab of The Ultimate Troubleshooter – your thumb drive (Memory stick / Flash memory / USB memory / Pen Drive) will work fine without it, and so will the MajicJack Internet calling device.

If you want to go further you can also uninstall the service altogether by choosing the “Tools \ Add/Remove Programs” menu option in TUT and uninstalling the CLCVO Service (if that does not work you can delete the service in TUT).

Utilman

UtilMan.exe

(Microsoft)

Windows 2000/XP/2003 Utility Manager application which can be started via “Start \ Programs \ Accessories \ Accessibility \ Utility Manager” or by Windows-Key+U. The Utility Manager allows the user to configure through the one window the following special Accessibility features : Magnifier, Narrator, and On-Screen Keyboard.

Recommendation :
In Windows XP/2003 this task will only show if you have the Utility Manager open. In Windows 2000, on the other hand, the Utility Manager is, oddly, a service which shows as running when the Utility Manager is open, and as stopped when you have closed Utility Manager.

All of the tasks below, and many more, although not detailed on this page, are explained in full in The Ultimate Troubleshooter.

The Ultimate Troubleshooter (TUT), has the full database in a remarkably easy and pleasing interface which makes the process of fine tuning your PC, or troubleshooting your computer's problems, a snip. Get it here.

UCLauncher.exe, UCLauncherService.exe, UdaterUI.exe, Uddater.exe, UEdit32.exe, UFDLMON.exe, UFDTool.exe, UFSeAgnt.exe, UFUpdUI.exe, ULCDRSvr.exe, UltraTV.exe, UltraWipe.exe, UMonit2k.exe, UmxAgent.exe, UmxCfg.exe, UmxFwHlp.exe, UmxPol.exe, UNavTray.exe, Uncanny.exe, Wscript.exe, Uninstall.log.vbs, UnlockerAssistant.exe, UnregMP2.exe, Update.pif, UPDATE-28062004.exe, UpdateCenterService.exe, UpdaterUI.exe, Updates from HP.exe, UpdateMonitor.exe, Updatexp.exe, UpdClient.exe, Updtscheduler.exe, UPHClean.exe, Ups32.exe, Url_mon32.exe, UrlLstCk.exe, URLMon32.exe, USBMMKBD.exe, UseNeXT.exe, User32.exe, Usnsvc.exe, Usrinit.exe, USRMLnkA.exe, UsrPrmpt.exe, USRshuta.exe, USRWLAN.exe, USRWLANG.exe, Utorrent.exe, Uvu-channel.exe, UWDF.exe, Uwyrl.exe

If you know of a background program that is missing from our database, but which you feel others should know about because of its potential side-effects, then let us know via the Feedback button.