Windows 10: Why does Win10 run programs that I have used before but didn't start?

I hope the question isn't too cryptic, but here is the issue: I have processes running like Calculator, Photo's, Cortana since starting up my computer this morning that I haven't started. I have used these programs in the past and it looks like Windows runs these programs in the background just in case I want to use them again. Is there any way to get rid of those (prefetch?)? It uses memory (albeit little) and some of the programs I've started once and never use again (like Cortana).

Thanks for any insight.. I haven't found any info on this through googling the matter....

:)

 

I can't run programs that I used to run on Windows 7

Hi,


Thank you for posting the query on Microsoft Community.

I will surely help you with this.

To understand the issue better please let us know

1. What is the make and model of the PC?

2. What is the error message that you receive when you try to open the games?

Meanwhile I will suggest you to run the older programs in compatibility mode and see if it helps

Please refer the following link to make older programs run in this version of Windows.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/older-programs-compatible-version-windows

(Also applies to windows 10)

Also I would suggest you to download drivers from manufactures website and see if it helps:

Download and Install driver.

Driver software allows your computer to communicate with hardware or devices.


You can download and install latest display driver from the computer manufacturer website in compatibility mode and check if it helps.

After you have downloaded the driver:

a) Right-click on the setup file of the driver and select "Properties".

b) Select "Compatibility" Tab.

c) Place a check mark next to "Run this program in Compatibility mode" and
select Windows 8.1 from the drop down list.

d) Let the driver install and then check the functionality.

Please get back to us with the answers and we will be glad to help you.

 

I can't run programs that I used to run on Windows 7

I installed my free Windows 10 upgrade last week. I previously had Window 7, and all programs on my hard drive or my DVD/CD auxiliary drive worked. Since then, I cannot run certain programs on my computer that are on my hard drive. Specifically, I cannot
run games that have a CD/DVD component. They won't open at all due to a series of error messages. One specific game is Civilization III. I receive multiple error messages. First message is "run as administrator". I do this, but then there are other problems.
I have applied troubleshooting. First, this attempts tp run my Windows 10 as Windows 7, but this also crashes and says files incompatible. This seems to be true for any CD based program or game that has not been fully downloaded to my hard drive--that is
the CD player must kick in and drive some video or other auxiliary program. I never had a problem with Windows 7. What can I do? I want to uninstall Windows 19 and restore my Windows 7 operating system if I cannot resolve these problems, because they are
widespread. None of this has anything to do with internet compatibility, which is about the same as for Windows 7. Running programs on my hard drive is one of the primary uses I have for my computer, and it is gone.

 

If you are doing a hybrid shutdown many of the apps you have used will stay in memory and will be stored in a hiberfile so they are ready for use again when you need them. Effectively it is a resume rather than a restart. A full shutdown should clear them from memory so that they are not there when you next start your PC.

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/4...dows-10-a.html

 

Thanks philc43, however, I do a complete shutdown every weekend. When I start up the computer, the programs are back... No idea why it happens, because they're not in the startup either.

 

How do you know it was a complete shutdown? You can check what type of shutdown you last did by following the method in this tutorial:

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/2...ws-8-10-a.html

 

Thanks! I just tried that and got:

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PS C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0> Get-WinEvent -ProviderName Microsof
t-Windows-Kernel-boot -MaxEvents 10 | Where-Object {$_.message -like “The boot typ
e*”}


ProviderName: Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-Boot

TimeCreated Id LevelDisplayName Message
----------- -- ---------------- -------
7/11/2016 7:20:35 AM 27 Information The boot type was 0x0.


PS C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0>
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

so the boot was cold boot from full shutdown...

 

Ok, that has confirmed it! So, we are now left with finding a reason for these apps to start. One possibility is that you have them all appearing in your start menu as tiles. Now, being windows modern apps these tiles are all live unless you turn live tiles off. W10 therefore loads them all into the background tasks to do this. Windows new memory management means that they use very little memory and in many cases the processes become suspended so do not interfere with normal operation.

Try experimenting with this - you can turn tiles off all at once

Maybe turning off live tiles will stop the processes loading until you actually use them.

 

Interesting! I'm actually using Classicshell, but I will try to to turn the tiles off "all at once" and see if that will do the trick! I'll let you know more when I have done another cold boot!