Ginger, taking them in order, here are my suggestions: 1) VShield needs to load; 2) Virus Scan Scheduler needs to load; 3) Sound needs to load, IF you actually use the utility to make changes to your sound settings often. If not, I wouldn't have it automatically load. I just made an icon for it, and pull it up whenever I need it. 4) Don't know what exactly is loaded for Norton Utilities. If it's just a menu type of thing, same as 3) above. 5) Do you use ATI to make changes often? If not, you can always make icons for all the utilities available and load them when you need them. 6) MSN Messenger! Do you use it? Either if you do or don't, it is using memory AND Resources. I have all such utilities/programs available via icons, and only have to open them when actually using them. Same for AIM, FireTalk, GKU Messenger, Microsoft Chat, Net2Phone, MyFreeLD, NetMeeting, etc. There's no need to have those things loaded when you probably don't use them 99+% of the time. 7) ZoneAlarm definitely needs to be loaded. (Note about the above: I said you could make icons to pull up these programs/utilities when needed, but a much better way to access them, if you're using Win98, is to add them to the Quick Launch bar at the bottom of your Desktop. You can add items there by using Explorer (WinKey+E) and navigation to: C:\WINDOWS\APPLICANTION DATA\MICROSOFT\INTERNET EXPLORER\QUICK LAUNCH That's the folder where you can add, or remove, things that you need to have available when you're in some other program, such as Eudora. And, you can have as many as you want. You don't have to have the entire Tray bar filled up with these icons -- just grab the right edge of the Quick Launch box by putting the icon cursor on it, left clicking, and dragging as far to the left as it will go. You'll end up with only 5 icons showing, but there will be a >> that you can click to show the rest. Very, Very handy. SgtGeorge At 01:00 PM 05/30/2000, Mike & Ginger Woodcock wrote: *************START OF ORIGINAL MESSAGE TEXT************* George, I'm looking at my tray and these are the things there. Can you tell me if I have to have them all there. I know this must be taking some of my resources. I've got this machine running nicely and don't want to dusrupt the apple cart so to speak. McAfee , VShield McAfee Virus Scan Scheduler Sound Norton Utilities I did not load the virus scanner ATI my video card program that handles DVD, *which I don't have*, Video CD player, Video Editor, Television, *for video play from camcorders, and CD Audio MSN Messenger Zone Alarm This has to be way too much.. but, I fear if I play around in ms config I might turn off something I need. I know I sound like a chicken, but I've spent way too much down time.. Sandy can confirm this.. LOLOL.. right Sandy.. ginger **************END OF ORIGINAL MESSAGE TEXT**************