Traykiller

Getting Started

There are a couple of ways you can use TrayKiller. The most common
way is to use it to temporarily terminate a set of processes that
run in the background so that you can perform some processor intensive
operation, such as burn a cdrom, and then restart these processes
after you are done.

Here is a description of how you might proceed during your first use
of TrayKiller. Close all normal user applications, such as your word
processor or internet browser. Leave only programs that you want
TrayKiller to learn how to terminate.

Select the AutoAdd feature from the File menu. Read the warnings and
then let it go.

Examine the list of programs and processes that AutoAdd has found.
Uncheck any that you know you do not want terminated.

Save the configuration file somewhere on your hard disk. You can save
it in the C:\Program Files\TrayKiller directory, or in your own directory
somewhere else.

Now you have to do some trial-and-error to figure out which programs
are well-behaved, and which programs do not close or restart.

If you are feeling brave, Select "Terminate processes and switch to On
state" from the File->State menu. TrayKiller will then attempt to terminate
each program on your list.

After termination completes, select "Run programs and switch to Off state."
Now examine your system and try to determine if any programs did not restart
properly. You can use the BrowseKill button to see which processes are
currently running on your system.

If windows becomes unstable, try to figure out, through trial-and-error which
program causes the problem when you try to terminate it. Disable these by
unchecking them. Make sure that you disable both the entry in the Program list
and the Process list.

Now save the file.

The most common configuration options to use are shown below:

The most common way to use TrayKiller is as a memory-resident system tray
utility. Activate TrayKiller to toggle between terminating a set of programs
that are automatically started with windows and restarting them.

Create a configuration file and add the group of processes that you want to
terminate and restart on each toggle. For each process, add a duplicate entry
in the "Run Program" box. You can do this quickly with the AutoAdd feature or
by selecting "Automatically create a Run Program entry" from the Add Terminate
process box.

Check the "Start with Windows" option, and no other startup behaviors.
Select "Start in Tray" option.
Select the "DblClick = Toggle" option.
Select the "Start in On state" option.

When windows starts you will see the TrayKiller icon in the system tray.
Double-click it to terminate the processes you previously selected. Double-click
again to restart them.

Use TrayKiller as a shortcut on your startmenu / launchbar rather than as a
memory resident program in the system tray. As soon as you run it, it starts or
stops a group of programs and then exits.

Create a configuration file and add the group of processes that you want to
terminate.

Check the "Activate on launch" option and the "Quit after activating" option,
but *not* the "Start with Windows" option.

Check the "Start in Tray option", the "DblClick = Toggle" option, and the "Start
in On state" option.

To create a new shortcut to terminate the processes in this configuration file,
you need to create an appropriate shortcut. For the start menu, you can move to
the TrayKiller submenu, right-click on TrayKiiller, and select "Create Shortcut".
Then right click on the shortcut, select properties, and then add the full name
of your configuration file to the Target line.

Afterwards you can move the shortcut to your desktop or anywhere else you want.
Executing the shortcut will automatically cause TrayKiller to search and
terminate any processes in your list, and then exit.

Use TrayKiller as an alternative to killing programs w/ ctrl-alt-delete. When
you launch it, it shows running processes, disabled or enabled according to your
settings. Make quick changes and then push a button to close them. Leave TrayKiller
running in the background for more shutdowns, or have it exit automatically.

Save a blank configuration file anywhere you want. You don't need to add any
programs to it yet.

Check the "Start in BrowseKill" option, and the "DblClick = Browse" option.

If you want TrayKiller to exit after the first time you terminate some processes,
check the "Quit after activating" option.

Now the next time you run TrayKiller, it will open with a list of currently running
processes. Mark the ones you want to terminate and select "Kill Now" to terminate
them all.

By adding entries in the configuration file lists you can tell TrayKiller about
your default markings for different processes.