Zenkitty - are you sure you're running Windows 2000? Your task manager window should have three tabs like the screenshot I linked earlier. The tab I'm interested in is "Processes".

As for the startup control panel. it's a safe download. It will also make diagnosis a lot easier.

I'm running Windows Me. That's 2000, right?

I don't have a task manager window. Don't know why. Maybe it was disabled at some point; I'm not sure.

No, Windows ME is different. Windows 2000 was the precursor to Windows NT.

I think.

I'm running Windows Me. That's 2000, right?

Nope. Me was the final development of Windows evolved from Windows 95. Windows 2000 came from Windows NT and evolved into XP.

eta:

Windows 2000 was the precursor to Windows NT

Other way around.

The reason it's confusing is that Me is the "Milenium Edition." Sorta like "2000," right? Win98 was supposed to be the final evolution of that product line - after that everyone was supposed to use XP. But XP was late (go figure), necessitating another round of fixes to 98 to keep that product line going a bit longer.

I'm running Windows Me. That's 2000, right?

Oh, Jesus Christ. Well, that's your problem right there.

Windows ME.

shudders

By the way, that window you get when you Ctrl-Alt-Del is the Task Manager. But like thegrommit said, it's not as helpful as the one in later Windows versions.

I'm running Windows Me. That's 2000, right?

This explains why you don't have a task manager. Windows ME is a fancier version of Windows 98. Windows 2000 is a very different beast and forms the basis for Windows XP.

I'm wondering whether your "upgrade" was performed using the wrong installer (different ones are required for Windows 2000/XP and 98/ME).

It would still be worth using the Startup Control Panel to see what is being loaded when you boot up.

I have Windows ME on my laptop, and I haven't had any problems with it. But I've never had to ask much of it, either.

Anyway, of Zenkitty's list:

Explorer, Ctfmon, Sk9910dm, Ccapp, Systray, Wuauclt, Winmgmt, Hidserv, and Mdm.

I only recognize Explorer and Systray. Can anyone identify the others?

When you run a Microsoft Office XP program, the file Ctfmon.exe (Ctfmon) runs in the background, even after you quit all Office programs.

Ctfmon.exe monitors the active windows and provides text input service support for speech recognition, handwriting recognition, keyboard, translation, and other alternative user input technologies.

Note: The ctfmon.exe file is located in the c:windowsSystem32 folder. In other cases, ctfmon.exe is a virus, spyware, trojan or worm!

eta:

SK9910DM.exe, Hot Key Keybd 9910 Daemon, 3, For programmable keys on a multi-function keyboard - such as provided by Gateway - for volume, one-button net ...

I only recognize Explorer and Systray. Can anyone identify the others?

A quick google of those show that they are all legitimate

sk9910dm - is a keyboard utility for gateway computers ccapp - is part of Norton Utilities wuauclt - is the automatic update client for Windows ME

The rest are legitimate Windows processes.

Note: The ctfmon.exe file is located in the c:windowsSystem32 folder. In other cases, ctfmon.exe is a virus, spyware, trojan or worm!

That's a little bit exaggerated:

[link]