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Updated Files Not to Delete (Minimal) for XP 64 bit SP2, and XP 32-bit SP3


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Posted (edited)

Ever wondered how XP works?

Ever wondered what are some files you should keep in nlite?

Once there was a list of files not to delete, 351, I believe, but I didn't agree with it vis-a-vis core funtionality, it was too app lenient.

While producing on updated and kickass Micro XP 64 bit, I had to consolidate that former list and expand on it and its descriptions.

This forms some of my keep list for nlite.  

This list fits in wordpad with margins left 0.2, right 0.1, top 0.4, bottom 0.4; this however will cut off during printing...

 Without further ado  

ACCWIZ.EXE (Accessibility Wizard). Used to configure the different accessibility options of your system.
ACI.dll ---> Needed by ACDSee 7
ACLUI.dll ......(Security Descriptor Editor). Needed to open Registry Editor.
ACTIVEDS.DLL ...ADs Router Layer DLL). Needed to open the Event and Services Viewers. And also needed by PerfectDisk.
ADSLDPC.DLL ....(ADs LDAP Provider C DLL). Needed to open the Event and Services Viewers. And also needed by PerfectDisk .
ADVAPI32.DLL ...(Advancedwindows 32 Base API). Needed to boot to windows . An application programming interface (API) is the interface that a computer system, library or application provides in order to allow requests for service to be made of it by other computer programs, and/ or to allow data to be exchanged between them.
AHUI.EXE (Application Compatibility User Interface). Used to configure the different accessibility options of your system.
APPEND.EXE (Append). Allows applications to open or access files in folders other than the current working, or active, folder by appending the path parameter. APPMGR.dll  Application Management
ASR_FMT.EXE (ASR). The Automated System Recovery utility.
ASR_LDM.EXE (ASR). The Logical Disk Manager ASR utility.
ASYCFILT.DLL ... Allows applications to communicate between each other using Object Linking and Embedding (OLE).
AT.EXE (AT). Used to schedule tasks to occur at a specific time and date. It requires that the Scheduler service be running.
ATL.DLL ........(ATL Module for windows XP (Unicode). Needed by MS Update. Also needed to open Event and Services Viewers.
ATTRIB.EXE (Attributes). Displays or changes file attributes (read-only, archive, hidden, or system).
AUDIOSRV.DLL ...(Windows Audio Service). Needed to hear sound on your computer. Main Service file for windows Audio.  Needed for pinball.
AUTHZ.DLL .......Authorization Framework   Needed
AUTOCHK.EXE (Auto Check Disk). Auto starts during Windows XP bootup if a volume is marked as dirty (has bad clusters, has error blocks, or is otherwise damaged).
AUTOCONV.EXE (Auto Convert). Used by the Windows XP setup routine to convert a FAT volume to NTFS.
AUTOFMT.EXE (Auto Format). The Auto File System conversion utility.
AUTOLFN.EXE (Auto Long Filenames). Used by the Windows XP setup routine to repair, copy, or enable long filenames on drives that have been converted from another file system (usually FAT) to NTFS. Also capable of converting long filenames to the 8.3 format.
BASESRV.DLL.....The Windows Native API (NT API) is a lightweight application programming interface (API) that's used by Windows NT's kernel and user mode applications. It's used during the early stages of the Windows NT startup process.
BATMETER.DLL ...(Battery Meter Helper DLL). Needed to open Power Options in Control Panel.
BOOTCFG.EXE (Boot Configuration Tool). A command-line tool for editing the boot.ini file.
BOOTOK.EXE (Boot Acceptance). Used with the Last Known Good Configuration process to save the configuration parameters after a successful logon.
BOOTVID.dll.....VGA Boot Driver
BOOTVRFY.EXE (Boot Verify). Used with the Last Known Good Configuration process to verify a boot selection.
CABINET.DLL .....(MS® Cabinet File API). needed to access Properties of Devices in Device Manager.
CABVIEW.dll ....(Cabinet File Viewer Shell Extension). Needed to view inside .cab files.
CACLS.EXE (Change ACLs). A command-line utility used to change or edit permissions for files and folders.
CALC.EXE (Calculator). A GUI calculator that can act as a standard or scientific calculator.
CARDS.DLL      Needed for XP card games.
CERTCLI.dll ....(MS® Certificate Services Client). Needed to display Properties of devices in Device Manager.
CFGMGR32.DLL ...(Configuration Manager Forwarder DLL). Needed for CHKDSK.
CHARMAP.EXE (Character Map). A GUI utility that displays the characters in each font installed on the system.
CHKDSK.EXE .....(Check Disk). Part of CHKDSK. A disk inspection tool that can search for and repair disk errors.
CHKNTFS.EXE (NTFS Drive Checker). Used to verify the integrity of Windows XP NTFS partitions.
CIPHER.EXE (Encrypted File System Configuration Manager). A command-line utility used to encrypt/decrypt files and folders using EFS.
CKCNV.EXE (Cookie Converter). A supporting process that controls how cookies are handled under Windows XP.
CLB.dll ........... (Column List Box). Needed to open Registry Editor.
CLBCATQ.dll
CLEANMGR.EXE (Disk Space Cleaner). A utility used to remove unused temp files from a hard drive to reclaim used space.
CLICONFG.EXE (SQL Server Client Network Utility). Used to configure connections from network clients to SQL servers.
CLUSAPI.DLL .....(Cluster API Library). Needed to access Disk Management in Computer Management 
CMD.EXE (Command Prompt). An executable that provides the command prompt (MS-DOS shell interpreter) for Windows NT.
CMDL32.EXE (Auto Connection Manager). Tracks network addresses to their appropriate connection destinations to support auto-dial functions.
CMMON32.EXE (Connection Manager). The Connection Manager Monitor.
CMSTP.exe (Connection Manager Installer). Installs and configures Connection Manager service profiles.
COMCTL32.DLL...(Common Controls Library). Needed to boot to Windows. Provides the functionality to create and manage screen windows and most basic controls, such as buttons and scrollbars, receive mouse and keyboard input, and other functionality associated with the GUI part of Windows. Gives applications access to some advanced controls provided by the operating system. These include things like status bars, progress bars, toolbars and tabs.
COMP.EXE (Compare). An MS-DOS utility used to compare the contents of two files or sets of files.
COMPACT.EXE (Compact). A command-line utility used to compress individual files or directories on an NTFS volume.
CONTROL.EXE (Control Panel). Provides the Control Panel window where all Control Panel applets are displayed.
CONVERT.EXE (Convert). Used to convert partitions from FAT to NTFS and from NTFSv4 to NTFSv5.
CORPOL.dll .....(MS COM Runtime Execution Engine).   Communication is important for operating systems, so getting of MS COM seems stupid enough.
CREDUI.dll   Windows XP uses credui.dll to prompt users for credentials; thus needed by limited users.
CRYPT32.DLL    -> Windows XP uses the CRYPT32.DLL module to implement cryptographic messaging and certificate functions in the CryptoAPI
CRYPTDLL.DLL   -> XP uses the cryptdll.dll library to export functions that perform cryptographic operations.  Exports functions such as crypto suites and encryptors.
CRYPTEXT.dll -> Crypto Shell Extensions
CRYPTSVC.dll ...(Cryptographic Services). Needed by Cryptographic Services. Also needed to access Properties of Disk Drives.
CRYPTUI.DLL    -> Windows XP uses CRYPTUI.dll, which is part of the Windows API, to import and export certificates, certificate revocation lists (CRLs), and certificate trust lists (CTLs). It also uses CRYPTUI.dll to digitally sign documents.
CSCRIPT.EXE   A command-line version of the Windows Script Host that enables you to run previously created VBScript and JScript from the command line.
CSRSS.EXE .....Needed to boot to windows . Used to maintain the Win32 system environment console and other essential functions.
D3D8THK.dll (MS Direct3D OS Thunk Layer)  Part of Direct3D, enough said.
D3D9.dll........(MS Direct3D).  Enough said.
D3DIM700.dll (MS Direct3D) Enough said.
DBGHELP.dll .....(Windows Image Helper). Needed to install windows Media Player 11. It should not later be deleted after the installation, because without it, when you click on something to play, a message tells you to re-install WMP .
DCOMCNFG.EXE (DCOM Configuration). Used to display and configure DCOM settings and configuration.
DDRAW.dll.......(MS DirectDraw). Enough said.
DDRAWED.dll .....(Direct Draw Ex). Keeping this file on your system, you will notice when browsing Web Pages are snappier.
DDRAWEX.dll (Direct Draw Ex)  Enough said.
DESKADP.dll (Advanced Display Monitor Properties)
DESKMON.dll ...... In Display Properties -> Settings tab -> Advanced button, the deskmon.dll displays the information under the Monitor tab.
DESKPERF.dll (Advanced Display performance properties)
DEVENUM.dll.....(Device enumeration). Enough said.
DEVMGR.dll ...(Device Manager MMC Snapin). Needed to access Device Manager.
DHCPCSVC.DLL . ...(DHCP Client Service). Needed for Internet connectivity. Main Service file for DHCP Client.
DIANTZ.EXE (Cabinet Maker). Allows a file to be compressed and included in a cabinet file.
DISKPART.EXE (Microsoft Diskpart). A command-line tool for disk management.
DLLHOST.EXE (COM+ Server Process). The COM+ process manager.
DLLHST3G.EXE (COM Surrogate). A COM+ process component.
DMADMIN.EXE (Logical Disk Manager Administrative Service). Runs during hard disk configuration only.
DMOCX.dll.......(TreeView OCX). Needed to access Device Manager.
DMREMOTE.EXE (Logical Disk Manager). A Logical Disk Manager component.
DNSAPI.DLL ......(DNS Client API DLL). 
DOCPROP.dll (OLE DocFile Property Page)  The OLE DocFile Property Page is a Microsoft Corporation file that saves information from DLL files into HTML reports.
DOCPROP2.dll (MS DocProp Shell Ext)  Similar to aforementioned.
DPLAYSVR.EXE (Microsoft DirectPlay Helper). Supports game connections over a modem, the Internet, or a LAN.
DPNSVR.EXE (DirectPlay8 Server). A forwarding service for games that have multiple processes using the same IP or IPX port.
DRIVERQUERY.EXE (Driver Query). A command-line tool that displays a list of currently installed drivers and associated properties.
DSKQUOTA.dll  -----> Needed for chkdsk
DSKQUOUI.dll -------> Needed for chkdsk
DSOUND.dll......(DirectSound).  Enough said.
DSSENH.dll ......(MS Enhanced DSS and Diffie-Hellman Cryptographic Provider).   a variety of cryptographic algorithms
DUSER.dll ....... (Windows DirectUser Engine). Needed by Add/Remove Module etc
DXDIAG.EXE (DirectX Diagnostic Tool). A tool for troubleshooting DirectX components.
EDLIN.EXE (Edit Line). An MS-DOS–based line editor.
ELS.DLL .........(Event Viewer Snapin). Needed by EventViewer.
ESENT.DLL (Server Database Storage Engine). Needed by MS Update. Also needed to access Properties of Disk Drives.
ESENTUTL.EXE (Windows XP Database Tools). A collection of tools used to check and repair the Windows XP folder.
EUDCEDIT.EXE (Private Character Editor). An app that enables you to create up to 6,400 unique characters, such as special letters and logos, for your font library.
EVENTCREATE.EXE (Event Create). Allows creating custom events in an event log.
EVENTLOG.DLL   Needed by event log service, event viewer and to boot windows fast; ironic ain't it.
EVENTTRIGGERS.EXE (Event Triggers). This application displays and configures event triggers.
EVENTVWR.EXE ....(Event Viewer MS Management Console). Needed by Event Viewer. Main Service file for Event Log.
EXE2BIN.EXE (Executable to Binary). A programmers' tool from MS-DOS used to convert .exe files to .bin files.
EXPAND.EXE (Expand). A command-line utility used to decompress individual files or folders on an NTFS volume.
EXPLORER.EXE (Windows XP Explorer). Used to interact with the file systems hosted by Windows XP. It is also the program responsible for creating the Start button and associated objects. If you ever lose the desktop, the Start button, and the taskbar, you can usually restore them by pressing Ctrl+Alt+Delete, selecting Task Manager from the pop-up menu, and starting Explorer back up with the Run command, accessed by choosing File, New Task (Run) from the menu.
EXTRAC32.EXE (CAB File Extract Utility). Allows cabinet files to be extracted to disk.
FASTOPEN.EXE (Fast Open). A utility that improves performance on systems that have large folders by decreasing the time it takes to open frequently accessed files.
FC.EXE (File Comparison). An MS-DOS utility that compares files or sets of files to reveal their differences.
FILEMGMT.dll ....(Services and Shared Folders). Needed by Services Viewer.
FIND.EXE (Find). A command-line utility used to search for a string of characters in a file or files.
FINDSTR.EXE (Find String). A command-line utility used to search for a string of characters in a file or files.
FMIFS.DLL .....(FM IFS Utility DLL). Needed for CHKDSK.
FONTEXT.dll .....(Windows Font Folder). Needed to maintain selected view of Font Folder, and to display the default icon for .TTF Fonts
FONTVIEW.EXE (Font View). A command-line utility that displays a sample output for a font in a printable GUI window.
FRAMEBUF.dll ... .(Framebuffer Display Driver). Needed so graphics in safemode don't look all screwed up
FRAMEDYN.dll  ---> Without, error when right-clicking on My Computer to enter System Properties.
FREECELL.EXE (Free Cell). A GUI card game.
FSUTIL.EXE (FSUtil). A volume management tool. Manages reparse points and sparse files.
FTP.EXE (FTP). A TCP/IP command-line File Transfer Protocol (FTP) utility used to transfer files between the local system and a remote FTP server.
GDI.EXE   A core system component that provides the Win16 Graphical Device Interface API library for backward-compatibility with Win16 applications.
GDI32.DLL.......(GDI Client DLL). Provides the functionality for outputting graphical content to monitors, printers and other output devices.
GETMAC.EXE (Get MAC Address). Displays the Media Access Control (MAC) address of the specified system.
GLU32.dll  (OpenGL Utility Library DLL)  Enough said.
GPUPDATE.EXE (Group Policy Refresh Utility). Reapplies group policy after administrator makes changes.
GRPCONV.EXE .....Needed for some programs to install. Converts MS windows 3.x and MS windows for Workgroups Program Manager groups into Start menu items.
HAL.dll.........Hardware Abstraction Layer
HCCOIN.dll ......(USB Coinstaller). Needed by Intel Chipset INF Update Utility.
HELP.EXE (Help). Displays basic and general help information about many Windows XP commands.
HH.EXE (HTML help). Opens an HTML-based Help window.  IECORE needed. One of three files needed to open *.chm help files. 
HHCTRL.ocx ......(MS® HTML Help Control). One of three files needed to open *.chm help files. 
HHCTRLUI.dll
HHSETUP.dll
HID.dll .........(Hid User Library). Needed by Sound and Video Card driver installations . 
HOSTNAME.EXE (Hostname). A TCP/IP command-line utility that displays the hostname of the current system.
HTML.iec ........(MS HTML Converter). Needed to be able to copy text from a Web Page and paste it to Wordpad.
IE4UINIT.EXE (IE Install Utility). The IE 5.0 Per-user Install utility.
IEXPRESS.EXE (Self Extracting/Installing Creator). Creates self-extracting or self-installing executable files.
IFSUTIL.dll .....(IFS Utility DLL)    Needed for CHKDSK.
IMAGEHLP.DLL....Windows NT Image Helper -> For Portable Executables
IMAPI.EXE (CD-Burning COM Service). Manages CD recording using Image Mastering Applications Programming Interface (IMAPI). If this service is stopped, the computer cannot record CDs.
IMGUTIL.dll .....(IE plugin image decoder support DLL). Part of IECore, might be needed by add/remove programs.
IMGWALK.dll
IMM32.dll......(Windows XP IMM32 API Client DLL). You cannot enter System Properties without the imm32.dll or the usp10.dll present
INETCPLC.dll ....(Internet Control Panel). Needed to access Internet Options.
IPCONFIG.EXE (IP Configuration).  Displays the IP configuration for all installed interfaces and can be used to renew and release DHCP leases.
IPHLPAPI.DLL....This file, short for IP Helper API, contains functions that help retrieve information about the local computer's network configuration. It also helps set up internet addresses and routes.
IPSEC6.EXE (Ipv6 Security Configuration Utility). A tool for configuring IPv6 security.
IPV6.EXE (Ipv6 Configuration Utility). A tool to install and configure IPv6.
ITSS.DLL     One of three files needed to open *.chm help files. 
JSCRIPT.DLL .....(MS ® JScript). Needed by MS Update. Also needed by Services Viewer.
KERNEL32.dll....(Windows NT BASE API Client DLL). Provides access to the fundamental resources available to a Windows system. Included are things like file systems, devices, processes and threads, accessto the Windows registry, and error handling.
KSPROXY.ax ...... Needed.
KSUSER.dll ..... Needed.
L3CODECX.ax .....(MPEG Audio Layer-3 Codec for MSACM). Needed by WMP10 to play .mp3 music files.
LABEL.EXE (Label Drive). A command-line tool used to display, edit, or change a drive's volume label.
LOCATOR.EXE (Locator). Adds support for Remote Procedure Calls (RPCs) to the Windows XP environment.
LOGOFF.EXE (Session Logoff Utility). A utility to terminate a user's session on the PC.
LOGONUI.EXE .....The user interface that appears when windows XP first starts. If you delete this file, windows will display the classic logoff and logon prompts.
LPQ.EXE (Line Printer Queue). Displays printer queue information on a printer hosted on a Unix system.
LPR.EXE (Line Printer). Prints to a printer hosted on a Unix system.
LSASRV.DLL......LSA Server DLL
LSASS.EXE.......(LSA Security Service). The Local Security Authority server process
LZ32.DLL ....................(LZ Expand/Compress API DLL). Needed to properly display the default icon for .ttf extension fonts.
MAGNIFY.EXE (Microsoft Magnifier). Magnifies portions of the screen for visually impaired people.
MAKECAB.EXE (Cabinet File Maker). Creates .cab files for install packages.
MCISEQ.dll ----> Needed by Pinball for audio.   What's needed for pinball is needed for all balls :) apps.
MEM.EXE (Memory). A command-line utility that displays the current state of memory.
MFC42.DLL ----->  Needed by chkdsk and many apps.
MFC42U.dll ......(MFCDLL Shared Library - Retail Version). Needed to open Event, Services and Device Manager viewers. Needed for Wordpad.
MMC.EXE .........(MS Management Console). Needed to open Event and Services Viewers. Also needed to access Device Manager.
MMCBASE.dll .....(MMC Base DLL). Needed by Event and Services Viewers. Also needed to access Device Manager.
MMCNDMGR.dll ....(MMC Node Manager DLL). Needed by Event and Services Viewers. Also needed to access Device Manager. Device Manager.
MOUNTVOL.EXE (Volume Mounter). Creates, lists, and modifies volume mount points.
MPNOTIFY.EXE (Multiple Provider Notify). Used by the WinLogon service to notify non-Microsoft network servers about security events.
MPR.DLL.........Multiple Provider Router DLL   Essential part of XP; handles communication between the Windows operating system and the installed network providers.
MRINFO.EXE (Multicast Information). A command-line tool to query a multicast router about its interfaces.
MSACM32.DRV.....(MS Sound Mapper). Needed to hear sound in windows Pinball Game.  What needed for pinball is needed for all balls :) apps.
MSACM32.dll .....(MS ACM Audio Filter). Needed to open Audio tab in Sound and Audio Device properties etc Needed for pinball.
MSAUD32.acm  (Windows Media Audio)
MSCDEXNT.EXE  Provides CD-ROM extensions for the Windows XP environment, enabling data CDs to be accessed just like hard drives.
MSCONFIG.EXE
MSCOREE.dll  A crucial component of the Microsoft .NET Framework runtime
MSDMO.dll (DMO Runtime) Without the msdmo.dll present, Windows Media Player will not play...anything.  Also needed for streaming.
MSFEDIT.dll (Rich Text Edit Control v4.1)  Needed by wordpad.
MSGINA.DLL......(Windows NT Logon GINA DLL). Loads Logon User Interface.
MSHEARTS.EXE (Hearts Network). A multiplayer Hearts card game.
MSHTMIL.dll   -----> A software component that renders web pages on Windows.
MSI.DLL .........(Windows Installer). Needed by windows Installer. Also needed by PerfectDisk.
MSIEXEC.EXE (MSI Server). The Windows Installer service.  Needed for MSI packages.
MSIHND.dll ...... Needed by windows Installer.
MSIMG32.DLL ..... (GDIEXT Client DLL). Without this file present,you will need to click OK on a Logon Message in order to enter windows 
MSISIP.dll ...(MSI Signature SIP Provider).  Needed by Windows Installer.
MSPAINT.EXE .....(MS Paint). A basic graphics creation and viewing tool.
MSPATCHA.dll (Microsoft® Patch Engine)
MSPORTS.dll  ---------> Needed to display fully Communications Port (Com1) and Printer Port (LPT1) Properties in Device Manager
MSSWCH.dll -----------> Needed by OSK (On Screen Keyboard)
MSSWCHX.EXE (Onscreen Keyboard Program). Provides keyboard access for mobility-impaired people.
MSTINIT.EXE (Task Scheduler Setup). Allows scheduling automated tasks.
MSV1_0.DLL......MS Authentication Package v1.0 MSV1_0.dll is responsible for handling interactive logons.  The Local Security Authority (LSA) calls the MSV1_0 authentication package to process logon data collected by the GINA for the Winlogon logon process. The MSV1_0 package checks the local security accounts manager (SAM) database to determine whether the logon data belongs to a valid security principal and then returns the result of the logon attempt to the LSA.
MSVBVM60.DLL ....(Visual Basic Virtual Machine).  Needed by CCleaner and Finetune.
MSVCP60.DLL.....MS ® C++ Runtime Library
MSVFW32.dll (MS Video for Windows) ----------> Needed to open Windows Media Player
MSXML3.DLL ...(MSXML 3.0 SP 5). Needed by Event and Services Viewers. Also needed to access Device Manager.
MSXML3R.DLL .....(XML Resources). Needed by Event and Services Viewers. Also needed to access Device Manager.
MYDOCS.dll ......(My Documents Folder UI). Needed to properly display the My Documents Icon.
Mag_Hook.dll ----> Needed by Magnify
NET.EXE ------>  Essential System and Net management.
NETAPI32.DLL -> allows users to manage their network connections and access shared resources. It also handles user authentication.
NETEVENT.dll (Net Event Handler) ----> Needed by Event Viewer.  
NETID.dll.......(System Control Panel Applet; Network ID Page). Needed to see Computer Name tab in System Properties
NETSETUP.EXE (Network Setup Wizard). A utility to help configure other PCs on your network using a floppy disk.
NETSH.EXE (Routing and Remote Access Service Configuration Tool). Used to configure RRAS settings.
NETSTAT.EXE (Network Statistics). Displays TCP/IP network statistics.
NEWDEV.dll ...(Add Hardware Device Library). Needed by Sound and Video Card driver installations. 
NLSFUNC.EXE (National Language Support Function). Used to load country-specific language support.
NOTEPAD.EXE (Notepad). 
NPPTOOLS.dll  Needed by WinPcap; WinPcap is a Windows-specific driver and library that allows applications to capture and analyze network packets.
NSLOOKUP.EXE (Name Server Lookup). Used to display diagnostic and statistical information from DNS servers.
NTDLL.DLL.......(NT Layer DLL) Contains the NT kernel functions for MS Windows. It's a critical part of Windows
NTKRNLPA.EXE ....(NT Kernel and System).  Physical Address Extension (PAE) kernel extension; enables applications to address more than the 4 GB
 As briefly as I can put it, NTKRNLPA.EXE is a special version of the core kernel image (Ntoskrnl.exe) with support for PAE. Physical Address Extension (PAE); 64bit 
NTOSKRNL.EXE (Operating System Kernel). The Windows XP operating system Kernel, 32-bit.
NTSD.EXE (Symbolic Debugger). A troubleshooting utility that gives a detailed view of the system state at the moment of failure.
NTVDM.EXE (NT Virtual DOS Machine). An executable that provides the VDM used to host MS-DOS 
OCCACHE.dll .....(Object Control Viewer). Needed to view icon for ActiveX objects in Downloaded Program Files. Otherwise the ActiveX objects show up as .ini files.
ODBC32.DLL......MS Data Access - ODBC Driver Manager 
ODBCAD32.EXE (ODBC Administrator). Used to administer ODBC connections.
ODBCBCP.DLL .....(MS BCP for ODBC). Needed to install windows Media Player 11, UltimateDefrag and Hellgate London.
ODBCCONF.EXE (MDAC Installer). Used to reconfigure and reinstall Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC).
ODBCINT.DLL.....MS Data Access - ODBC Resources
OLE32.DLL.......MS OLE for Windows      Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) is a proprietary technology developed by MS that allows embedding and linking to documents and other objects. For developers, it brought OLE Control Extension (OCX), a way to develop and use custom user interface elements.
OLEACC.dll ...Active Accessibility Core Component   -> needed to XP annoyances
OLEACCRC.dll ....Active Accessibility Resource DLL   -> needed to XP annoyances
OLEDLG.dll .....(MS windows™ OLE 2.0 User Interface Support). Needed to open NVDVD Player. Also needed by Wordpad.
OPENFILES.EXE (Open Files). Displays and allows disconnects of open files on a system.
OSK.EXE (On Screen Keyboard). Displays an onscreen keyboard that can be used to enter information with the mouse.
OSUNINST.EXE (OS Uninstall Utility).  ALso,  the Logical Disk Manager (and everything related - diskpart etc.) depends on osuninst.dll.
PACKAGER.EXE (Object Packager). Used to create icon links to embedded data for use in documents.
PATHPING.EXE (PathPing Command). A command for verifying an IP route that enables the user to specify options to test for along the path.
PDH.DLL .........(Windows Performance Data Helper DLL). Needed to install windows Media Player 11 
PENTNT.EXE (NT Pentium Test). A command-line tool that tests the system for the Pentium floating-point error.
PING.EXE (PING). A TCP/IP utility used to test the existence of, or the capability to communicate with, remote systems.
PING6.EXE (Ipv6 Ping Command). A utility that verifies connectivity to a specific IP address or hostname.
PNGFILT.dll .....This DLL file acts as the PNG Graphics Import Filter for Internet Explorer, IECORE, html and email programs.
POWRPROF. DLL ....(Power Profile Helper DLL). Without this file present, you will receive an error somewhere in Device Manager.
PRINT.EXE (Print). A command-line print utility used to send print jobs to a port.
PROFMAP.DLL.....Userenv.   Also contains instructions to help programs run faster and use less disk space. 
PROXYCFG.EXE (Proxy Configuration Tool). A command-line tool to view and change your current proxy settings.
PSAPI.dll     For programs that inspect processes
QASF.dll ........(DirectShow ASF Support). Enough said.
QDVD.dll ........(DirectShow DVD Playback Runtime). Enough said.
QMGR.DLL.. ..(Background Intelligent Transfer Service). Needed by MS Update. Main Service file for Background Intelligent Transfer.
QPROCESS.EXE (Query Process Utility). Displays processes running on a machine. Can be sorted by username and other criteria.
QUARTZ.DLL ......(DirectShow Runtime).   Enough said.
QWINSTA.EXE (Query Session Utility). Displays session information and related statistics, such as connect and flow control settings.
RASAUTOU.EXE (Remote Access Dialer). A program that allows remote dial-up connections between PCs.
RASDIAL.EXE (RAS Command-Line Dialer). A client-side user interface.
RASPHONE.EXE (RAS Phone). The Dial-Up Networking Phonebook application.
RDSHOST.EXE (RDSHost Server Module). A Remote Desktop Service module.
RECOVER.EXE (Recover). A command-line utility to recover readable data from a defective drive.
REG.EXE (Registry Console Tool). A command-line tool for querying and editing the Registry.
REGAPI.dll   Needed to boot; makes sense.
REGEDIT.EXE (Registry Editor). A 16-bit Registry-editing tool that you can use to search the entire Registry at once.
REGEDT32.EXE (Registry Editor). A 32-bit Registry-editing tool that can set security permissions on Registry keys and values.
REGINI.EXE (Registry Initializer). A utility to change Registry values from a command line or script.
REGSVR32.EXE ….(MS© Register Server).  Used to Register and UnRegister object linking and embedding (OLE) controls such as DLL, ActiveX Controls (OCX) or AX
REGWIZ.EXE (Registration Wizard). Activation method used for editions without OOBE.
REPLACE.EXE (Replace). A command-line tool used to replace files.
RICHED20.dll ....(Rich Text Edit Control, v3.0). Needed to read Information and Error Messages (Event Properties) in Event Viewer. Also needed by Kazaa Lite.
ROUTE.EXE (Route). Used to view and edit the local routing table.
RPCRT4.DLL .....(Remote Procedure Call Runtime)   Used by a number of Windows applications for network and Internet connections
RPCSS.DLL ......(Distributed COM Services). Main Service file for Remote Procedure Call (RPC).
RSHX32.dll ... ...(Security Shell Extension).  Needed for the Security Tab and for chkdsk.
RSVP.EXE (Resource Reservation Protocol). A protocol that sets up a reserved pathway with a specific quality of service for a set of data packets.
RTCSHARE.EXE (RTC Application Sharing). A real-time clock component.
RUNAS.EXE (Run As Utility). A utility that allows a process to be implemented with a new user ID and password combination. Typically used to run a process or application as an Administrator or other user with higher levels of privileges than the currently logged on user.
RUNDLL32.EXE ....(Run DLL). Used to run DLL files from a command line.
RUNONCE.EXE .....(Run Once). Used to perform tasks as defined in the RunOnce Registry key.
RWINSTA.EXE (Reset Session Utility). A utility to reset a hardware or software session.
SAVEDUMP.EXE (Save Dump). Saves the contents of memory to a dump file in the occurrence of a STOP error.
SC.EXE (Service Development for Windows NT). A service management tool
SCESRV.DLL......Windows Security Configuration Editor Engine     -> Security policy settings
SCHANNEL.DLL....(TLS / SSL Security Provider). 
SCHTASKS.EXE (Schedule Tasks). A command-line tool for scheduling unattended tasks.
SDBINST.EXE (Installer). AppFix and AppHelp installer.
SECEDIT.EXE (Security Configuration Manager). Used to set and configure Windows XP security options.
SERVICES.EXE (Services). Used by Windows XP to manage services.
SETUP.EXE (Setup). The Windows Setup tool.
SETUP.lid
SFC.EXE (Windows XP Windows File Checker). The actual verifier; verifies that all Windows XP files are present and of the correct version.
SFC.DLL (Needed without SFC is on or off, because regardless of its state, it is integrated into winlogon)
SFC_OS.EXE (The System File Checker OS Manager - The Eye)  Hacked versions enable or disable SFC.  Nlite hacks this file if you disable SFC there.
SFCFILES.DLL  ....Contains list of files to verify.  Also needed to display Properties button in Control Panel > Keyboard > Hardware without receiving an error.
SYSSETUP.dll ....(Windows NT System Setup).  Hacked versions disable SFC during setup; useful for customization.  Nlite hacks this file if you disable SFC there.
SHARE.EXE (Share). An MS-DOS utility used to enable two applications to use the same file.
SHDOCLC.DLL .....(Shell Doc Object and Control Library). Needed to be able to access right-click options while right-clicking on a Webpage.
SHFOLDER.DLL ....(Shell Folder Service). needed by PerfectDisk.
SHGINA.dll ....(Windows Shell User Logon). Needed to restart your computer from your Desktop.  
SHIMGVW.dll ....(Windows Picture and Fax Viewer). Needed to display saved image files.
SHLWAPI.DLL.....(Shell Light-weight Utility Library) Allows applications to access the functionality provided by the operating system shell, as well as enhance it.
SHMGRATE.EXE. A Windows XP user data migration tool.
SHSVCS.dll (Windows Shell Services DLL)  Needed for Themes
SHUTDOWN.EXE (Remote Shutdown Tool). Allows shutdowns and restarts on local or remote PCs.
SIGVERIF.EXE (File Signature Verifier). Verifies that the selected file is signed and authorized to run under Windows XP.
SMSS.EXE ........(Windows NT Session Manager). Needed to boot to windows . Used to establish the windows XP environment during bootup.
SNDREC32.EXE (Sound Recorder). A sound recorder application.  Some apps check OS holyness via simple apps like this.
SNDVOL32.EXE ....(Volume Control). A GUI (Graphical User Interface) volume application. Some apps check OS holyness via simple apps like this.
SOL.EXE (Solitaire). A GUI solitaire card game.
SORT.EXE (Sort). A command-line utility that sorts input and writes the results to a file or the screen.
SPIDER.EXE (Spider). The Spider solitaire game.
SPOOLSV.EXE (Spooler Service). The spooler service for the print subsystem.
SPRESTRT.EXE. Used to restore the Registry to restart the GUI-mode portion of the Setup application.
STDOLE2.tlb  ....(Microsoft OLE 3.50) Needed to display Properties of devices in Device Manager
STDOLE32.tlb Accociated with Excel
STIMON.EXE (Still Image Devices Monitor). Enables a USB still-image device to transfer data.
STORPROP.dll ....(Property Pages for Storage Devices). Needed to view Advanced Settings tab under IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers in Device Manager.
STREAMCI.dll     (Streaming Device Class Installer). Needed for Plug and Play Software Device Enumerator Properties under System devices in Device manager. 
SUBST.EXE (Substitute). An MS-DOS command used to associate a path with a drive letter.
SVCHOST.EXE (Service Host). A generic host process for Win32 services.
SYSEDIT.EXE (System Edit). A system file-editing utility that opens the system.ini, win.ini, config.sys, and autoexec.bat files in one editor window.
SYSKEY.EXE (Windows XP Account Database Manager). Used to secure the Windows XP account database.
SYSOCMGR.EXE (Optional Component Manager). The System Stand-alone Optional Component Manager.
SYSSETUP.dll ....(Windows NT System Setup). Needed to display Properties button in Control Panel > Keyboard > Hardware without receiving an error.
SYSTEMINFO.EXE (System Information). Queries a system for configuration information, including patches that have been applied, IP addresses, and so forth.
SYSTRAY.EXE (System Tray). The system tray provider. It controls the taskbar and icon tray.
TASKKILL.EXE (Kill Process). Ends a process or task on a local or remote system.
TASKLIST.EXE (Task List). Displays a list of all running processes on a local or remote computer.
TASKMAN.EXE (Task Manager). Used for backward-compatibility with older, non-Windows XP software instead of actually providing access to the Task Manager.
TASKMGR.EXE .....(Task Manager). The Task Manager application.
TCMSETUP.EXE (Telephony Client Setup). Used to set up the Telephony configuration on a Windows XP client.
TCPSVCS.EXE (TCP Services). The TCP Services provider.
THEMEUI.dll .....(Windows Theme API). Needed by Display Properties.
TRACERT.EXE (Traceroute). Used to identify the route between the local system and a remote system on a TCP/IP network.
TRACERT6.EXE (Ipv6 Traceroute Tool). A tool to trace the route a packet would take to get from the source host to the destination host.
TWEXT.dll  ----> Needed for chkdsk
TWUNK_32.EXE (Thunking Server). Allows 32-bit DOS applications to make 16-bit calls.
ULIB.DLL .....(File Utilities Support DLL).  Needed for CHKDSK.
UMPGPMGR.DLL ....(User-mode Plug- and-Play Service). ->The Plug and Play service.
UNIPLAT.dll
UNTFS.DLL .......(NTFS Utility DLL).  Needed for CHKDSK.
URL.dll .......(Internet Shortcut Shell Extension DLL). Icon for Internet shorcuts, and litterally performs the download function for IEcore.
URLMON.dll .....(OLE32 Extensions for Win32). If you have IECore at minimum, pertains to renaning cached copies of downloaded files as well as user agent strings.
USBUI.dll ... ....Needed to display Advanced tab in USB Universal Host Controller Properties, and Power tab in USB Root Hub Properties in Device Manager.
USER.EXE (Win16 User). A utility for Win16 compatibility.
USER32.dll ...(Windows XP USER API Client DLL). This file contains instructions for Windows' graphical elements, such as windows and dialog boxes.
USERENV.dll .....(Userenv).  It is primarily responsible for managing user environment settings, including user profiles, group policies, and registry settings
USERINIT.EXE ....(User Initialization). Used to establish the operating environment for a user after logon.
USP10.dll .....(Uniscribe Unicode script processor). You cannot enter System Properties without the usp10.dll present.
UTILMAN.EXE (Utility Manager). An application for configuring tools for disabled people.
VDMDBG.dll ......( VDMDBG.DLL). Needed to access Task Manager.
VERIFIER.EXE (Driver Verifier Manager). Attempts to determine whether a driver will cause a system conflict by testing its operation.
VERSION.DLL .....(Version Checking and File Installation Libraries). 
VSSADMIN.EXE (Shadow Copy Service). Command-line interface for the Volume Shadow Copy Service.
VSSVC.EXE (Volume Shadow Copy Service). Manages and implements a volume shadow copy for backup purposes.
W32TM.EXE (Windows Time Service). The Windows Time Service diagnostic tool.
WDMAUD.DRV  ----> Needed to hear sound in pinball.  What is needed for pinball is needed for all balls :) apps.
WEXTRACT.EXE (Win32 Cabinet Self Extractor). A component used in extracting cabinet files to disk during setup.
WIAACMGR.EXE (Windows Picture Acquisition Wizard). A program that steps you through downloading pictures from a digital device to a file location.
WIN32K.SYS.....(Win32 Driver)       Its main functionality is the GUI of Windows; it's responsible for window management. Any program that needs to display something doesn't talk to graphics hardware directly; it interfaces via the graphics device interface (GDI)managed by Win32k.sys
WINHLP32.EXE  32bit GUI capable of opening CHM files.
WINHLP32.cnt
WINHTTP.DLL .....(Windows HTTP Services). needed by DHCP and to open Wireless Network Setup Wizard in Control Panel.  Needed by PerfectDisk
WINLOGON.EXE ....(Windows NT Logon Application). Needed to boot, login and access services.msc  Works with msgina.dll and many other DLLs, SFC etc.
WINMINE.EXE (Mine Sweeper). The Mine Sweeper game.
WINMM.DLL (Windows Multimedia API)
WINMSD.EXE (Windows XP Diagnostics). The Windows XP diagnostics application.
WINSPOOL.DRV ....(Windows Spooler Driver). Needed by services.msc
WINSTA.dll         In essence, winsta.dll is a core system file crucial for handling user sessions and the graphical desktop environment in Windows XP
WINVER.EXE (Windows Version). Displays the current Windows version.
WMADMOD.dll.....Windows Media Audio Decoder
WMASF.dll (Windows Media ASF DLL) Needed by many Apps.  Works with WMVCORE.dll
WMI.DLL ........Needed to access Device Manager, to open Network Connections from Control Panel and to enter Computer Management without first receiving an error.
WMIDX.dll Needed by many Apps.
WMVCORE.DLL .....(Windows Media Playback/Authoring DLL). Needed to watch Yahoo Movie Trailers.
WMVDECOD.dll     .(Windows Media Video Decoder).
WMVDMOD.dll.....Windows Media Video Decoder
WOWEXEC.EXE (WOW Execute). Runs Win16 applications for Win32 applications.
WPA.dbl .........Windows Product Activation (WPA). Needed to boot to windows.  Needed by services.msc
WPABALN.EXE (Windows Product Activation). Windows Product Activation Balloon reminder.
WRITE.EXE (Write). A text and rich-text document-editing tool.
WS2HELP.DLL....(Windows Socket  2.0 Helper)    Needed by Services.msc Loads a service provider's interface DLL into the Windows system.
WS2_32.DLL ......(Windows Socket 2.0 32-Bit DLL).  Needed for Internet Connectivity and Services.msc  
WSOCK32.DLL .....(Windows Socket 32-Bit DLL). Needed for Internet Connectivity. 
WTSAPI32.DLL    Needed to view the Automatic Updates tab in System Properties, by MS Update and to to enter System Propertiesby right-clicking on My Computer 
WUPDMGR.EXE (Windows Update). The Windows Update Manager for NT.
XCOPY.EXE (Extended Copy). A command-line utility used to copy files and folders.
XPSP1RES.dll ....(Service Pack 1 Messages ) .Needed to open Add / Remove
XPSP2RES.dll    (Service Pack 2 Messages)  Needed by Services.msc

 

Edited by tted86
revisions

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