Task List
Name

PROGRAM &
MANUFACTURER

WHAT IT IS
AND WHAT YOU CAN DO
Gamechannel GameChannel.exe

(Wild Tangent)		 Wild Tangent Web Driver – Background task installed with games from Wild Tangent.  This background task notifies you of new or updated Wild Tangent games whilst also supposedly making it faster for you to access your Wild Tangent games – it will also automatically download in the background updated version of your current games (if configured to do so).  GAMECHANNEL will also show in the Task List of new PCs (2002), such as Hewlett-Packard’s Pavilion range, as they come pre-installed with demo versions of Wild Tangent games. Some Wild Tangent games :  Atomic Pop, Betty Bad, Blackhawk Striker, Blasterball 2, BlasterBall Wild, Cannonballs, Dark Orbit, Dice Jam, Excavation, Gem Master, Hit the Pros, Honeycombs, Kublox, Men in Black II CROSSFIRE (& Extreme version), SabreWing, Slyder, Snowboard Extreme, Space Rocks, Virtual Warfare.

Recommendation :
This task consumes Internet bandwidth unnecessarily and unless you use your PC primarily for games, you should disable it with Starter (our preferred method) – it is not needed to run your games. Another way to disable it is by right-clicking the Wild Tangent icon in the System Tray, taking OFF all ticks, and clicking OK.  Other issues with this task include problems with Internet access as a result of the task crashing in the background, and Internet Explorer crashes.  If you do not play any Wild Tangent games, you should consider de-installing anything "Wild Tangent" in the "Add/Remove Programs" in the Control Panel.
Gbpoll GBPoll.exe

(Roxio)		 This is the GoBack Polling Service. Read GBTRAY below for more details on Roxio’s GoBack.  According to Roxio, GBPOLL performs background services in support of GoBack’s various functions and is essential to the good functioning of the product.

Recommendation :
You have it from the horse’s mouth :   leave it alone.  That said, both GBTRAY and GBPOLL have been known to prevent ScanDisk and Defrag from completing, so you may need to temporarily disable them with Starter if you want to run ScanDisk/Defrag.
Gbtray GBTray.exe

(Roxio)		 Roxio’s GoBack System Tray icon.  In a nutshell Roxio’s GoBack provides the System Restore feature of Windows Millennium Edition, and now Windows XP, with extra bells and whistles.  A great product for Windows 95/98/NT4/2000 users where the System Restore facility does not exist, but not necessary, in our opinion, for Windows ME and Windows XP users.

Recommendation :
It is essential that GBTRAY is running for GoBack to work properly. Leave alone therefore.  That said, both GBTRAY and GBPOLL have been known to prevent ScanDisk and Defrag from completing, so you may need to temporarily disable them with Starter if you want to run ScanDisk/Defrag.
Gdrive Gdrive.exe

(IBM)		 Startup Task found on IBM Netvista and Aptiva PCs running Windows Millennium Edition (Windows ME).  This task sets the drive letter for the CD-ROM drive to G: .

Recommendation :
The mind boggles as to why someone at IBM thought it would be a good idea to have such a program.  It causes nothing but problems, from the inability to access a network drive set to G:  by the fileserver’s login scripts, to not being able to choose a letter of your own for your CD-ROM drive.  Utterly useless.  If, like us, this task annoys you, disable it with Startup Manager.  Before you do that, however, note that this will probably result in the drive letter for your CD-ROM drive changing, probably to something like E: or F:, which may affect CD based software programs such as games, encyclopaedias, reference programs, etc…
Ghoststartservice GhostStartService.exe

(Symantec)		 Norton’s Ghost Start Service which runs as a task under Windows 9x/ME and as a service under Windows NT4/2000/XP.  This task/service gets installed if you install either the Windows portion of Ghost the standalone product, or if you install Norton SystemWorks 2002 or later and include the Ghost option.

Recommendation :
We do not at this stage know the exact role of this task/service, so cannot make any recommendation about it.
Ghoststarttraya

Ghoststarttrayapp		 GhostStartTrayApp.exe

(Symantec)		 Norton’s Ghost System Tray icon installed when you install the Windows portion of Ghost the standalone product, or if you install Norton SystemWorks 2002 or later and include the Ghost option.  This big "Ghost" icon enables you to access the Norton Ghost functions from the System Tray.

Recommendation :
Down to end-user preference. You can disable/enable this icon with Starter.
Gisdnlog GISDNLog.exe

(British Telecom)		 ISDN Connection Event Recorder.  This task is installed by the drivers for BT’s USB ISDN modems which come integrated with the ISDN wall socket – it appears as an icon in the System Tray.  If you click on the icon you can see if you are connected, how many channels you are using, the number of bytes transmitted, etc...

Recommendation :
We suspect this task can be disabled with Starter without any consequences, but we have not had the opportunity to verify this.
Gmt GMT.exe

(Gator)		 Background program which is part of the Gator GAIN software (Gator Advertising and Information Network).  Gator GAIN is what we call adware (advertising spyware).  Gator GAIN is used by software manufacturers to enable them to offer you the FREE use of their software – instead, they receive advertising revenue through the advertisements displayed by the Gator GAIN add-on whenever you are using their software.

Recommendation :
We are against all adware.  Download SpyBot Search & Destroy from our Downloads area and use it to remove Gator and any other adware or spyware.  Note, however, that in some cases removing adware will totally disable the application which installed it, and this maybe an application which is important to you, so you may want to initially only disable this with Startup Manager while you ascertain how Gator Gain got into your PC.
Gosync GoSync.exe

(Zita Farm Ltd)		 GoSync System Tray icon.  GoSync is a nifty piece of software which makes it significantly easier to HotSync your Palm PDA.

Recommendation :
The System Tray is the best place for GoSync.

Grpconv

GrpConv.exe

(Microsoft)

Windows Program Group Converter.  This utility is called upon by Windows 95/98/ME during the Setup phase, or when upgrading from Windows 3.1 where it converts the Windows 3.1 groups to folders.  An interesting tip to memorize :  GRPCONV /S (in the "Start \ Run" box) will recreate all the standard Start Menu folders which normally get created when you first install Windows 95/98/ME – good to know when you have standard Windows "Start \ Programs" program folders which have disappeared.

Recommendation : 
GRPCONV never normally appears on the Task List. However it gets executed when you install software which, at the end of the installation, creates "Program Groups" through the old Windows 3.1x techniques rather than through Win9x/ME techniques, typically driver type software.  When this happens GRPCONV takes over and automatically converts the new program group to a "Start Menu" program folder.  During that conversion you may briefly see GRPCONV in your Task List, or it may remain there after the conversion. It is harmless.
Gsyno Gsyno.exe

(FHLP – BeWan)		 This task is installed by the drivers for BT’s USB ISDN modems which come integrated with the ISDN wall socket.  These ISDN modems are originally made by FHLP-BeWan, and re-badged by BT.

Recommendation :
We do not know at this stage what this task does, so can only recommend that you leave it alone.
Gwhotkey GWHotkey.exe

(BillP Studios)		 GWHotkey is the Control Panel application for Gateway’s Multi-function Keyboards which are standard equipment on most Gateway multimedia PCs.  It controls all the extra customisable keys at the top of the keyboard and enables you to configure them for one-key access to various functions such as e-mail, Internet access, CD Playing, DVD playing, volume control.

Recommendation :
Properly configured multi-function keyboards backed up by good quality configuration software can significantly increase productivity for users who often switch between applications, or they can significantly ease the learning curve for very young children or older first-time computer users.  The decision is yours, therefore, as to whether you wish to retain GWHOTKEY.  Note that, as with many multifunction keyboard software, there can sometimes be conflicts between GWHOTKEY and specific applications.  If you encounter such a conflict, disable GWHOTKEY in Startup Manager, or de-install the GWHOTKEY software through "Add/Remove Programs".
Gwmdmmsg GWMdmMsg.exe

(Gateway)		 Gateway Modem Messaging Application.  Background task installed with the drivers for Gateway modems on Gateway PCs.

Recommendation :
We have no idea as to what it really does.  However, in our experience, disabling this task has no adverse effect whatsoever on the operation of your Gateway modem.
Gwmdmpi GWMdmPi.exe

(Gateway)		 GWMDMPI is a software patch (fix) for internal modems on Gateway 450 and 500 series laptops.  It fixes a problem in Windows XP where the audio settings of your modem are not remembered unless you install this fix.

Recommendation :
Essential, leave it alone.