FSAutostart

Do you know FSAutostart?
It's a really useful windows app, freeware, that shuts down all the non-necessary apps before launching FS2004 (or any other program, you decide).
It can also restart the apps shut before, it defragment memory, and knows about windows services.

Try it, you will not uninstall it.

url: http://www.kensalter.com/fsautostart/