> > 1. Is there any damage in startkde of running
> kdetcompmgr as a background
> > task?
> 
> Yes
> 
> >
> > 2. What process started in startkde is launching
> kconf_update?
> 
> Don't know
> 
> >
> > 3. Why is kconf_update being launched?
> 
> To regenerate a configuration file index IIRC
> 
> >
> > 4. Is there a way to prevent kconf_update from
> running?
> 
> Not a good idea
> 
> Sorry!

Looks like kded might be causing this. There is a setting in KControl KDE Performance to disable system configuration startup checks. Possibly that can be enabled to stop kconf_update.

Darrell