Are there any programs out there that I can use to safely end certain running processes in one go (instead of ctrl-alt-delete>end process, which Windows complains about)?

I'm trying End It All 2 at the moment but although it ends the processes I want to end with a couple of clicks, it basically does the same as ctrl-alt-delete>end process to close them, which is not a good thing to do according to Windows

(I don't want to permanently disable them, just be able to quickly kill the unneccesary ones before running certain resource hungry programs)

a little more info like what programs your trying to stop?
they should be under applications though.
ive been ending processes left and right and nothing bad has never come of it but i dont advise it.

EDIT:
go to start>settings>control panel>administrator tools>services.
then find the ones that are running and you can stop them safely.
thats the only way that ive found.

Try using Process Explorer.

I have tried that and although its great for viewing running processes it still ends processes the same way as ctrl-alt-delete it seems and still have to end each one singly.

I guess what I really want to know is am I going to cause any problems regularly killing a background process (ones which I know are safe not running eg spoolsv etc) or is the Windows warning just overly cautious?

And as the Windows warning states that by ending a process it will "...not be given a chance to save its state or data before it is closed", is there a way to end a process so that it will be able to save its state and data?

try Options > Confirm Kill and see if it works for you.