msconfig

Topic

New Reply

I have used “msconfig” often times as the only method I could find to stop programs from automatically loading and taking up real estate in the system tray at boot up. Since I am using the “Selective Start Up” I have many entries in msconfig that are unchecked. Where can I find these unneeded items and delete them? I tried locating them in the Registry and either they are not there or I don’t recognize them for what they are.

Thanks.

Reply | Quote

Replies

If you’re going to delete them from the registry, you will need to navigate to the following two keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun-

and

HKEY_LOCAL_USERSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun-

Happy hunting

Reply | Quote

Mark,

Thanks. I’ll go to that machine and start hunting now.

Reply | Quote

Mark,

I just got back from the two Registry keys you suggested. The only entries were the ones under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun- and they were the valid entries that need to start up on boot up. I still can not find any of the entries that are unchecked when viewing them in “msconfig” There was nothing at all under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun. I also looked under RunOnce, RunOnceEx, RunServices, RunServices-, and RunServicesOnce and still no luck. Before when I did a search for the entries as they appear in “msconfig” I couldn’t find them in the Registry, Win.ini, System.ini or anywhere else.

Any other suggestions. A lot of the entries I would like to delete start with load = That is why I looked in all the ini files I could think of.

Reply | Quote

I do have a suggestions – it appears that you went to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE only. Did you also check HKEY_CURRENT_USER?

Also look carfeully when you are in there – there will always be a key named Run – but not Run-. The key with the minus sign may not always be present – in fact it will not be if nothing has ever been disabled.

LOCAL_MACHINE is for items that run every time the computer starts, regardless of the user. If you don’t have multiple users set up then it really doesn’t matter anyway.

CURRENT_USER is for items that execute or data that is needed for the currently logged in user only. On WIndows NT, 2000 and XP this is critical since everyone that uses the system must log in and therefore has a unique user profile. Multiple user abilities were slapped onto Windows 9x, but when software identifies the operating system during installation, it will sometimes behave differently (read: write to a different registry location) if it is not Windows NT/2000/XP.

RunOnce will not have any entries unless something has been scheduled for a sigle execution the next reboot. This is how running defrag at bootup is possible on Windows 9x before the desktop and any icons appear.

Last thing – the LOAD= that you referred to may simply be the data in the registry entry. Try searching the registry by opening REGEDIT, pressing F3, and searching for one of those entries that you saw….LOAD=some_program.exe.

Hope that helps you in your quest….it’s a tough topic to explain easily, so if something isn’t clear, please let me know.

Reply | Quote

Mark,

I had already searched the Registry for Load= before I even posted my question. It came up absolutely empty which was hard for me to understand.

I have searched all the Registry keys that you suggested and then looked at the remaining ones individually and still I have found no Load= and only a couple of the other entries I wanted to delete. I have been looking for almost 2 months now off and on for these entries but still have had no luck. Also I did already search all the *.ini files I could think of for the Load=.

Thanks for all your help.

Reply | Quote

I guess that pretty much tells us that the registry has nothing to do with it.

The only places (that I know of) that MSCONFIG looks at for startup programs are the following:

C:AUTOEXEC.BAT
C:WINDOWSWINSTART.BAT (if present)
C:WINDOWSWIN.INI — the LOAD= and RUN= statments in the WINDOWS section
C:WINDOWSSYSTEM.INI — in the BOOT section
Your STARTUP folder on the start menu
And, of course, the previously noted registry keys.

You can look in those for your LOAD= lines. You can also try running SYSEDIT from Start — Run which will open all the legacy Windows config files used at startup. And if you want to, use the Find-Files and Folders feature to search for files containing the text LOAD=. Let it search all hard drives, all files – it will take a while, so plan on doing something else if you choose that option. Outside of that, I’d be inclined to say “Well, they’re empty checkboxes…..phooey”

Reply | Quote

Mark,

I have looked in all those files except winstart.bat which I don’t have. Something interesting I found when searching for “Load=” was noload= in the Win.ini. I remarked that line out and did get rid of all the “Load=” entries.

Thanks

Reply | Quote

You stated “Since I am using the “Selective Start Up” I have many entries in msconfig that are unchecked.”

If you will provide a list of these items we may be able to help more. Some programs have the settings controlled within their own option settings. Realplayer, AOL. McAffe and others do this, and are all started by default when these programs are installed.

DaveA I am so far behind, I think I am First
Genealogy....confusing the dead and annoying the living

Reply | Quote

Dave,

Thanks. I will try to compile a list and post it here but it may take me a little while to do that. Below is my most recent reply to Mark.

Something interesting I found when searching for “Load=” was noload= in the Win.ini. I remarked that line out and did get rid of all the “Load=” entries.

Thanks.

Reply | Quote

Mark and Dave,

I must apologize. I don’t know how I overlooked the entries but I found most of them under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE——– RunServices-. I am down to only 3 unchecked entries: “Memory Stick Monitor”, “GoBack Tray Icon”, and “Iomega Bachup Scheduler” Those I can not find even by searching the Registry for their program name for instance “Memory Stick Monitor” = MSSTAT.EXE. Still it can not be found.

The “Load=” I told you how I got rid of them.

Thanks for all your help.

Reply | Quote

Here’s a link that many will find helpful. This site has a comprehensive list of those cryptic items that ‘msconfig’ lists. It defines them & offers suggestions on whether or not they are needed.
http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_content.htm

deltacomputers

Edited by WyllyWylly to make hyperlink active

Reply | Quote

Thank you.

Reply | Quote

Although this may have somewhat little to do with the load on start up in your post, you might find this utility at ZDNet useful in identifying registry entries that are there, but do not refer to anything currently on your machine. The first time I used it, there were around 1400 invalid registry entries on my machine. If you have since uninstalled some of the software for which you are seeking registry keys, it might help.

Reply | Quote

Mike,

Thanks, I’ll try it soon.

Reply | Quote

Mike,

I assume the program is RegVac. How did you like it? The reviews are less than positive.

Thanks.

Reply | Quote

I never did read the reviews before I tried it. It seems to work very well for me. Cleaned up a huge number of entries the first time I tried it. Doesn’t seem to conflict with any other software I have.

Reply | Quote