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MSCONFIG clean up

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by smokinjoe30

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I am trying to clean up the entries in the Win XP System Configuration Utility tool on the Startup tab. I know about going into the registry LOCAL_MACHINE...RUN keys, but the startup items that I see in the msconfig startup tab that I want to delete are not in the actual registry. I don't know where else to look.

9 replies

by carlos.nino

I'm not sure I understood your question, but if you mean the start/programs/startup items, simply delete them from there.

by thechas

If the program links are not in the registry, that pretty much leaves the legacy system files.

From the run box, run sysedit, and look for the program shortcuts there.

Chas

by smokinjoe30

I tried looking in sysedit and no references to the files in question are there. Might I add that the files in question werte originally spyware/adware or whatever that either AdAware or I deleted. The files are non-existant now, but the references to the files to run on startup are still there. I unchecked them, but still...I look forward to your reply

by thechas

Okay,

You said that you looked in the run keys.

Did that include the run- and runonce keys?

When you uncheck startup items, Windows moves them to the run- key.

Another thing to do, is to search the registry on the name for the program as listed in msconfig.

Chas

by rcom

Do you know what the startup item does?

Since its listed in MSCONFIG and you uncheck it does it still run at startup? And if so is it back in the list of MSCONFIG.

Some of the items in the startup section of MSCONFIG might actually be starting from the WIN.INI file. Note the path to the file and go and see where its located and what program its associated to. Or search for it using the FIND feature. If you find it and see what folder its in then you may be able to get info that can help from the properties of the file. If its a windows files it will say so in the properties. If its from a program the online support may be able to help.

Here's another tricky thing that can happen with virus infections or spyware. They'll make a WININIT.INI file to load and or redo the process.
WININIT.EXE performs whatever needs to be done when the PC reboots after changes. So when the PC is starting and the DOS screen shows "Please wait while the system is being updated" WININIT.EXE is running the WININIT.INI file that was created by whatever process was done. After the task is complete the .INI file is renamed to .BAK, .TMP or something else. To see what was just done the files can be opened in wordpad. This method has recently been used to rename just enough files to disable the virus software. But the program seems to be working fine.

In the registry these startup files may be listed in more than just HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.

The entry could also be listed under:
1. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\
2. HKEY_USERS\xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx\

The following path is in the tree of both.

Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run,
Runonce and RunServices.

Use the search feature of the registry to see if and where the file in question is listed. While in the registry click on EDIT, the FIND

by smokinjoe30

I can't believe it! It worked! it was in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Shared Tools\MSCONFIG\startupfolder and \startupreg. I used the FIND feature and used the name of the program in the command line. I also found another one that I wasn't even looking for at that time (but was going to be looking for next!) It worked and I poked around and learned a little more about the registry. Thank you.

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