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Windows Configuration
Summary: When you start Windows many programs start automatically as well. It can be difficult to identify everything and whether or not they're all neccessary. What's all this stuff running after I boot Windows? When you start Windows you're starting much more than just the operating system. Many applications that have been installed will also have tools or utilities that start automatically when the system starts or later when you log in. And there's a bunch of places that start-up tasks get defined; besides your programs-startup folder there are several places in the registry as well. • Many start up tasks are necessary to carry out the things you expect your computer to do. For example if you run MSN Messenger then chances are you'll want want it to be running as soon as the computer starts. Another important example might be virus scanning software. However, many are not required at all. My favorite (or least favorite) examples are the Real Audio and Quick Time media players. The players themselves are fine and I use them both. However they both also install additional tasks that are started each time you log in to Windows. In most cases they simply check for software updates, but in some cases they also periodically present you with pop-up "messages" that, in my opinion, are really just another form of pop-up spam. And some start up tasks we're never really sure about until we disable them and something breaks. Identifying what gets started when you log in has gotten a lot easier in Windows XP. A program called "MSCONFIG" is included that lists exactly what happens on startup. (Start, Run, type "MSCONFIG", and then select the startup tab). Using MSCONFIG it's very easy to turn off those items you don't want starting every time. In Windows 2000 and Windows 9x there was no embedded support but there are tools available. Sysinternals has the freeware tool autoruns that's recently been updated to make deleting auto-start items easier. For years I ran a free download utility also called Startup Cop which was published in a PC Magazine article. Alas, the utility is no longer free as PC Magazine's library is now subscription only, but I still recommend it. Advanced Startup Cop while also not free is another application that will help you identify and control what's running. So what's safe to delete? Well, if you're not sure it's probably safest to leave it alone for now ... BUT ... for the record, I have both realsched.exe (Real Audio's annoy-ware) and qttask.exe (Quicktime's equivalent) disabled. And I'll look at how to identify the tasks running on your machine in a future post. Article 105 | Posted October 7, 2003 |
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This is a really good and useful newsletter. It makes it clear how to undertand windows, and fix problems. Keep it up Leo!
Laurence
Posted by: Laurence Creighton at May 21, 2007 10:16 AMA handy tool is www.processlibrary.com, you can type in the processes you find in msconfig and find out what they do. I have yet to find a process that was not listed on this site.
Posted by: Justin at June 12, 2007 2:17 PMCsrss is an essential process that should not be stopped, I believe Leo wrote a (brief ;)) article about it... at http://ask-leo.com/csrssexe.html.
@ Anthony Roberts, i'm guessing that is a microsoft automatic update to patch a vulnerability in it.
Posted by: Louis Benn at June 18, 2007 2:31 PMI have been having an issue with some kind of spyware that automatically starts IE in a loop. I used MSconfig and eventually now the process does not start since I start my Windows with the "Load Startup Items" disabled.
Anyways, now I want to try and download the real IE and install it. I tried IE 7 - it tool forever and after two reboots and a cancelled install - I tried to go back to IE 6. But now IE 6 installer says I already have the a higher version of IE and so I cant install IE 6. When I go to the higher version of IE 7 - it shows me the same symptoms (broken images.) I then tried to go into the C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer and manually delete the iexplore.exe. But I can not delete these files! When I delete them, the files iexplore.exe and hmmapi.dll, magically reappear in this directory within seconds.
Do you have any idea how to fix this? I want to have the ability to use IE - I use mozilla but it does not work on youtube videos but that is a different story.
Thanx for your help!
Posted by: Menon at July 22, 2007 1:41 PMI have used a program called Starter v 506.0.38 (pub 1993) for years and it does a great job of keeping track of startup in XP. Freeware.
Posted by: Lynn at December 1, 2007 8:11 AMHi Paul,
Thank you for your time. I have an unusual problem. After installing the new version of COMODO AntiSpam, since removed, every time I start up the PC IE7 automatically opens and loads the 'downoad' page for the new COMODO AntiSpam.
1. I have run Remove Run Once with no effect.
2. I have tried restore [back one month] with no effect.
3. I have tried an XP clean boot but not changed the situation.
4. I have run msconfig, system informastion and regedit but cannot locate a 'key' or link that would cause IE7 to auto start and load the COMODO page once the PC is up and running.
5. I have run 'Autoruns' and not found a link to COMODO AntiSpam in IE7?
Can you help me - talk me through- the process of locating the 'link' or file - command - registry key that cause this to happen and remove it.
Posted by: Keith Harris at May 19, 2008 10:07 PMI have send an Email to COMODO but not yet resolved the situation.
All other COMODO products run well and have no problems.
With thanks for your time and help,
Keith Harris
Australia
I've just installed service pack 3 on my windowsXP machine and now the 'my documents' folder opens each time I boot up. Not a huge problem but really annoying, please help? I can't see anything for this in the msconfig startup tab to disable. Thanks
Posted by: Cat at July 16, 2008 6:23 AMSomehow I lost my Microsoft Outlook 2003 pst files. I did the search, which you recommended, and included the hidden files. It did find something. However, when I try to open Microsoft Outlook, it still says that C:....outlook.pst is a not personal files folder. What can I do next?
Thank you.
Don
Posted by: don at August 28, 2008 6:52 AMWhen I tried to download the XP Service Pack 3 update, my computer crashed. I guess the "blue screen" of death came on (what our IT people call it), and said that I needed to quit this application if this is the first time I've seen this message and reboot. When I rebooted it went back and restored everything to original, thank goodness, but now what do I do? Also, when I want to shut down, it always says "install updates and shut down?, which I say no to everytime. It is annoying.
Help.
Thank you.
Don
Posted by: don at August 28, 2008 6:57 AMHi Leo, Iv'e used "WinPatrol" for years will handle program starts and delay programs + host of other things. A gem. Everyone should have it.
Posted by: Bernard at September 2, 2008 3:34 PMHello from New Zealand to all your readers.