msconfig cleanup

in the old "me" when you went into msconfig you could click a button that would clear the items no longer used. question is there a way of doing that with XP ??? machine had a lot of bugs which are now not valid but cant seem to get the display of msconfig startup to clear those items.

 

gghartmann--If you mean you want to physically delete the program from the msconfig|Startup list, I think you may have to do that in the Registry now.
For programs that do not have their boxes checked in msconfig|Startup go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Shared Tools\MSConfig\startupreg
For programs that do have their boxes checked go to
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\RunMRU
In each case right click the item to be eliminated and click Delete.
Always wise to back the Registry keys up before you make the changes in case you want to restore. (Registry File|Export)

Or if I am misunderstanding and all you want to do is no longer have a program start at boot (but do not mind seeing the program in the list), just uncheck the box in msconfig|Startup. Click Apply|OK. On Reboot, you will get a rather long-winded message. You can ignore it and check the box in the bottom left|OK. However, some programs may recheck the box. That is a setting in the program, itself. You may find it in Options/Preferences or something like that.

 

Welshjim

nope you were right the first hit. the boxes are unchecked and i want to remove those variables from the startup list.

thanks i will print this off for future reference.

 

gghartmann--You are welcome.

 

about the only thing me did well was have that tool right within the msconfig startup list.

thanks again.

 

ME is full of errors, glad its my sister that uses it and not me now, if I had the chance id demolish any computer on earth that runs ME and completely get rid of it

 

ME definitely not the best op system m.s. ever came out with. am very curious what vista is going to be like. i like xp so i hope they work out the bugs in vista before it hits the streets.

 

Hi GGHartmann,

In addition to what was suggested by Jim, you may probably be looking for this: http://www.get-in-control.com/msconfig-cleanup/

MSConfig Cleanup is a small and neat little free utility to remove entries of disabled programs in the MSConfig utility.

Regards - Rista

 

rista

i will download this util and give it a try. now why did m.s. remove that function from xp. worked nicely in "me" about the only thing that worked in "me" but it was a nice function.

thanks.....greg

 

Welshjim

Dont know if I am stepping on any toes or not by asking in this area but in reference to your answer about the long winded message from msconfig. Each time I use it when I reboot I get a message that I should not be making the changes, or to that effect, so I dont. Can I just tell them to get lost and continue. This happens every time I tell the machine not to start the program by ticking the box and removing the check mark next to ones I use very seldom.

 

Tom F--Assuming you are seeing the same message I see whenever I make a change in msconfig|StartUp and then reboot, I just click the box at the bottom left (which says something like "Don't show me this message again ") and then OK. I do not get the message box on boot until I make another change in Startup.
I do not remember the message itself anymore (since I have just ignored it since the first few times it popped up). I think it only is verifying that you really wanted to make the change in StartUp. If you do not click OK, the change may not get made.
So the answer to

is Yes, if you click the box and OK.

 

In fact, when you make uncheck some items and restart, you restart in selective mode, which gives you the opportunity to undo the changes, or change others. However, once you check the box on that selective startup message and restart, you are back in normal mode and the items you had unchecked are removed from the registry key mentioned above as well. If you reopen Msconfig you'll no longer see them listed.

 

Welshjim---JRosenfeld

Thanks for the info. I am using Rose City's Registry First Aid. In reference to the removal of registry key of items unchecked, will RFA pick up on the change and give me trouble with that move or just scan as usual and will the key be re-inserted if I happen to use the program or programs in question by use of their icons and launching their .exe files. I guess what I am really asking is will I lose all access to the aforementioned programs permantely or just not have them load on boot? Thanks for the info. Sorry for the silly questions but I have a lot of reservation when it comes to the registry and have never had a bum reply from you guys/gals.

 

Tom F--

It is correct that the unchecked items are removed from the registry key they were in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
But they just go to another Registry key
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Shared Tools\MSConfig\startupreg

And you will still see the items whose boxes you unchecked in msconfig|Startup on the next boot, unless you also remove them from
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Shared Tools\MSConfig\startupreg

In any event, you have not removed the programs from your PC. You have just stopped them from starting at boot. You can always start the programs manually (by clicking on the executable file) when you want to use them. The program may or may not be rechecked in the StartUp list depending on the settings in the program itself. You can usually stop this by checking things like Options or Preferences.

Registry First Aid should give you no problems about any of this.

 

Removing an item from startup stops the corresponding app from loading on startup and only that. It does not uninstall the software; you can still open the app from start/programs or from any other shortcut to its .exe that you may have created (or by going to its .exe file in Windows Explorer and double clicking on it). Some apps have an option in their settings to load on startup or not (Zone Alarm is one such, Spybot another). If you open such an app and the option to load on start up is checked, it will most likely regenerate the key to load on startup when you open/close it. For such apps it is probably easier to use their own settings to control load on startup, rather than Msconfig.

I'm not familiar with Registry First Aid, but looking it up it seems to be mainly a registry cleaner. If so, when it scans the registry it only checks that registry entries are consistent with what you have on your PC, it would not flag a non existent entry.

BTW, as a general point (not aimed at Registry First Aid in particular, since I have not tested that one) registry cleaners should be used (if at all) with great care. Never blindly let it 'correct' or remove all the entries it thinks are wrong, check each item it flags and always let it make a backup of things it changes, so you can undo them if something got broken. There are many ways for software to create entries in the registry that that particular software recognises and uses, but which the registry cleaner might not recognise as being a correct entry. If the registry cleaner then tries to 'correct' (usually delete) such entries the software will break. Redundant (orphan) entries in the registry do no harm as they are never used. The effect on performance is minimal, whatever the sellers of registry cleaners may claim.

PS Welshjim posted while I was typing. I am happy to stand corrected on the matter of whether or not the unchecked items are removed from msconfig when you check the box on the selective startup message and go back to normal startup. I haven't used msconfig in a long while, I use Spybot's startup manager and my memory has deteriorated over the years.

 

Welshjim----JRosenfeld

Gentlemen---I thank you once again. You are a wealth of information. Once again you have saved my bacon. And, as far as memory JRosenfeld, I wouldnt worry too much if I were you.

 

Required files in MSCONFIG

Hi all,

Can someone tell me exactly which files are required to keep in MSCONFIG?

Sometime ago, there was a website that had listings for the different OS's and I can't find the URL. I'm not sure of what a lot that is listed is for and I'm afraid I may remove something that is required. Even though I have a relatively new system, there is to much in Startup that Dell has put in and that bogs the system to a crawl.

I bought an expensive laptop (Hunk of Junk) and it's worse than my old Wdos. 98. I spend more time trying to fix the problems that are beyond my comprehension. I would like to enjoy it instead of having to be a tech.

Thanks for any information you can supply.

 

Degree 9814

You might want to take a look at this url. It may fit your needs. Have noticed it mentioned a lot on the postings but cannot verify it myself, nothing ventured- nothing lost.!!

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1830389,00.asp?kc=PCGL10310KTX2B2200331

Post your luck if you use it

 

A good up to date list is at

http://www.castlecops.com/StartupList.html

enter your startup item in the search, or use the alphabetical listing

The key is

"Y" - Normally leave to run at start-up
"N" - Not required - typically infrequently used tasks that can be started manually if necessary
"U" - User's choice - depends whether a user deems it necessary
"X" - Definitely not required - typically viruses, spyware, adware and "resource hogs"
"?" - Unknown (for new entries for which no definitive information is available to the list)

 

Tom, thank you for your reply. I took a look and don't think I need their program. I've looked at CastleCops and found the majority in my list is not needed. I will keep your information incase I find in the future I need something more.

Again think you for your kindness.


deg9814