Start Up folders - not all items starting up

I am a standalone, single user running XP Home.

In the Documents and Settings folder there are Startup folders under both "All Users" and under my name.

I have 3 programs in C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup that start up okay on a reboot. However, I have 2 programs in C:\Documents and Settings\<my name>\Start Menu\Programs\Startup that NEVER get started up on a reboot.

Why are the programs under my name not starting up? The programs don't need special handling...they all start and run ok when I double-click them in the Startup folder.

Obviously I could just move the programs from under my name's Startup folder to the All Users Startup folder, but I'm wanting to know why they aren't starting.

This leads to another question: why are some programs put under my name when they are installed, and other programs are put under All Users? I certainly don't specify where they go when installing. The only possibility I can think of right now is that I HAVE played with setting up another user account name (for dealing with a network wire I run between 2 pc's), and that I installed those program(s) when I had 2 accounts on my pc and I installed them while logged in under my name. However, it seems to me this was happening _before_ I set up that second user account, but I'm not sure.

Anyway, why aren't the programs in my Startup folder not starting up?

Dave
P.S. As a related story, I have one program - Clipboard Plus - that starts up TWICE, even tho it is in only one of the Startup folders. And, it has no option in the app itself to 'start with windows at startup', etc. that would be causing it to start on its own. Go figure....

 

Davey - rather than spending lots of time trying to figure out any of the "why" stuff, I suggest you get a copy of Startup Cop (free) which will give you excellent control over programs to start/not start.

It provides a list of the "all users" programs and lists for each user with easy options to decide what you want them to do.

PC Magazines wrote the program and you can download it from them if you are registered or from a couple of other sources. The ZDNet ftp site has it but kept timing out on me this morning so rather than posting a link, I will suggest you go to http://www.google.com and do a search for Startup Cop and pick one of the links the search will return for you.

 

Startup Cop seems to give most people no problem. However there have been some posts of problems with NT, 2000, and ME. I'm leary of installing it at this point. I'm not that desperate yet to risk messing up my system. (I can move the programs over to All Users if need be.)

However, I think it IS a good question. If Microsoft is going to create Startup folders under specific users and put programs in those Startup folders, then I think it needs to be asked why those programs aren't starting when that person logs on.

 

The full explanation of the problems you've encountered can be found at http://www.jimthompson.net/xphome/InstallingSoftware.htm

Basically, it's a problem with software which doesn't make use of the multiple-user feature of XP.

 

Nice link Miz.

 

Another Startup Option

Try www.startupmgr.com and select the web-based startup manager. This might give you the control you would like to have without having to install separate software.

 

Thanks for the feedback. The web-based "startup mgr" was interesting for turning off certain startup items. I thought jim thompson's page would do the trick for me, but it didn't.

2 of my 3 programs are not in c:\Program Files so it isn't a problem of a limited user trying to access that protected folder. Besides, I'm the only one on this PC and I have administrative account, so that wouldn't matter anyway.

I tried the compatibility switch but that didn't do anything.

I also tried the CALCS command, but that didn't change anything either. In fact, I have been unable to change my \GetRight folder and files back from /g users:c(hange) to /g users:R(ead-only).

The only thing that worked was moving the programs from ...\<my name>\...\Startup to ...\All Users\...\Startup.

I noticed the icon next to All Users startup was just a yellow folder, whereas under my name it was a yellow folder with a square of icons in front of it. I really don't think that has any impact tho.

So, despite trying all those things, I still couldn't get the programs in my name's startup folder to start. For now, the problem is 'resolved' by moving items over to 'all users', but it is still a curiosity why they don't work under my name. Maybe some day someone will have the answer. I'm curious if anyone else has this problem?

Dave

 

Davey ~

The long and the short of it is that even though XP is designed to be a multi-user system, it seems to load only the All Users startup folder on startup, but you can change that, if you like.

The startup folder is set in the registry at HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders\ (also User Shell Folders\) Startup.

You can change it there, but the easy way to do it (and change the location of a lot of other system folders, if you choose) is with either TweakUI 1.33 or TweakUI XP. Both work nicely with XP, and each has settings that the other doesn't. In either one, Special Folders can be changed on the "My Computer" page.

I found that setting nearly everything to All Users worked best for me.

Hope this helps.

Jim

 

Thanks for the info. Sounds like a fix for SR1.

Dave