Startup Question

[hhh8785]

When I used to start up my computer, it would always startup an installation program for a program I already had. I got tired of it so I deleted the Setup.exe program for it. Then it would always start searching for it every time I started up. So finally I went into the browse option for it and made it open a wav file. It starts up Windows Media Player every time and plays it. My question is, does anyone know how I can stop my computer from starting anything when I first start up?

[wyvrn]

Which OS are you using. For win95 and above, use the add/remove programs option in the control panel to delete programs. Just deleting the .exe file leaves little poltergeists all over your computer. What you are seeing is a .lnk file (shortcut) that points to setup.exe that you deleted. you have successfully linked that file to a wav file, but have not gotten to the core of the issue. Get rid of the .lnk file associated with the setup.exe and this behavior will stop. For instance, I had the program Chatspace.exe on my machine and I removed it, but the shortcut in the startup group chatspace.lnk, was still present on my machine. to locate .lnk files, go to START/FIND/files and folders and type this *.lnk . Delete the .lnk file that corresponds to the program setup.exe that you deleted. Another way is to go to your taskbar, click with your right mouse button, and choose properties. Click on "start menu programs" tab at top, and then click the REMOVE option. You will see a list of groups, you want to open up the "startup" group and remove the shortcut to the missing progam here. Once again, using ADD/REMOVE PROGRAMS in the control panel will invoke the programs built in uninstaller that will do all of this for you at one time. Hope that helps.

[This message has been edited by wyvrn (edited 02-17-2000).]

[drizzle]

Win9x starts up software from three different places that i can recall right off...

The first is the 'StartUp' group on your Start menu. An entry there can just be deleted just like in any other group.

The second is 'load=' or 'run=' from the WIN.INI. These two lines are usually the second and third line in that file.

The third place a program can be executed is from the registry.

The folder is:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\Run

and also...

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\RunServices

Entries in the first folder will execute after Windows has started, or after you have logged in if you are on a network of some sort. The second folder is for software that starts up with Windows or before you even log in, if you're on a network.

** Be careful editing the registry! **
http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif

[grandslammer]

Okay, I can count the shaking heads as I post this reply BUT.........

I run Uninstaller from McAfee. The label in the jewel case looks like a box of Tide.

First heard about it watching screen savers on ZDtv. Paid 10 bucks fot it at wal-mart. But, it actually works great. Cleans out old temp folders, broken shortcuts, invalid registry entries, etc. I use it all the time, and it beats the heck out of manually searchuing the registry.

Also, you may want to go to start, run, and type in msconfig. Hit okay. When the configuration utility comes up, go to the start up tab. There you can check or un-check whatever's lined up to start with windows. It reads this info from thje registry (local machine/software/microsoft/windows/current version/run, run once, run services, run services once. There may be more than one instance of the run/run services lines, but that's okay. If you feel queasy when someone mentions reguistry, then just go to the msconfig utility above, there - no matter what you de-select, you can go back later and select it again. Very safe for newbie's!

Good Luck, but no matter what you do, you might want to invest 10 bucks in a good uninstaller.

Mike P.