Controlling MSCONFIG start up

[Steve]

I've noticed some strange things happening on start up these days. Odd
programmes appearing, message boxes etc.

I checked MSCONFIG and there's about ten miles of entries under the start up
tab.

Since none of these are in the start up folder, I assumed they'd appear in
some start up section of the registry. (Really! Could they possibly have
made this more obscure???) Well, in fact some of them were, and I got rid of
them.

What about the rest???

If MS wants to discourage annoying programmes getting into hidden little
places that you can't discover, then perhaps the first place to start would
be to get rid of these hidden little places.

So how do I get rid of these start up programmes that I don't need?

 

[Drew Tognola]

Steve,

-Msconfig-Startup
-Start > Programs > Startup
-Add/Remove Programs
If you periodically check these 3 locations and are running multiple
antispyware applications twice a week, are scanning any downloaded files
with a virus scan & an antispyware app. prior to running it and finally are
running a firewall, I guarantee
you will not be overwhelmed with any more spyware.

ps-Have you looked at the registry lately? There's an unlimited number of
places to hide.

Drew

 

[Snarky Parker]

Here's a freeware utility that you may want to consider using in addition to
msconfig. It, unlike msconfig, can also delete those orphaned or malware type
entries.

Autoruns
http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/autoruns.shtml

 

[MCR]

Here's a freeware utility that you may want to consider using in addition to
msconfig. It, unlike msconfig, can also delete those orphaned or malware type
entries.

Autoruns
http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/autoruns.shtml

Thanks for the link! That tool is brilliant.

 

[Steve]

Thanks to all.

Yes, this link's uncovered some very bizarre stuff!

 

[Stan Brown]

Here's a freeware utility that you may want to consider using in addition to
msconfig. It, unlike msconfig, can also delete those orphaned or malware type
entries.

Autoruns
http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/autoruns.shtml

It seems like a good program. But it doesn't show the autoruns in
WIN.INI and SYSTEM.INI, so you need to check those separately.

--
Stan Brown, Oak Road Systems, Tompkins County, New York, USA
http://OakRoadSystems.com
Fortunately, I live in the United States of America, where we are
gradually coming to understand that nothing we do is ever our
fault, especially if it is really stupid. --Dave Barry

 

[Stan Brown]

It seems like a good program. But it doesn't show the autoruns in
WIN.INI and SYSTEM.INI, so you need to check those separately.

To their credit, the developers at sysinternals have their e-mail
addresses visible. I've e-mailed a suggestion that they add WIN.INI
and SYSTEM.INI.

 

[Stan Brown]

To their credit, the developers at sysinternals have their e-mail
addresses visible. I've e-mailed a suggestion that they add WIN.INI
and SYSTEM.INI.

And to their even further credit, I got a prompt reply from Mark
Russinovich to the effect that XP doesn't look in WIN.INI and
SYSTEM.INI for startup items, even though MSCONFIG lists them;
Therefore there's no need for them to be listed in AUTORUNS.