XP Startup - Orphaned Location

[Dick Kingsland]

Looking at my start-up programs using Run/msconfig/Startup I find that the
resulting window includes an anomalous line which has a Location name
(SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Run) but blank Startup Item and
Command names. I've run Registry Mechanic (a registry repair utility) which
corrected a lot of problems, but not this one. I've unchecked the item and
it seems harmless but I'd be grateful if anyone could tell me its
significance and whether I can get rid of it and, if so, how?

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Dick;
Start | Run | Type: regedit | OK

Navigate to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

What do you see in the right hand pane?

 

[Dick Kingsland]

Wes,

Thanks for a useful lead. Your procedure using regedit yielded a table of
Names (aliases, apparently), Types (all REG_SZ) and Data (commands). The
executable name in each command corresponded to the the name of an enabled
Startup Item in msconfig (e.g."nwiz" in "nwiz.exe /install" in regedit
matched an occurrence of "nwiz" in msconfig). After I enabled the offending
item in msconfig a new entry appeared in the regedit table with the Name
"Motive SmartBridge", Type REG_SZ and a blank in the Data column. Clearly
this is the source of the problem and since SmartBridge is an AT&T broadband
thing and I've never been near them I can't imagine where it came from.
Deleting the entry from the registry is the obvious next move but I think I
need to discover whether there are any other references first. Any further
thoughts would be very welcome.

Dick

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Dick;
I know nothing..............about SmartBridge, except it's also a
program that allows you to play the card game. )

You should, or maybe you have already, be able to find the path for
SmartBridge in the Registry reference. Find the *.exe | right click |
see what info is available. If it is indeed an AT&T broadband deal,
maybe it was pre-installed when you bought your machine.

If it were me, I would find out all I could about it before deleting.
You might be able to get rid of the Registry reference by going into
SmartBridge and disabling the start reference there. And if it is
something that you don't use/want, uninstall from Add or Remove
Programs

 

[Dick Kingsland]

Wes,

Very many thanks - you've solved it! Unfortunately there wasn't a path for
SmartBridge in the registry reference, which was one of the symptoms.
However a file-name search on my PC revealed that SmartBridge was associated
with NetHelp, which was installed. NetHelp, which is potentially useful but
by no means vital, is my ISP's (BT's) badge-engineered version of Motive
(Communications) Desktop Manager which is a remote service PC and Internet
connection trobleshooter. Uninstalling NetHelp removed the anomalous
references shown up by regedit and msconfig. I'm afraid I caused the
problem in the first place through long forgotten but successful efforts,
using trial and error, to stop NetHelp initiating a resident component at
start-up even when it was disabled in msconfig. Anyway, that's another
problem and I can start again with a clean sheet. Thanks again.

Dick

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Dick;

Well, I have leaned something. SWAG: Apparently, if there is no path,
or maybe an incorrect path, in Value Data, the item shows up
blank in msconfig | Startup.

Keep having fun.