This is known as a startup orphan.
A startup orphan is a startup item that has a non-existent target file.
A target is the file which a startup will run when invoked.
If there is no path in Value Data, the item shows up blank in
msconfig | Startup. Also if Default under Data is blank (nothing
there at all) instead of (value not set).
Start | Run | Type: regedit | Click OK |
Navigate to >>
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
What do you see in the right hand pane?
Do you see an entry with blank (nothing there at all) in the Data
column?
Start | Run | Type: regedit | Click OK |
Navigate to >>
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
What do you see in the right hand pane?
Do you see an entry with blank (nothing there at all) in the Data
column?
From StartMan HELP:
[[An orphan is a startup item that has a non-existent target file.
A target is the file which a startup will run when invoked.
How do they occur?
They primarily occur because you've disabled a startup and then, at a
later date, uninstalled the program that uses it. The uninstaller won't
know about the disabled startup so it gets left behind. And if the
uninstaller deletes the target file then the startup becomes an orphan.
Orphans can also occur if you rename or move the target file elsewhere.
Where an orphan is also enabled you may see missing file reports at
startup. In the case of menu startups (shortcuts), the shell will
attempt to resolve the target by a brute-force search for the file based
upon the information stored in the shortcut.
How do I avoid creating orphans when uninstalling software?
Firstly, before uninstalling any software, ensure all its startups are
enabled with StartMan. This ensures all its startups can be located.
Next, use the program's own options to disable or remove the startups -
if that is an option. Finally, uninstall the software. All things being
equal, the startups should be gone, along with the software that used
them. If not...]]
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Hope this helps. Let us know.
Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
In
