Apparently, in the Registry, if there is no path, or maybe an incorrect
path, in Value Data, the item shows up blank in msconfig | Startup.
This seems to apply to orphaned entries left in the Registry after a program
has been uninstalled.
============
From PCForrest StartMan version 1.3\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 Orphans 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...
How should I deal with orphans?
In most cases the orphan should simply be deleted. However, there are
instances where this might be
impractical. For instance, a program that automatically restores its own
startups will continually recreate the orphan - unless it also re-instates
the target. In such cases the best course of action is to disable the
startup via the program that uses it. But if no option exists then
uninstalling the software is the only practical option. If the software is
essential to you, you should consider restoring the target.
Do I have to delete orphans?
No, you don't have to if you don't want to. If they're disabled they'll
cause no real problems except to confuse you during troubleshooting. But if
they're enabled you should consider removing them. If they're not required,
then they have no business being there at all.]]
