Modifying startup

[Guest]

There are a couple of programs that run on startup that I no longer *want* to
run. Notably there is a spyware whose DLL I've removed which barks at me and
an HP menu that I don't require. If I go into MSCONFIG-STARTUP, I can
de-check both of them then apply the changes. This *appears* to work but when
I reboot, there they both are, still running. (I'm the administrator). Not to
mention the fact that the System Config tool pops up on loading and tells me
I'm running in "Selective Startup". (Clicking the check box to tell it NOT to
tell me that has zero impact). So how can I take items out of startup? Is
there an INI or something I can modify? Help. This is maddening!

 

[george]

There are a couple of programs that run on startup that I no longer *want*
to
run. Notably there is a spyware whose DLL I've removed which barks at me
and
an HP menu that I don't require. If I go into MSCONFIG-STARTUP, I can
de-check both of them then apply the changes. This *appears* to work but
when
I reboot, there they both are, still running. (I'm the administrator). Not
to
mention the fact that the System Config tool pops up on loading and tells
me
I'm running in "Selective Startup". (Clicking the check box to tell it NOT
to
tell me that has zero impact). So how can I take items out of startup? Is
there an INI or something I can modify? Help. This is maddening!

Go get Startup Inspector for Windows (http://www.windowsstartup.com/) a hell
of a lot more insight than msconfig and more control.
If you like another good one try the Startup Control Panel at www.mlin.net.
They are pretty much self-explanatory in their use.

george

 

[Guest]

George,

Startup Inspector was a step in the right direction. It allowed me to turn
off a particularly annyoying HP navigator that I don't want. But for whatever
reason, it won't allow me to stop running that stupid DLL. I tell it to stop
running that program in startup and it appears to accept the changes when I
apply them. Then I reboot, the DLL message errors out, I look in the utility
and damned if it isn't still there in Startup. It's insidious.

 

[george]

It almost sounds like there is another 'startup'-process that calls upon
that DLL.
You *could* try and search the registry for the name of the dll (leave out
the dll suffix), then export the registry key where you possibly find a
reference to it (for safety, to import if it's not the right one ).
Then delete that key and see what happens.

hth

george

 

[Steven Myers]

But for whatever
reason, it won't allow me to stop running that stupid DLL. I tell it to
stop
running that program in startup and it appears to accept the changes when
I
apply them. Then I reboot, the DLL message errors out, I look in the
utility
and damned if it isn't still there in Startup. It's insidious.

In cleaning up a friend's computer, I ran into spyware that puts little
executables all over the place. Their file names seem benign. But if you
miss even one of them, it starts the infection all over again when you
reboot.

 

[Bob Dietz]

Download SysInternals Process Explorer -
http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/procexp.shtml
and you'll be able to see which processes are child processes of the
rogue DLL and kill them.

After you've killed the rogue processes, removing the rogue DLL should work.

Alternatively, if Process Explorer looks too daunting, try WinPatrol -
http://www.winpatrol.com
When you use WinPatrol to disable/remove the DLL startup item, WinPatrol
will offer to kill the associated running process.