Msconfig and task scheduler

[djs0302]

I have Msconfig set up so Windows dows not load the items that were
listed on the startup tab. Actually there was only one item listed and
it was unnecessary. It was an extra control panel that appeared on the
desktop on the righthand side when I installed the drivers for an ATI
Radeon video card. I went into the registry and deleted the item so it
wouldn't even show up in the msconfig list. I've had it set up this
way ever since I built the computer a year and a half ago. The other
day I was playing around with the task scheduler trying to see if it
would load an arbitrary program at a specified time but it wouldn't
work because it kept asking me to enter my user name and password and I
didn't create a password. It wouldn't accept a blank password either.
So I closed down task scheduler and figured I would never use it again
since I really didn't want to create a password just to see if it would
work. The computer in question is strictly for recreational use and is
not connected to the internet. Anyway, the next time I turned on my
computer I noticed it took a few seconds longer to boot. When the
desktop came up the ATI control panel was back on the righthand side of
the screen. I opened up msconfig and sure enough it was listed in the
startup items. I have since removed it again but I can't figure out how
running task scheduler could have caused the item to return.

 

[Mark Dormer]

Was the ATI application still running at the time?

It probably added the entry back into the registry itself.

Regards
Mark Dormer

 

[djs0302]

Was the ATI application still running at the time?

It probably added the entry back into the registry itself.

Regards
Mark Dormer

The ATI control panel was not running. ATI does load a service called
ATI Smart which determines the best AGP bus speed for the card. It's
not listed when I open Task Manager but it's listed under applications
on the Event Viewer. I don't care if it loads the ATI Smart service
since it's probably necessary. What I didn't like was the user control
panel it put on the righthand side of the screen. I don't need to
change color depth and screen resolution on the fly. I prefer a clean
desktop with nothing in the system tray and nothing on the desktop
except the wallpaper and the recycle bin.

 

[Michael T]

Have you considered using Autoruns.exe rather than MSCONFIG to prevent
programs from running when you boot?

This program allows you to disable (or delete) programs from running when
you boot your PC.

It can be downloaded at:
http://www.sysinternals.com/utilities/autoruns.html

You will then need to unzip the downloaded file so you can save Autoruns.exe
to your hard drive.

Michael