My Computer folder opening on startup

[romat]

What would cause My Computer folder to open on startup in XP Home?
Is there a setting somewhere? It's not in the startup folder. This
began after I cloned a new hard drive to boot from, reset the DiskID,
then rehooked the old one as a D: drive. Thanks.

Roger

 

[R. McCarty]

The way Windows parses command strings can cause this if there is
a call to a file location with a Long File Name that uses a space and
the complete path isn't bound in quotation marks. The command isn't
completely read so it likely defaults to a Explorer window with the
partial pathname.
Windows starts items from numerous locations such as the Startup
folder and several Registry key areas. It takes a little detective work
to locate the "fractured" or improperly formatted startup command.
You can use SysInternals AutoRuns to get a complete listing of what
starts when Windows Boots and where the call comes from:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb963902.aspx

 

[romat]

The way Windows parses command strings can cause this if there is
a call to a file location with a Long File Name that uses a space and
the complete path isn't bound in quotation marks. The command isn't
completely read so it likely defaults to a Explorer window with the
partial pathname.
Windows starts items from numerous locations such as the Startup
folder and several Registry key areas. It takes a little detective work
to locate the "fractured" or improperly formatted startup command.
You can use SysInternals AutoRuns to get a complete listing of what
starts when Windows Boots and where the call comes from:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb963902.aspx

What or where exactly in Autoruns should I be looking for? Btw, what is
About:Home? Thanks.

Roger

 

[M.I.5¾]

What would cause My Computer folder to open on startup in XP Home?
Is there a setting somewhere? It's not in the startup folder. This
began after I cloned a new hard drive to boot from, reset the DiskID,
then rehooked the old one as a D: drive. Thanks.

Ah that old chestnut.

Click on 'Start' and the 'Run...'. Enter in the box 'msconfig'. A dialogue
will open up and you want to select the 'Startup' tab. You should now be
presented with a list of all the proceses and applications that open on
startup.

What you are looking for down the list is a utility path that contains a
space and the whole name is not bounded by quote marks. The windows parser
stops at the first space in such circumstances and treats the rest of the
path as a parameter (which you can't have to a folder reference). If you
find an offending line, you can test whether it is that one by unchecking
the tick box, click 'OK' and log off and back on again to see if you have
found it. When you do, just put quote marks around the whole string, or if
you haven't missed the application, leave the item unchecked. Although
windows will remind you that you have messed with msconfig, you can check
the box not to remind you in the future.