Oddbal Startup Items

[Uncle Joe]

In examining the items listed under the Startup tab in system
configuration utility,
I find two items listed with blank names showing under the heading
"Startup
Items". They also show blank "Commands" entries.

Don't have a clue what these items are. Don't know how to investigate
them
further. I've run a series of anti-spyware applications to try to root
out bugs
but they all report that my system is "clean". Ditto on anti-virus
analysis.

I've unchecked the two blank Startup items and will hope for the best.

 

[Rick \Nutcase\ Rogers]

Hi Uncle Joe,

Once unchecked, check for and delete the associated registry string under
this key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Shared Tools\MSConfig\startupreg

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

 

[Uncle Joe]

Hi, Nutcase.

Thanks for info. I searched the registry and only two items appear in
"startupreg": DW4 and Pop-Up Stopper. Neither shows a valid title
or command. They're blank in all cases.

Pop-Up Stopper is valid but it seems strange that its title/command
would
be blank since it's been around awhile. Research reveled that DW4 is
the latest version of the Weather Channel's online weather app. Am
tempted to change the blank titles for the two registry entries so
that
they show properly in the startup list.

Thanks again. At least I know the blank entries in the startup list
are valid. Worried that they might be spyware that slipped through my
net.

 

[Wesley Vogel]

This is known as a startup orphan.

A startup orphan is a startup item that has a non-existent target file.

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 | 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 | 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 PCForrest 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 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.]]


--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[Uncle Joe]

Thanks for the help, Rick and Wes,

Checked RegEdit as you prescribed and
all is as it should be. No blank entries.
All the entries in ...\Current Version\Run
appear to be valid.

The programs in question appear in the
Add/Remove control panel. They just
appear with blank names/command
entries in the startup list. Weird. They
aren't harming anything but I'd like to
fix them since I have a short memory
and may be asking the same question
next week. (Grin.)

This is known as a startup orphan.

A startup orphan is a startup item that has a non-existent target
file.

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 | 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 | 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 PCForrest 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 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.]]


--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

Hi, Nutcase.

Thanks for info. I searched the registry and only two items appear
in
"startupreg": DW4 and Pop-Up Stopper. Neither shows a valid title
or command. They're blank in all cases.

Pop-Up Stopper is valid but it seems strange that its title/command
would
be blank since it's been around awhile. Research reveled that DW4
is
the latest version of the Weather Channel's online weather app. Am
tempted to change the blank titles for the two registry entries so
that
they show properly in the startup list.

Thanks again. At least I know the blank entries in the startup list
are valid. Worried that they might be spyware that slipped through
my
net.

 

[Wesley Vogel]

For your two blank items, what do they show in the Location column in the
System Configuration Utility (msconfig.exe)?

In the System Configuration Utility (msconfig.exe), items in the column
Startup Item get their names from:

1. The name of the shortcut in
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
or %allusersprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

2. The name of the shortcut in
C:\Documents and Settings\Your Name Here\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
or %homepath%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

3. From the Value Name under the Name column in the registry under
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
and
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
and other various startup locations in the registry.

In msconfig, items in the column Command get their names from:

1. The path to the startup item in
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
or %allusersprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

2. The path to the startup item in
C:\Documents and Settings\Your Name Here\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
or %homepath%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

3. The path to the startup item in the Data column in the registry under
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
and
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
and other various startup locations in the registry.

In msconfig, Common Startup listed in the Location column, refers to
%allusersprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

In msconfig, Startup listed in the Location column, refers to
%homepath%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

As far as I know anything else listed under the Location column refers to
whatever startup registry key and there are a bunch of them.

For any logged on user, Start button\All Programs\Startup contains whatever
is in both
%homepath%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
and
%allusersprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
-----

%homepath% is an environment variable that is the path to the user's home
folder.

Typing or pasting %homepath% into the Start | Run box opens to the Documents
and Settings folder on whatever drive it is located on for the logged in
user.

I.e. C:\Documents and Settings\Your Name Here

%allusersprofile% is an environment variable that is the path to the All
Users folder.

Typing or pasting %allusersprofile% into the Start | Run box opens to the
Documents and Settings\All Users folder on whatever drive it is located on.

I.e. C:\Documents and Settings\All Users

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

Thanks for the help, Rick and Wes,

Checked RegEdit as you prescribed and
all is as it should be. No blank entries.
All the entries in ...\Current Version\Run
appear to be valid.

The programs in question appear in the
Add/Remove control panel. They just
appear with blank names/command
entries in the startup list. Weird. They
aren't harming anything but I'd like to
fix them since I have a short memory
and may be asking the same question
next week. (Grin.)

This is known as a startup orphan.

A startup orphan is a startup item that has a non-existent target
file.

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 | 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 | 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 PCForrest 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 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.]]


--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

Hi, Nutcase.

Thanks for info. I searched the registry and only two items appear
in
"startupreg": DW4 and Pop-Up Stopper. Neither shows a valid title
or command. They're blank in all cases.

Pop-Up Stopper is valid but it seems strange that its title/command
would
be blank since it's been around awhile. Research reveled that DW4
is
the latest version of the Weather Channel's online weather app. Am
tempted to change the blank titles for the two registry entries so
that
they show properly in the startup list.

Thanks again. At least I know the blank entries in the startup list
are valid. Worried that they might be spyware that slipped through
my
net.


Hi Uncle Joe,

Once unchecked, check for and delete the associated registry
string
under this key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Shared
Tools\MSConfig\startupreg

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

In examining the items listed under the Startup tab in system
configuration utility,
I find two items listed with blank names showing under the
heading
"Startup
Items". They also show blank "Commands" entries.

Don't have a clue what these items are. Don't know how to
investigate them
further. I've run a series of anti-spyware applications to try to
root out bugs
but they all report that my system is "clean". Ditto on
anti-virus
analysis.

I've unchecked the two blank Startup items and will hope for the
best.

 

[Uncle Joe]

Wes,

The two items with blank titles and commands under
msconfig's Startup tab show the following:

SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

When I drilled down to CurrentVersion\Run, I didn't
find the entries there.

They were also not in All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
or in All Users.WINDOWS\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

We've wasted enough time on this silly low-level problem.
Will just unistall/reinstall both programs using latest offerings
off the Net.

Thanks very much for the help!

For your two blank items, what do they show in the Location column
in the
System Configuration Utility (msconfig.exe)?

In the System Configuration Utility (msconfig.exe), items in the
column
Startup Item get their names from:

1. The name of the shortcut in
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
or %allusersprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

2. The name of the shortcut in
C:\Documents and Settings\Your Name Here\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
or %homepath%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

3. From the Value Name under the Name column in the registry under
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
and
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
and other various startup locations in the registry.

In msconfig, items in the column Command get their names from:

1. The path to the startup item in
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
or %allusersprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

2. The path to the startup item in
C:\Documents and Settings\Your Name Here\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
or %homepath%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

3. The path to the startup item in the Data column in the registry
under
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
and
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
and other various startup locations in the registry.

In msconfig, Common Startup listed in the Location column, refers to
%allusersprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

In msconfig, Startup listed in the Location column, refers to
%homepath%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

As far as I know anything else listed under the Location column
refers to
whatever startup registry key and there are a bunch of them.

For any logged on user, Start button\All Programs\Startup contains
whatever
is in both
%homepath%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
and
%allusersprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
-----

%homepath% is an environment variable that is the path to the user's
home
folder.

Typing or pasting %homepath% into the Start | Run box opens to the
Documents
and Settings folder on whatever drive it is located on for the
logged in
user.

I.e. C:\Documents and Settings\Your Name Here

%allusersprofile% is an environment variable that is the path to the
All
Users folder.

Typing or pasting %allusersprofile% into the Start | Run box opens
to the
Documents and Settings\All Users folder on whatever drive it is
located on.

I.e. C:\Documents and Settings\All Users

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

Thanks for the help, Rick and Wes,

Checked RegEdit as you prescribed and
all is as it should be. No blank entries.
All the entries in ...\Current Version\Run
appear to be valid.

The programs in question appear in the
Add/Remove control panel. They just
appear with blank names/command
entries in the startup list. Weird. They
aren't harming anything but I'd like to
fix them since I have a short memory
and may be asking the same question
next week. (Grin.)

This is known as a startup orphan.

A startup orphan is a startup item that has a non-existent target
file.

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 | 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 | 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 PCForrest 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 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.]]


--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In Uncle Joe <Uncle (e-mail address removed)> hunted and pecked:
Hi, Nutcase.

Thanks for info. I searched the registry and only two items
appear
in
"startupreg": DW4 and Pop-Up Stopper. Neither shows a valid title
or command. They're blank in all cases.

Pop-Up Stopper is valid but it seems strange that its
title/command
would
be blank since it's been around awhile. Research reveled that DW4
is
the latest version of the Weather Channel's online weather app.
Am
tempted to change the blank titles for the two registry entries
so
that
they show properly in the startup list.

Thanks again. At least I know the blank entries in the startup
list
are valid. Worried that they might be spyware that slipped
through
my
net.


Hi Uncle Joe,

Once unchecked, check for and delete the associated registry
string
under this key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Shared
Tools\MSConfig\startupreg

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

In examining the items listed under the Startup tab in system
configuration utility,
I find two items listed with blank names showing under the
heading
"Startup
Items". They also show blank "Commands" entries.

Don't have a clue what these items are. Don't know how to
investigate them
further. I've run a series of anti-spyware applications to try
to
root out bugs
but they all report that my system is "clean". Ditto on
anti-virus
analysis.

I've unchecked the two blank Startup items and will hope for
the
best.

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Uncle Joe,

SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run is only a partial entry. It
does not show if it is in HKEY_CURRENT_USER or HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE

Any entries in HKEY_CURRENT_USER affect only the logged on user.

Any entries in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE affect anyone logged in.

Suit yourself. However uninstalling those two apps may or may not fix the
problem.

Keep having fun.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

Wes,

The two items with blank titles and commands under
msconfig's Startup tab show the following:

SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

When I drilled down to CurrentVersion\Run, I didn't
find the entries there.

They were also not in All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
or in All Users.WINDOWS\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

We've wasted enough time on this silly low-level problem.
Will just unistall/reinstall both programs using latest offerings
off the Net.

Thanks very much for the help!

For your two blank items, what do they show in the Location column
in the
System Configuration Utility (msconfig.exe)?

In the System Configuration Utility (msconfig.exe), items in the
column
Startup Item get their names from:

1. The name of the shortcut in
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
or %allusersprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

2. The name of the shortcut in
C:\Documents and Settings\Your Name Here\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
or %homepath%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

3. From the Value Name under the Name column in the registry under
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
and
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
and other various startup locations in the registry.

In msconfig, items in the column Command get their names from:

1. The path to the startup item in
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
or %allusersprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

2. The path to the startup item in
C:\Documents and Settings\Your Name Here\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
or %homepath%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

3. The path to the startup item in the Data column in the registry
under
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
and
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
and other various startup locations in the registry.

In msconfig, Common Startup listed in the Location column, refers to
%allusersprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

In msconfig, Startup listed in the Location column, refers to
%homepath%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

As far as I know anything else listed under the Location column
refers to
whatever startup registry key and there are a bunch of them.

For any logged on user, Start button\All Programs\Startup contains
whatever
is in both
%homepath%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
and
%allusersprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
-----

%homepath% is an environment variable that is the path to the user's
home
folder.

Typing or pasting %homepath% into the Start | Run box opens to the
Documents
and Settings folder on whatever drive it is located on for the
logged in
user.

I.e. C:\Documents and Settings\Your Name Here

%allusersprofile% is an environment variable that is the path to the
All
Users folder.

Typing or pasting %allusersprofile% into the Start | Run box opens
to the
Documents and Settings\All Users folder on whatever drive it is
located on.

I.e. C:\Documents and Settings\All Users

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

Thanks for the help, Rick and Wes,

Checked RegEdit as you prescribed and
all is as it should be. No blank entries.
All the entries in ...\Current Version\Run
appear to be valid.

The programs in question appear in the
Add/Remove control panel. They just
appear with blank names/command
entries in the startup list. Weird. They
aren't harming anything but I'd like to
fix them since I have a short memory
and may be asking the same question
next week. (Grin.)

This is known as a startup orphan.

A startup orphan is a startup item that has a non-existent target
file.

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 | 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 | 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 PCForrest 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 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.]]


--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In Uncle Joe <Uncle (e-mail address removed)> hunted and pecked:
Hi, Nutcase.

Thanks for info. I searched the registry and only two items
appear
in
"startupreg": DW4 and Pop-Up Stopper. Neither shows a valid title
or command. They're blank in all cases.

Pop-Up Stopper is valid but it seems strange that its
title/command
would
be blank since it's been around awhile. Research reveled that DW4
is
the latest version of the Weather Channel's online weather app.
Am
tempted to change the blank titles for the two registry entries
so
that
they show properly in the startup list.

Thanks again. At least I know the blank entries in the startup
list
are valid. Worried that they might be spyware that slipped
through
my
net.


Hi Uncle Joe,

Once unchecked, check for and delete the associated registry
string
under this key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Shared
Tools\MSConfig\startupreg

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Associate Expert - WindowsXP Expert Zone

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

In examining the items listed under the Startup tab in system
configuration utility,
I find two items listed with blank names showing under the
heading
"Startup
Items". They also show blank "Commands" entries.

Don't have a clue what these items are. Don't know how to
investigate them
further. I've run a series of anti-spyware applications to try
to
root out bugs
but they all report that my system is "clean". Ditto on
anti-virus
analysis.

I've unchecked the two blank Startup items and will hope for
the
best.