Any shortcut in the
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup folder will
start no matter who is logged on. All Users means all users.
Any shortcut in the
C:\Documents and Settings\User's Name Here\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
folder will start when *that* user logs on.
In msconfig, Common Startup listed in the Location column, refers to
%allusersprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
or
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
In msconfig, Startup listed in the Location column, refers to
%userprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
or
C:\Documents and Settings\User's Name Here\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
Anything in the HKEY_CURRENT_USER key is for the logged on user.
I.e.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
or
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
Anything in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE key is machine wide, it doesn't matter
who is logged on.
I.e.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServicesOnce
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServices
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce\Setup
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Yes, there is a startup entry in MSCONFIG/startup with No
startup item listed and no command but there is a location, which I
believe to be a registry reference (i.e. HKCU/Software...).
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 | Click 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 | Click 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 StartMan HELP:
[[An orphan is a startup item that has a non-existent target file.
How do they 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...]]
Description of HKEY_CURRENT_USER Registry Subkeys
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;310595
A Definition of the Run Keys in the Windows XP Registry
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=314866
INFO: Run, RunOnce, RunServices, RunServicesOnce and Startup
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;[LN];179365
--
Hope this helps. Let us know.
Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User
In
cs8100 said:
I recently installed XP and am trying to work out a few things to get it
just the way I'd like it. This may be a bit of a continuation of
Smiley's 2/18 post, but I'd like to go a bit further.
Directly or indirectly I have several program installed that launch
programs after a user logs in. Effectively I have three users on this
system: Me, wife, child.
AOL is installed for my wife to use but I dislike it intensely. nuf said!
Other programs include: Roxio, ItunesHelper, Camio Viewer, and an unknown
Program (???). Yes, there is a startup entry in MSCONFIG/startup with No
startup item listed and no command but there is a location, which I
believe to be a registry reference (i.e. HKCU/Software...).
Among these various program there are about 8 entries in MSConfig/startup
that I have unchecked. The problem with this is that my wife needs the
AOL (e.g. AOL Hostmanager) stuff and I don't want it. Since it appears
to start after login, I am thinking that it may be user specific. It
seems these are started via registry RUN commands that I think are user
specific. Is there a way I can disable the ones I don't want on an
individual basis. Perhaps a KB article on tailoring the CU run Keys???
Thanks,
CS
