Programs|Startup problem

[Guest]

In Docs and Settings I have 'All users' And 'me'. I, stupidly it turned out, moved Programs|Startup from me to All users. Now I find if I put one program in Startup the program gets started twice when windows boots.
A utility I have for showing what programs start at boot shows that program twice, one for all users and one for me, even though Explorer shows it is in only one Startup folder.
Addimg Programs|Startup to me doesn't change this behaviour. It isn't possible to delete Startup in All users to start again. I think I've fouled up some hidden way Windows works with Startup folders.
Hope this is clear. How do i get a program to start just once on boot?
Thanks
John

 

[Wesley Vogel]

I am a single user and keep all the shortcuts in >>
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
And not in >>
:\Documents and Settings\ME\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

You may have copied the shortcuts so you have two occurrences of some of
them.

Start | Run | Paste this in the Run box and click OK

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

Open >>
C:\Documents and Settings\YOU\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

Right click the Taskbar | Tile Windows Vertically | Compare the
shortcuts in both folders | Delete one of all duplicates.

 

[Rich Barry]

John, take a look in the Registry. Go to Start>Run type: regedit
Navigate to
Hkey_Current_User\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Run, Run
Once etc check each run
folder in the right pane and see if you come across multiple entries
of programs. You can delete them.
Same with
Hkey_Local_Machine\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Run, Run
Once etc
If the same entry is in both User and Machine. Delete the one in
User. Leave Mach alone.

In Docs and Settings I have 'All users' And 'me'. I, stupidly it turned

out, moved Programs|Startup from me to All users. Now I find if I put one
program in Startup the program gets started twice when windows boots.

A utility I have for showing what programs start at boot shows that

program twice, one for all users and one for me, even though Explorer shows
it is in only one Startup folder.

Addimg Programs|Startup to me doesn't change this behaviour. It isn't

possible to delete Startup in All users to start again. I think I've fouled
up some hidden way Windows works with Startup folders.

 

[Guest]

No. The programs are not in both places. Please see my reply to Rich, below, for more details.
John

 

[Guest]

Both registry places do not show the programs AT ALL. This is after adding them to Docs and Settings | All Users | .... Startup folder; and NOT the other Startup folder; then rebooting.

However, if I look in System Information | Software Environment | Startup Programs I find each program appearing twice; one as All Users | Common Startup and one as ..myname.. | Startup. Again, with no reference in the registry.

I have a 3rd party utility program that shows the same as System Information but additionally allows deletion of Startup programs entries. I tried deleting just the ..myname.. entry but found the All Users entry disappeared as well!!!

Strange? Any ideas?
Please remember I took the ..myname.. | Startup folder and dropped it on All Users Programs folder so it 'combined' with All Users | Programs | Startup. I, perhaps mistakenly, thought I was consolidating both set of Startup entries. I'm guessing, not knowing the innards of Windows, that these Startup folders have hidden characteristics which are causing the problem.
Thank you for your hrlp and appreciation for any further ideas.
John

 

[Guest]

OK!! In addition to my post above-
I put the programs ONLY in All Users | Startup.
Ran msconfig.
Each program showed TWICE, once for Common Startup and once for ..myname.. Startup. I unchecked all the ..myname... | Startup. Checked Normal start.
Rebooted.
All programs started TWICE.
Ran msconfig. Found both sets of programs had become checked!!!
Oh ... still no sign of programs in registry.
John

 

[Wesley Vogel]

John,

Out of curiosity, *what* 3rd party startup program are you using??

I think you may want to look at this one............

StartMan *actually* shows where each program is started from.

StartMan is a GOOD Utility, I use it all the time, especially after
installing software. Everything you install wants to run at startup.
StartMan shows where something starts from. Check out the Help in StartMan
also!

[[StartMan is an extended 'msconfig' Startup Manager, designed to take
control of all those pesky programs and background services that load and
run at logon - most of which you probably don't need. As well as providing
the usual trouble-shooting options to enable or disable startups, StartMan
also permits the removal of startups.
configured to remove all duplicates automatically, with or without
prompting. <<<<

Orphan Detection and Removal. As above, for orphaned startups.
Executable Detection and Removal. As above, for executables.
Includes a full range of sorting options to make it easier to locate a
specific startup - by name, by filename - even by command line parameter!]]

StartMan v1.3.96
http://www.pt.lu/comnet/desc/startman.html

===================

With Windows XP Home, There are 13 places that programs can start from and
they are executed in the following order:

Before Logon
1)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServicesOnce
2) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServices

After Logon
3)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce\Setup
4) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
5) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx
6) WIN.INI [Windows] Load
7) WIN.INI [Windows] Run
8) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
9) HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
10) C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
11) C:\Documents and Settings\Your Name Here\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
12) HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
13) As a Scheduled Task set to run at startup.

 

[Wesley Vogel]

John,

Out of curiosity, *what* 3rd party startup program are you using??

I think you may want to look at this one............

StartMan *actually* shows where each program is started from.

StartMan is a GOOD Utility, I use it all the time, especially after
installing software. Everything you install wants to run at startup.
StartMan shows where something starts from. Check out the Help in StartMan
also!

[[StartMan is an extended 'msconfig' Startup Manager, designed to take
control of all those pesky programs and background services that load and
run at logon - most of which you probably don't need. As well as providing
the usual trouble-shooting options to enable or disable startups, StartMan
also permits the removal of startups.
configured to remove all duplicates automatically, with or without
prompting. <<<<

Orphan Detection and Removal. As above, for orphaned startups.
Executable Detection and Removal. As above, for executables.
Includes a full range of sorting options to make it easier to locate a
specific startup - by name, by filename - even by command line parameter!]]

StartMan v1.3.96
http://www.pt.lu/comnet/desc/startman.html

===================

With Windows XP Home, There are 13 places that programs can start from and
they are executed in the following order:

Before Logon
1)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServicesOnce
2) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServices

After Logon
3)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce\Setup
4) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
5) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx
6) WIN.INI [Windows] Load
7) WIN.INI [Windows] Run
8) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
9) HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
10) C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
11) C:\Documents and Settings\Your Name Here\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
12) HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
13) As a Scheduled Task set to run at startup.

 

[Wesley Vogel]

John,

Out of curiosity, *what* 3rd party startup program are you using??

I think you may want to look at this one............

StartMan *actually* shows where each program is started from.

StartMan is a GOOD Utility, I use it all the time, especially after
installing software. Everything you install wants to run at startup.
StartMan shows where something starts from. Check out the Help in StartMan
also!

[[StartMan is an extended 'msconfig' Startup Manager, designed to take
control of all those pesky programs and background services that load and
run at logon - most of which you probably don't need. As well as providing
the usual trouble-shooting options to enable or disable startups, StartMan
also permits the removal of startups.
configured to remove all duplicates automatically, with or without
prompting. <<<<

Orphan Detection and Removal. As above, for orphaned startups.
Executable Detection and Removal. As above, for executables.
Includes a full range of sorting options to make it easier to locate a
specific startup - by name, by filename - even by command line parameter!]]

StartMan v1.3.96
http://www.pt.lu/comnet/desc/startman.html

===================

With Windows XP Home, There are 13 places that programs can start from and
they are executed in the following order:

Before Logon
1)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServicesOnce
2) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServices

After Logon
3)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce\Setup
4) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
5) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx
6) WIN.INI [Windows] Load
7) WIN.INI [Windows] Run
8) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
9) HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
10) C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
11) C:\Documents and Settings\Your Name Here\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
12) HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
13) As a Scheduled Task set to run at startup.

 

[Guest]

Out of curiosity, *what* 3rd party startup program are you using??

http://12ghosts.com/ghosts/startup.htm - I wanted other utilities and I got Startup thrown in. msconfig gives more info.

StartMan *actually* shows where each program is started from.

Installed and ran this. Thanks for suggesting it. I found something bent out of shape in Windows.
First, some programs, such as my antivirus, show correctly to start from registry entries.
Second, my problem is with programs I put in Docs....Startup. I put them in once in one place and they start twice. Startman shows under the first globe icon the program appearing twice, once in All users menu, and once in Current user menu (remember I only put it in one place).
Next, Startman All user menu shows the correct path for 'location'and correct description and the program shows here. Startman Current users menu shows the All users path in 'location' !!!, correct description of current user only, and the program shows here.
This is where the problem is. It started with me dropping/moving, in Explorer, the Current user Startup folder onto the All user one thus combining them ( the Current user then no longer had a Startup folder). It screwed something up in Windows I believe.
Now whenever I put anything in All users...Startup Windows thinks it is in both All users...Startup and Current user...Startup - that's my way of explaining it.
I hope I have made it clear. It's complicated and I don't know Windows in too much depth.
How can I rearrange Windows brain cells
John

One other thing. I've tried using Startman and msconfig to remove one of the doubled up entries. WHen I uncheck one, or delete one, the other also gets deleted automatically.

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Ok, John, gonna give this the old college try!

I reread your first post, but am not really clear on how you [[moved
Programs|Startup from me to All users.]]

Do you have both of these folders????
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
C:\Documents and Settings\YourNameHere\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

I don't want to guess on any more of this. Please reply on what you have.
I keep trying to guess stuff here, which isn't going to help.

Here I go guessing again....
Did you move the whole Startup folder from YOU to All Users??
Do you have>>
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\Startup?????

 

[Wesley Vogel]

I was thinking the same thing. That the Startup folders got combined.

Try this before a Repair install. It can't hurt.

Start | Run | Type: sfc /scannow |OK
Have your XP CD ready to stick in your CD drive.

scannow sfc (sfc.exe)
http://www.updatexp.com/scannow-sfc.html

Just in case.......

How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

Read *all* of it!

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.
Wes

In

I reread your first post, but am not really clear on how you [[moved
Programs|Startup from me to All users.]]

Explorer. Dragged and dropped me|...|Programs|Startup on to All
users|...|Programs so it combined with All users Startup folder.

Do you have both of these folders????
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup Yes
C:\Documents and Settings\YourNameHere\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

No, just Programs folder with no Startup (see below)

Here I go guessing again....
Did you move the whole Startup folder from YOU to All Users??
Yes

Do you have>>
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start
Menu\Programs\Startup\Startup?????

Yes, but NOT the other Startup.

Some more info for you from 'testing' I've been doing.
I added a 'new folder' to > C:\Documents and
Settings\YourNameHere\Start Menu\Programs\ and renamed it Startup.
Programs put in here do not start when Windows boots.
I've concluded the Startup folders are 'special' Windows folders with
hidden characteristics. Namely, they are 'set' at Windows install and
only the folders Windows puts in as Startup will actually start
programs. My try at adding a Startup folder indicates this.
Having combined both Startup folders in the All Users section there
is only one Stratup folder in Explorer - only one shows in Explorers
tree view. However, it seems Windows treats this folder as if it is
the two Startup folders and starts anything in it twice. this is just
my best idea at what is happening.

I'm wondering if a 'repair' install of Windows will sort this out
although I'd like to fix it more easily.

Thanks for your help
John

 

[Guest]

Start | Run | Type: sfc /scannow |OK

Have your XP CD ready to stick in your CD drive.
scannow sfc (sfc.exe)
http://www.updatexp.com/scannow-sfc.html

This didn't change the Startup folders

How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm
Read *all* of it!

Hope this helps. Let us know.
Wes

Unfortunately not. I've just done a repair install of WinXP. It didn't fix or add the CurrentUser Startup folder.
I guess I'm just living with it until a time comes to clean the disk and start again. Probably not for a long, long time. Thanks for your help on this,
John

 

[Kelly]

Hi John,

Strange? Any ideas?
Please remember I took the ..myname.. | Startup folder and dropped it on
All Users Programs folder so it >'combined' with All Users | Programs |
Startup. I, perhaps mistakenly, thought I was consolidating both set >of
Startup entries. I'm guessing, not knowing the innards of Windows, that
these Startup folders have hidden >characteristics which are causing the
problem.
Thank you for your hrlp and appreciation for any further ideas.
John

Yes, that is a strange approach to take. Undo it. And don't do anymore
testing. )

Reset your settings here properly:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell
Folders
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User
Shell Folders

Then:

Go to Start/Run/Regedit and navigate to this key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User
Shell Folders

Change CommonDesktop from:
%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Desktop

To:

CommonDesktop
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Desktop

 

[Wesley Vogel]

John,

See Kelly's post from earlier today. I think she's got your fix there.