Startup and what startups....

[Zadig Galbaras]

Hi...
Couldn't find this subject in this newsgroup, neither didn't I find a more
suitable one.

Is there a way to get visualized on screen what task is currently running
during start up?

I run an all updated windows xp on a top modern self built monster computer,
but I would like to streamline my start up a bit more.

 

[Guest]

You built the "monster" yourself and don't know what is in the Startup?
Start>Run>type MSCONFIG and press OK>Startup tab.

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Verbose vs normal status messages
Directs the system to display highly detailed status messages.

If you enable this setting, the system displays status messages that reflect
each step in the process of starting, shutting down, logging on, or logging
off the system.

This setting is designed for sophisticated users that require this
information.

Start | Run | Type: regedit | click OK

Go to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\system

Look in the right pane for VerboseStatus If it exists, double click it and
set its value to 1. If not, right click in a blank area of the right pane,
select New, DWord value and name it VerboseStatus. Set the value to 1.

Or use the /sos switch in the boot.ini

/SOS
Causes Windows to list the device drivers marked to load at boot time and
then to display the system version number (including the build number),
amount of physical memory, and number of processors. By default, the
Windows Loader screen only echoes progress dots.

You can do this with the System Configuration Utility (msconfig.exe)
Start | Run | Type: msconfig | Click OK |
BOOT.INI tab | Select /SOS | Click Apply | Click OK

Or Use Group Policy if XP Pro.

Administrative Template: System
Policy Node: MACHINE
Policy Path: Administrative Templates\System
Verbose vs normal status messages

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[---Fitz---]

Google for a free program called "autoruns".

***

 

[Kelly]

List of Startup Programs Running at Login (Line 261)
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

View All Running Processes (Line 292)
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm

--

All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP/DTS&XP)

Taskbar Repair Tool
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/taskbarplus!.htm

 

[Zadig Galbaras]

You don't find it all there...

 

[Zadig Galbaras]

Hi
i have an equivalent...
It lists up whats run, but I cannot find out which of them is giving me
trouble

 

[---Fitz---]

Your posts said nothing about something giving you trouble. Perhaps you
could provide more information such as OS details, error messages or exactly
what it is that you wish to accomplish.
***

 

[Zadig Galbaras]

hi..

Tested your advice.
If an error messages is generated during startup I sure will get the verbose
version

The problem is that there is no errormessages.
Nothing seems to be wrong it only seems that the startup sequence is halted
half way through (according to how many icons having popped up at the side
of the clock), for a few seconds, ten to fifteen, before comencing.
What is going on during that time periode?
All I hear is on of my harddisks gnawing.
Afterward it fininshes the startup and the rest of my taskbar icons appears.

 

[Wesley Vogel]

What is going on during that time periode?

Probably loading all the malware.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[Zadig Galbaras]

nah...don't think so.
Having Windows Defender, AVG virus killer, and are running Spybot & Adaware
at least twice a week, should create a fairly malware free environment.

I have no idea what could cause this, but if there was one way to see what
file was running in that period of time, I could easily find the evil doer.

 

[Wesley Vogel]

Zadig,

msconfig.exe is the System Configuration Utility and you can use it for
troubleshooting startup.

See these topics in System Configuration Utility HELP:
To create a clean environment for troubleshooting
To isolate problems using Selective Startup options
To isolate problems using system startup options
To isolate problems using the Startup tab
Identifying problems using system file tabs

For System Configuration Utility HELP...
Paste the following line into Start | Run and click OK...

hh msconfig.chm::/msconfig_usage.htm

Or just open msconfig and click on the Help button.

Or %windir%\Help\msconfig.chm

Or you can see the same articles online here...
System Configuration Utility overview
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/msconfig_usage.mspx

You can try disabling half of the startup entries, reboot and see if you
still have whatever problem.

After rebooting, if you do not have whatever problem, you have narrowed it
down to that half of the disabled items. Depending on how many startups you
have, you can re-enable some and reboot. Or re-enable one item at a time
and reboot. Keep doing one or the other until you have found the culprit.

After rebooting, if you still have whatever problem after disabling the
first half of the startup items, re-enable that half and disable the second
half and reboot. Depending on how many startups you have, you can re-enable
some and reboot. Or re-enable one item at a time and reboot. Keep doing
one or the other until you have found the culprit.
-----

Do NOT use msconfig to change your services.

Use services.msc *NOT* msconfig.exe!

Start | Run | Type: services.msc | Click OK

Why can't I use msconfig to change my services?

[[The reason is because with msconfig and Hardware Profiles, you can disable
services that may be vital to boot your system. With the management console
(services.msc) you cannot. Also, msconfig, while unchecking the box, is
disabling the service.

The "Disable All" button also scares me. It should not even be there as no
reason exists to justify disabling "everything."]]
Why can't I use msconfig to change my services?
http://web.archive.org/web/20041128011231/www.blackviper.com/AskBV/XP25.htm
-----

How to Troubleshoot By Using the Msconfig Utility in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310560

How to perform a clean boot in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310353

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In

 

[cuba]

The problem is that there is no errormessages.
Nothing seems to be wrong it only seems that the startup sequence is halted
half way through (according to how many icons having popped up at the side
of the clock), for a few seconds, ten to fifteen, before comencing.
What is going on during that time periode?
All I hear is on of my harddisks gnawing.
Afterward it fininshes the startup and the rest of my taskbar icons appears.

It may be Windows. You could have a slow (or failing) HDD or limited
memoery which exacerbates the problem. (Out of the box Compaq love to
grind the drive for minutes during boot.)

It could be System Restore. It could be autochk.exe. It could be
something to do with Plug and Play.

It could also be one of you normal Apps. Norton Anti-Virus is a
terrible disk hog when it starts.

Also, you could have several Apps all trying to access the Internet to
"update" themselves during startup.

Here are some tools to help figure out what a Windows system is doing
(google search them):

Hijackthis.exe
Filemon.exe
Regmon.exe
Autoruns.exe
Procexp.exe

How many icons do you have in the Notification Area? (used to be the
"System Tray). (Make sure that the "hide icons" option is disabled).

A typical system has many, too many. There's Anti-Virus, printer crap,
Musicmatch, Quicktime, etc. etc. Everyone of those icons hog the system
when Windows boots. Getting rid of as many as you can speeds system
boot time.

Also, check programs like Quicktime that have automatic update options
and disable them. That also will decrease boot time.