Toolbar tray?

[Warren]

How can I remove some icons from that toolbar next to the clock (which I
don't know the name of). It gets increasingly cluttered with icons I seldom
use. Thanks!
Warren

 

[John John]

These programs are there because they were given (or have taken) the
permission to be launche automatically when you start your computer.
The easiest and safest way to deal with them is to click on the icons
and see if you can turn off the autostart option if not read on.

There are four Run keys in the NT registry that cause programs to be run
automatically:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce

Also, services (for NT) will be in
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services. (I don't
recommend that you go there trying to turn off services unless you
really understand the key structure).

In addition, programs can be automatically started at boot via logon
scripts or batch files. They can be invoked via shortcuts or by being
placed in the Startup Folders (Current User and All Users). They can be
started at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows
NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Userinit, Task Scheduler, and I'm sure I'm
forgetting a few other start places.

There are several ways of dealing with these autostart programs, via the
programs themselves, via registry edits or with the aid of helper
applications. The preferred method is to go in the programs themselves
and turn off the autostart option. The well written and graceful
programs always give an option to be turned off at boot. It's the not
so well written or graceful programs that present a bit of a difficulty
as they can be hidden in in the other startup places. IF that is the
case then you can look in the 4 keys mentioned above and see if you can
disable them from there. If you can't at the reg keys then look in the
Services management console and see if you can set the associated
service to "Manual" start instead of "Auto". Check the Startup Folders
and delete the entries if there.

If you still are having difficulties then the helper application will
come in handy. I recommend the following:

CodeStuff Starter: http://members.lycos.co.uk/codestuff/
Sysinternals Autoruns:
http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/autoruns.shtml

You can also download XP msconfig from the internet and place it in your
System32 folder and use it to look at/disable the startup entries.

John

 

[Bruce Chambers]

How can I remove some icons from that toolbar next to the clock (which I
don't know the name of). It gets increasingly cluttered with icons I seldom
use. Thanks!
Warren

In most cases, one need only open the offending program and
deselect the option to "display icon in the system tray" or to "start
when Windows starts."

To view the list of your start up programs, look in the
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Start Up and
C:\Documents and Settings\username\Start Menu\Programs\Start Up
folders, and in the system registry, primarily in the
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run and
HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run keys. These can
also be viewed, if I remember correctly, by right-clicking My
Computer, selecting "Manage" and expanding System Tools-- System
Information -- Software Environment -- Startup Programs. To prevent
any of them from starting at login, you'll have to delete shortcuts
from the startup folder(s) and/or edit the registry. I should point
out that, in order to make such system modifications requires one to
have administrative privileges to the machine in question. I should
also point out that one should not even consider editing the registry
unless he is fully confident that he knows exactly what is going to
happen as a result of each and every change.

--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH

 

[Warren]

Thanks! I'm sure that with this good information I can clean it up. And
now I know a little about the MVP organization.
Warren