XP Start up applications

[Ishla]

Is there a microsoft application that can optimize my startup time without me
having to play detective one check mark at a time on over 50 odd files? I
have installed and deleted several trial programs that automatically added
their startup routines, but did not remove them when I uninstalled. Now I
have a very long startup, and I cant' figure out which line is nessessary,
and which ones are phantom without hours and hours of try this one, then that
one, etc....

 

[JS]

Although I have not used this tool in quite the way you need help on try
Autoruns from the MS Windows SysInternals site:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/ProcessesAndThreads/Autoruns.mspx

AutoRuns will show/list all apps/etc. that load/run when you first boot
(Boot Execute tab),
when you logon (Logon tab) and other programs that load (grouped by labeled
tabs) for easy viewing.

It also provides the ability to selectively allows you to stop (use with
care) any program that you don't want to load. You can undo any changes you
have made.

In your case you may be also able to delete any bad links to programs you no
longer have installed.

Note: To get additional details on an item in the list you may need to
highlight the item (right click) and use the 'Search Online' option to get
the details, especially useful for the more obscure items in the list.

JS

 

[Paul MR]

Thanks to Ishla for asking the question and to JS for a helpful answer.
I have slowly begun to cull the start up list, which had grown to
almost 100.
Paul in San Francisco