Msconfig

I have used this in the past to help kinda speed up my computer. seems that there is a lotta crap that wants to run on start up haha. Anyway, i was browsing thru msconfig today and i came across a file that is not supposed to be there. It was a virus that was supposedly deleted from my computer. I looked up its location which incedently has also been deleted. My question is, how do i get it out of MSCONFIG if the location and file are not on my computer?

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There are two ways to do this. One way is very easy, and the other is slightly complicated!

First, the complicated way. You can go through the registry editor and find the key that corresponds with that program. To do this, open the start menu and click run. In the run dialog box type regedit. Then Navigate to of the two possible locations where the program could be:

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

If it is not in there than it should show up in the Startup folder on your Start Menu.

This method is dangerous if you do not know what you are doing, for you could accidentally modify a critical system setting.


Or you can do it the easy way. A program called Startup Control Panel, which can be found at http://www.mlin.net/, will show you all programs that start when windows starts just like msconfig. There are check boxes next to each item in order to enable and disable them also like msconfig. The advantages of this program is that it shows the icon for the program which makes it easier (especially for the programs that appear in your task bar) to identify which program it is. It also gives you the option to delete them, and it sends the deleted item to a Recycle Bin type area just in case.

Startup Control Panel is available in two different ways. It can be added as a Control Panel Icon (which I find to be a nice thing to be available through your control panel), or a standalone executable which can be put locally on your hard drive, or on a floppy disk if you like.

I highly suggest downloading Startup Control Panel. It makes modifying startup items so much easier!

 

 

 

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awesome i will download that program and i will let ya know if it works! Thanks

EDIT: I ran the program, and i also looked in the registry. apparently the files in question are deleted, the just show up in the msconfig box. I even enabled them for startup, but after a restart nothing happens to the, they remain disabled.

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I assume you are using XP because Win98 had a button to clean up unchecked items. I guess they forgot it on the XP or are trying to make it idiot-proof.

Any way, you have to use regedit and remove it from the registry
(if youve never used it before, you get to it just like msconfig).

You could just search for it but I think it is under

Hkey_local_machine
software
microsoft
shared tools
msconfig
startup folders OR startupreg


find the subfolder in which you see the program name and delete the whole subfolder. You may want to export what you delete first (file menu) so you can put it back in, just in case. Editing the registry is dangerous but it is the only way to exert real control over windows.

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awesome thanks mitchellmckain thats exactly what i was looking for

I was thinking i just had to leave it there until my computer dies haha, which hopefully will be never

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