Startup Items all gone after restarting Laptop

miggycon · Dec 2, 2010

This happened to me before already when one program, from what i recall "Host process" (or something like that), suddenly becomes unresponsive and requires me to close it. Because of this i decide to restart my laptop and after logging in, I realize that my startup programs didn't run anymore. True enough when i checked "msconfig.exe" i find out that most, if not all my startup items were missing.

what i did to solve this before was to use system restore and luckily, i was able to get all of my startup items back and my system was back to normal.

My problem is now it has happened again and doing system restore has failed me and my startup programs are still missing from "msconfig.exe". i have no idea on how to get it back so i decided to join this forum and see if anyone can give me an insight on how to fix this problem. any help will GREATLY be appreciated

I attached a picture of what my startup items look like now in msconfig.exe. the unchecked items were retained and are the ones i manually unchecked before. the three checked items are the only three items that were left. (i used to have around 12 checked more or less which are now not in the list)

I am quite sure that a virus has not caused this because i keep my system very clean as i scan it regularly with BitDefender Total Security 2009 installed (system tray of this one doesn't run anymore as well). i also check msconfig regularly for unwanted programs that startup automatically

richc46 · Dec 2, 2010

Almost assuredly you have a virus or malware
Run a full, updated virus scan
Run a full malwarebytes scan.
Download and upadate.

I know you just ran the scan. Run again, and run malwarebytes.

miggycon · Dec 2, 2010

thank you! you're really sure? i'll try updating and scanning you have any tips on scanning? ohh and is there any chance i'll be able to get my startup items back? :/

miggycon · Dec 2, 2010

ohh i remember i would scan and bitdefender would be able to delete what i can find and there would be a notice that would say that some files couldn't be scanned because they were password protected. what do i do with those?

richc46 · Dec 2, 2010

Never could be 100% sure. If I am wrong go with this

Unplug USB Devices
See how it runs in safe mode
If you can download and run autoruns and show me what youn have
Autoruns for Windows

Run everything as I said and give a screen shot of any messages.

miggycon · Dec 2, 2010

alright will get back to ya right away

richc46 · Dec 2, 2010

Take your time. It will be ok.

richc46 · Dec 2, 2010

Type event viewer in search. What errors are shown?
Give me a screen shot of all tabs in msconfig
Screen shot of task manager's
process and services

miggycon · Dec 2, 2010

do i type event viewer in the search function? when i try it there it just says

Cannot find string "event viewer"

richc46 · Dec 2, 2010

Just type event viewer in search. It should work
Get that scan done. Something has made changes to your computer
If not a virus we have time to test etc. Virus will just get worse.

Run an SFC command
System Files - SFC Command

Make a memory test
Download and test RAM with Memtest 86. Test each RAM stick separately, for 6 passes. Then with a known good stick test each RAM slot.
Run for 6 passes. Test each slot with a good ram stick
Information on Host Process
http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/host-process-for-windows-services-stopped-working/
Keep us posted on progress.

miggycon · Dec 2, 2010

oh i uploaded some screens of msconfig and task manager i tried to fit in what i could so you could see hope these help i will try that SFC Command next

richc46 · Dec 2, 2010

richc46 said:
Just type event viewer in search. It should work
Get that scan done. Something has made changes to your computer
If not a virus we have time to test etc. Virus will just get worse.

Run an SFC command
System Files - SFC Command

Make a memory test
Download and test RAM with Memtest 86. Test each RAM stick separately, for 6 passes. Then with a known good stick test each RAM slot.
Run for 6 passes. Test each slot with a good ram stick
Information on Host Process
How to fix "Host process for windows services stopped working and was closed" on Vista
Keep us posted on progress.

I have been adding to my last post as ideas come to me. You are doing fine.

miggycon · Dec 2, 2010

thank you very much! oh i went to event viewer but im not sure what i should try to show you. what should i look at?

richc46 · Dec 2, 2010

On task manager click on cpu and give me a shot with highest numbers on top
same with
memory
So 2 shots ,so I can see what is using the most cpu and memory.

richc46 · Dec 2, 2010

miggycon said:
thank you very much! oh i went to event viewer but im not sure what i should try to show you. what should i look at?

Look for errors about the time of the problem
Go to administrative and look

niemiro · Dec 2, 2010

Hmmm. Why did System Restore fail? Did you get an error message? Startup items are stored in the registry. Different startups are stored in different places, based on complex code things. However, there is one very common key, where most start from. My guess would be that the normal key has been wiped. This leaved the odd starters, and it also leaves the backups, because they are stored in an MSCONFIG backup key. This is not going to be easy to restore. It is very difficult to find registry key backups, and the longer System Restore is left, the more different the system becomes, and the likelihood of a successful restore goes down.

Are you trying to install something particular? Tracking down an empty key is notoriously difficult. All causes are unlikely, but one must be the case. Are you perhaps trying to install some ancient piece of software, whose coding might be very poor? However, it is very difficult to accidentally empty a key, even in code.

Thanks!

Richard

miggycon · Dec 2, 2010

oh alright will check

heres some screens of CPU and Memory

richc46 · Dec 2, 2010

Answer Niemiro questions, too. He seems to think that it may be registry and he could be right. Everything is stored there.

Not any resource hogs in those pics

miggycon · Dec 2, 2010

niemiro said:
Hmmm. Why did System Restore fail? Did you get an error message?

oh! pardon my choice of words. i meant that system restore was successful but doing so didn't get my startup items back.

but in regard to what you said, i wasn't trying to install anything when it happened. here's what happened exactly:
i came from a hibernate state and after turning it on i was using the laptop for a few minutes then all of a sudden, some program stopped responding and i got fed up and just decided to restart the laptop. when i got to log in, my startup stuff weren't there anymore :cry:

niemiro · Dec 2, 2010

Don't worry! It isn't time to panic yet! We will do all we can to help! Can you please create for me a Silent Runners log file. See here: Silent Runners - Downloading & Running the Script

Please upload the Startup Programs...txt from your Desktop here. This will show us what registry keys are damaged. Thanks!

Richard

P.S. Forgot to mention. [DEL]Do not run the Supplementary Scan.[/DEL] When you run the .vbs file, you will get asked whether you want to run the supplementary scan, or just the normal run. Choose the default option, by NOT running the supplementary scan.

Startup Items all gone after restarting Laptop

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