Startup Programs - Enable or Disable

How to Check and Change the Startup Programs in Vista​

   Information

These are the programs that load when Vista starts. This will show you how to add, remove, enable, or disable a startup program. For a list and description of startup programs with recommendations to have your listed program startup or not, see: SystemLookup - Startup List

   Note

To test if you have a startup program issue, startup in Safe Mode. If you startup into Safe Mode without any problems, then it could be a startup program. You can then disable the startup programs one by one until you find the one causing the problem.

You can also view the startup logs in Event Viewer (C:\Windows\system32\eventvwr.msc) under Applications and Services Logs, Microsoft, Windows, Diagnostics-Performance, and Operational. The logs will be in the middle to show you what ran at startup, how long it took, and more.

   Warning

• First, check the program itself to see is it has an option to allow or not allow it to load or start when Vista starts. Most programs that startup with Vista will have this option.
• It is a good idea to check the startup programs list every once in awhile to help make sure that some malware is not starting up with Vista too.

   Tip

WHY ARE ELEVATED PROGRAMS BLOCKED BY UAC AT STARTUP ?
CREDIT TO: jimmah.com: "Windows has blocked some startup programs"

A program or shortcut is listed as a startup program in either your startup folder, your run registry key, or the system-wide startup folder or run key, It will run at startup when you log on to your user account.

Because your startup folder and personal run registry key can be written to by non-administrative (non-elevated) programs, Windows cannot allow elevated (Run as administrator) programs to run at startup from these locations without prompting you with UAC first. Not doing so would allow untrusted non-administrative programs to place malware in these locations that would be started with Run as administrator privileges when you next logged on.

However, it is also inconvenient to be prompted by UAC every time you startup your computer or log on for each elevated program in the startup program list. Besides being extremely annoying, a malicous program could potentially put hundreds of malicious administrative programs in these locations, creating an endless series of prompts for you to deal with, creating a denial-of-service scenario.

Since neither option is desirable, Microsoft has decided to not allow elevated applications from running at startup automatically from these locations without prompting you with a UAC prompt to allow it permission to run first.

It would also not be a good idea to allow elevated programs to be launched from the machine-wide startup folder and run registry location, since elevated programs can only be started inside of administrative accounts, or from a standard user account with an administrator's credentials entered on-demand from a UAC prompt.


The reason the task scheduler solution (See Method Two inOPTION ONEbelow in tutorial) is allowed to work is because non-administrative programs cannot create scheduled tasks automatically, so there is no way for malware to abuse this task service in the way that is possible with the other startup methods by being in the one of the default startup program list locations.

OPTION ONE

How To Add a Startup Program

METHOD ONE:​

Through the Startup Folder​

1. For the Current User Account Only ​

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A) Open the Start Menu.​

NOTE: You can also open the Startup folder by typing shell:startup in the white line (Start Search) area and pressing Enter.​

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B) Click on All Programs.​

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C) Right click the Startup folder and click Open. (See screenshot below)​

NOTE: This hidden folder is also located at: ​

C:\Users\(Username)\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup​

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D) Go to step 3.​

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2. For All User Accounts ​

NOTE: This will need to be done while logged on to a administrator account.​

A) In Windows Explorer, go to the hidden folder below.​

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C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup​

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3. Cut/Copy and Paste a shortcut for the program you want to start at startup inside the Startup folder window. (See screenshot below)​

NOTE: If you already added a program by this method here, then you can also delete it here to remove it from startup as well. It would be best to use a shortcut that was created straight from the .EXE of the program.​

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4. Close Window when done.​

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METHOD TWO:​

Through Task Scheduler​

   Note

Vista will block a startup program that requires it to Run as administrator from running at startup with a UAC prompt in Vista. To get around this, you can create a task in Task Scheduler. See the WHY ARE ELEVATED PROGRAMS BLOCKED BY UAC AT STARTUP ? in the yellow TIP box section at the top for more on this.

1. For how, see: How to Create a Task in Vista Task Scheduler.​

NOTE: Create a task to Start a program (Step 20) with the program's EXE file, check Run with highest privileges (Step Four), and have it set to be triggered at startup (Step Five).​

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OPTION TWO

How to Remove , Enable , or Disable a Startup Program

   Note

There are three methods: Windows Defender, System Configuration (msconfig), or the Registry Editor. First check the program itself to see is it has a option to allow or not allow it to load or start when Vista starts and uncheck it. Most programs will have this option.

METHOD ONE:​

With Windows Defender​

1. Open Control Panel. (Classic View)​

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2. Click on the Windows Defender icon.​

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3. In Windows Defender, click on Tools at top.​

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4. Click on Software Explorer. (See screenshot below)​

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5. Click on the Show for all users button. (See screenshot below)​

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6. Click on Continue in the UAC prompt.​

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7. Under Category:, make sure that Startup Programs is selected. (See screenshot below)​

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8. Select the startup program you want to change.​

NOTE: The Remove, Disable, and Enable buttons will be grayed out for Vista system programs and device drivers to prevent changes to them. You can use Device Manager for the driver programs, and also msconfig in METHOD TWO below for these. If the program is blocked, then click Quarantined items in the screenshot below step 4 to see if it is listed to be approved by you. Also check in MSCONFIG in METHOD TWO below to see if it unchecked there.​

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9. To Remove a Startup Program​

A) Click on the Remove button. (See screenshot above)​

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B) Click on Yes to the confirmation prompt. (See screenshot below)​

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C) The startup program is now removed.​

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10. To Disable a Startup Program​

A) Click on the Disable button. (See screenshot above step 9)​

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B) Click on Yes to the confirmation prompt. (See screenshot below)​

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C) The startup program is now disabled.​

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11. To Enable a Startup Program​

A) Click the Enable button. (See screenshot above step 9)​

NOTE: This will only be available if you have only disabled the startup program and not removed it.​

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B) Click on the Windows Defender notification dialog box or icon on the taskbar. (See screenshot below)​

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C) Under Action column, confirm that Permit is listed. If not, then change it. (See screenshot below)​

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D) Click on the Apply Actions button.​

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E) The startup program is now enabled again.​

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12. Close Windows Defender.​

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METHOD TWO:​

With System Configuration - msconfig​

   Note

This does not close the startup program until the next restart. You must close it yourself or restart the computer to apply. You should look in msconfig (Option Two, Method Two above) to help you determine what each startup program listed in the registry is for.

1. Open System Configuration.​

NOTE: In Administrative Tools in Control Panel or Start Menu.​

A) Click on System Configuration.​

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2. Go to step 3 below.​

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OR​

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1. Open the Start Menu.​

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2. In the white line (Start Search) area, type msconfig and press Enter.​

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3. Click on Continue in the UAC prompt.​

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4. Click on the Startup tab. (See screenshot below)​

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5. To Disable a Startup Program​

A) Uncheck the startup program.​

NOTE: Click Disable all button to uncheck all startup programs.​

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6. To Enable a Startup Program​

A) Check the startup program you already disabled (unchecked) before.​

NOTE: Click Enable all button to check all startup programs.​

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7. Click on OK.​

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8. When the computer restarts next. You will get this message below. (See screenshot below)​

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9. Click on the tray icon.​

NOTE: You will get this blocked notification everytime you restart until you check this box (Step 12 below), or Enable or Remove the startup program. Checking the box will only stop the blocked notification for these changes to the startup program. If you make more changes to the startup programs, then this blocked notification will reappear until you check the box again.​

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10. You will now see this menu box. (See screenshot below)​

NOTE: If you want to go to Windows Defender Software Explorer menu (See screenshot from the above section's step 8), then click Show or remove blocked startup programs. ​

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11. Click on Run blocked program and click on System Configuration Utility.​

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12. To Stop the "Windows has Blocked Some Startup Programs" and leave the startup program disabled -​

A) Check the box and click on OK. (See screenshot below step 13)​

NOTE: You will get this blocked notification (Step 9 above) everytime you restart until you check this box, or Enable or Remove the startup program. Checking the box will only stop the blocked notification for these changes to the startup program. If you make more changes to the startup programs, then this blocked notification will reappear until you check the box again. ​

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13. To just Open System Configuration again -​

A) Leave the box unchecked and click on OK. (See screenshot below)​

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B) Go to back step 4 to make any changes​

again.​

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METHOD THREE:​

With the Registry Editor​

   Note

If you want to modify only the list of legacy programs that run at Startup, use Registry Editor. If you want to add a startup program, then do the OPTION ONE section above. It is safer.

1. Open the Start Menu.​

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2. In the white line (Start Search) area, type regedit and press Enter.​

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3. Click on Continue in the UAC prompt.​

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4. For Current User Only:​

A) In regedit, go to: (See screenshots below step 5)​

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HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run​

AND​

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce​

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5. To Delete a Startup Program​

A) In the right pane, right click on the program listed that you do not want to run at startup and click Delete.​

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B) Click on Yes to confirm the deletion.​

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6. For All User Accounts: ​

A) In regedit, go to: (See screenshots below step 7)​

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HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run​

AND​

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce​

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7. To Delete a Startup Program​

A) In the right pane, right click on the program listed that you do not want to run at startup and click on Delete.​

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B) Click on Yes to confirm the deletion.​

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8. Close regedit when done.​

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METHOD FOUR:​

With CCleaner​

1. If you have not already, download and install the free program CCleaner.​

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2. Open CCleaner, and click on the Tools icon (left side) and on the Startup button. (See screenshot below)​

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3. Select a startup item, then either enable, disable, or delete it from the Vista startup programs list.​

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That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Do a Startup Repair in Vista
• How to Speed Up Vista Boot Up
• How to Disable or Enable Vista Services With a Advice Guide
• How to Speed Up the Performance of Vista
• How to Change Windows Defender Notification Options
• How to Open and Close a Application and Process in Vista Task Manager
• How to Boot Up in and Use Advanced Boot Options in Vista
• How to Start Vista in Safe Mode
• How to Turn Narrator On or Off in Vista
• How to Turn Magnifier On or Off in Vista
• How to Create a Task in Vista Task Scheduler
• How to Have a Task Wake up the Computer to Run in Vista Task Scheduler
• How to Enable or Disable the Vista Welcome Center at Startup
• How to Enable or Disable the Vista Welcome Center for All Users Startup
• How to Run Specific Programs and Documents at User Logon in Windows 7 and Vista
• How to Turn On or Off Bing Desktop to Run at Windows Startup

 

[Brink]

Hello KindaLost, and welcome to Vista Forums.

It sounds like you did this through msconfig, so go ahead and check the ones you want back, and restart the computer to see if they startup again. If not, then under the General tab in msconfig, select (dot) "Normal Startup", click OK, and restart the computer.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[KindaLost]

i already tryed those things before i posted that question. when i click the normal boot and hit apply it unchecks it and goes back to what it was before with no boot items. and if i click them back on one by one it also resets them when i hit apply or ok. i cant figure out why its doing that.

 

[Brink]

See if this may work:

1. Check the startup items, or click on Enable All button.
2. Click on Boot, tab check the Make all boot settings permanent box.
3. Now click on OK to apply.

 

[KindaLost]

nope it still just resets them right after i hit ok or hit apply... also looking at it through windows defender doesnt show them on the list at all...

 

[KindaLost]

OK! heres what it was, i figured it out. one of the many things that wernt coming back on was my anti virus stuff. it would run in the back ground and pop up if i did certain things but for the most part it was doing nothing. BUT one thing it was doing was stopping those registry keys from being entered and not asking me. so when i manualy added some stuff to the Start folder i added my anti virus too. and i restarted. then for some reason i tryed to goto msconfig and enable them all again. when i did i got like 50 prompts from my anti virus asking me if it was ok to read those start up items. click yes 50 times, promblem solved!

 

[Brink]

KindaLost,

I'm happy to hear that you got it sorted out. What AV program was it? Was the defense type feature part of the AV program or some other one?

 

[KindaLost]

its bit defender game safe. and yeah that is part of the bit defender deal. its kind of a weird AV program. if i exit the program and try to turn it off it just goes away from the screen and task bar but it still is on i just cant see it.

 

[Brink]

Yeah, usually a program like that will have a service running that requires it to also be stopped, or restart the computer after exiting the program to have it stopped.

 

[MilesAhead]

thanks alot , but i want to ask you about the svchost , the host process for windows service ?

is it use or useless ?

I'm going through the same headaches on my new Vista64 PC as I had on my Vista 32 bit PC. Namely, if I write a lot of files to my external drive, like by doing a backup, svchost comes right up afterwards and wants to try to open every single file on the drive. The drive accesses for like 20 minutes for no purpose.

I got this to quiet on my 32 bit system and printed out all my services settings. I set the new machine services the same and went through scheduled tasks turning off CrawlStartPages, Customer Experience data collection tasks, as I did on the 32 bit PC. So far it won't settle down though. I'm wondering if it has something to do with Lan file shadowing or local file caching. I can't seem to find the place to turn that off as I did on the 32 bit system

edit: I hope If found it this time. I use locate32 for file search. It has a setting to "monitor file system changes." I know there's an API where the OS notifies you if a folder's contents changes. I guess what was happening is the OS can notify of a few files renamed, deleted, whatever, and you don't notice it. But when you move or copy 1000 files, the notifications and collecting the data for them are going to peg the HD LED.

Anyway I changed locate32 settings to disable updating of file system changes and I'm hoping that will make for quiet hard drives!!

Thing is there were so many hidden tasks in Vista doing similar scans I figured there had to be yet another one that I didn't find yet!!

If anybody else is complaining "svchost.exe" is hogging my HD, check and see if you use locate32 to search!!

 

[freaknet]

Hi guys,

This baloon is so annoying. It keeps on popping and says "Windows blocked startup programs" and when I click what program it is, it's the REGISTRY EDITOR. I don't know what to do. I already did research on how to disable that and stuff but still doesnt work.

 

[Brink]

Hello Freaknet, and welcome to Vista Forums.

Since the startup program is the registry editor (regedit.exe), then you should be able to just disable or delete it from the startup list since it is not need to run at the startup of Vista.

Check with one of the methods in OPTION TWO in this tutorial to see if it is listed for you to get rid of it.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[Dave76]

Shawn,

Thanks for another great tutorial.
The 'Through Task Scheduler' option worked for me.
Wanted to run 'Hot Swap' so I can safely unplug my external hard drive, only use it for backups.
Had to set it to 'start at login' and unselect 'autostart' option on the program.
Now it's working like I want it to.
Your helping a lot of us who want to learn 'to do it ourselves'.
Seems like whenever I want to find out how to do something, I can find it here and your name is on it!
Great work.......
Dave

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Dave. Thank you.

 

[shortmantuff]

Just to be safe, I just removed explorer.exe and SVPWUTIL.exe from my start-up programs. Should I keep these?

EDIT:
Nevermind. I can't remove explorer.exe from my startup. I wonder why Bleepingcomputers tells you it's undesirable to have at startup.

 

[Brink]

Shortmantuff,

You will need to have explorer.exe running for Windows Explorer and taskbar to work.

The SVPWUTIL.exe program is just up to you though as at that link. You do not need to have it run though.

Hope this helps some,
Shawn

 

[elisabeth999]

Thanks for this great tutorial. I have one question though: how do I know which programs I can disable? Some are obvious but I'd like to know which ones are essential for Windows to run at startup.
Thanks,
--e.

 

[Brink]

Hello Elisabeth,

Usually you may be able to tell by the file name or location to see if it's a driver or program (ex: antivirus). You can also use Google to look up the file name if you are not sure what it may belong to. If you disable the wrong one, then you can always just enable it again (in Safe Mode if you have to) and restart to be back to normal though.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[shortmantuff]

Also, I don't know if you know of the web site but Bleeping Computers (Another computer forum, one that includes HiJack This log help) has a nice list to help you determine what you might find desirable to keep. But then again, they said that explorer.exe was undesirable and it's essential to have running. I would try googling it first like Brink said and if you can't find anything, join Bleepingcomputers (it's free) and look at their suggestions.

 

[gordon55y]

Shawn,
On the OP, you said:
>However, it is also unacceptable to allow administrative programs that are started
>from these locations to prompt for your consent every time you start up your computer.

I have an administrative program in startup.
Every time vista starts it asks for admin permission.
Is your OP out of date?

thanks,
gordon
vista basic, SP2

 

[Brink]

Hello Gordon,

Na, it was just worded badly . It's suppose to block the elevated program at startup and prompt you with UAC before allowing it to run.

I changed the wording to help make it more understandable than it was before.