The Old Joel on Software Forum: Part 4 (of 5) - Removing Programs that Automatically Start Win XP

Removing Programs that Automatically Start Win XP

How do I prevent programs from loading automatically when I re-boot Win XP?

I downloaded Quicktime - and a little icon now appears on the right side of my task bar - i.e. next to the clock.

It is very irritating as I find my computer now takes a longer time to re-boot.

Is there an easy way to manage this? Also will new programs that I download mostly attempt to do this?

Thanks,

PD

Prarie Dog
Sunday, February 15, 2004

There are a number of utilities that will help manage this. I use the freeware 'autoruns' from sysinternals:

http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/autoruns.shtml

It will list the program registered in all the places software can hook to run on start up -- and there are an amazing number of them!

Rob Walker
Sunday, February 15, 2004

Autoruns is good for identifying and removing the autorun entries for applications that do this but it won't work with particularly offensive applications such as QuickTime. If you delete the entry that autoruns QuickTime, QuickTime will add it back the next time you run it.

My solution for this is simple -- don't use QuickTime. If you insist on using QuickTime, you can solve the problem by finding qttask.exe in the QuickTime install location (usually C:\Program Files\QuickTime) and deleting or renaming it (preferably to something appropriate such as QuickTimeSucks.exe).

Fortunately, most software that you install won't do things like this.

SomeBody
Sunday, February 15, 2004

Check out the start menu and this registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

There could be some apps in the current user key too, but most place themselves in the local machine one.

Jan Derk
Sunday, February 15, 2004

I never get the quicktime taskbar thing, and I use quicktime once a week at least. I may have had to change a setting in quicktime AND remove it from it's startup entry, but I don't get it.

Good luck.

www.MarkTAW.com
Sunday, February 15, 2004

Use your h4XX0R skills to untick the box marked "Quicktime System Tray Icon' in the Quicktime preferences.

Insert half smiley here.
Sunday, February 15, 2004

http://www.mlin.net/StartupCPL.shtml

Prakash S
Sunday, February 15, 2004

You can also run "msconfig.exe" to manage your startup programs!

Goto "Start" menu, and then "Run..."

Type "msconfig.exe" and everything will be in there.

=DNX=
Sunday, February 15, 2004

>Check out the start menu and this registry key:
>HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Cu>rrentVersion

I believe the full path should be:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

and

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce

Gamut
Sunday, February 15, 2004

>Check out the start menu and this registry key:
>HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Cu>rrentVersion

I believe the full path should be:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\ CurrentVersion\ Run

and

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\ CurrentVersion\ RunOnce

Gamut
Sunday, February 15, 2004

To stop this from happening in the first place, remove all but READ permissions from the registry keys that were mentioned.

Occasionally, an installer will complain so you'll have to remember that you did that.

Wayne
Sunday, February 15, 2004

Try Winpatrol.com

KS
Monday, February 16, 2004

Quicktime on Windows XP is atrocious. (Sorry slightly off-topic - but this is a way to avoid quicktime altogether)

I was forced to install it because my digital camera makes its little movies in .mov format.
But it constantly bugs me with the "Upgrade Now" dialog and frequently crashes. And it's slow to start-up to boot.

Recently I switched from using the windows Picture and Fax Viewer to a little freeware app called IrfanView.
This app is a little better than the XP viewer for browsing through my photos (doesn't crash when I rotate for a start) but the best thing is that there's a free plug-in for .mov files. As I browse to a .mov a little window opens up to play it. It opens up fast. It doesn't nag and it doesn't crash.

www.irfanview.com (the .mov plug-in is downloadable separately as part of the "all-plugins" package.

So long Quicktime.

rhubarb
Tuesday, February 17, 2004

->Edit
->Preferences
->Quick Time Preferences
->Browser Plug-in

uncheck Quick Time system tray icon
Install Quick Time Task icon in system tray.

spydoor
Thursday, April 22, 2004