Prevent app from launching at startup

[Nermal]

This isn't strictly a Mac-related question but several of you seem knowledgeable about Windows in general

I have some Windows software that insists on starting every time I log in. I'm trying to prevent it from running, although I don't want to uninstall it because I do use it occasionally. It installs itself into the Startup group in the Start menu, but removing it doesn't help; next time I launch it, it puts itself back in there.

Is there some way that I can prevent it from adding itself back into the Startup group? The only idea I've had so far is to change the shortcut to point to something else (maybe Outlook, since I actually want that to start) then make it read-only, but there must be a more elegant way of doing it.

Any suggestions? Thanks

 

[BileGhost]

Tried removing it from the startup list (not just the folder). Go to start -> run, then type msconfig. One of the tabs is startup. Uncheck anything you dont want starting up.

But since it only replaces itself when you run it, thats probably not the issue. Look for a preference within the program, thats probably the only way you can stop it.

 

[Nermal]

Unfortunately msconfig doesn't work because it just appears as a new entry. There's no setting inside the app.

 

[BileGhost]

Does the app have its own support forum? Or try google, chances are other people are having the same problem, and some of them may have resolved it.

 

[Nermal]

It's not a commercial app. I'm looking for a way of blocking it at the "Windows level".

To explain a little better: It's an app that was written for (and by) the organisation that I work for. All users get it at startup as most use it multiple times per day. I personally use it no more than once per week, and it takes a while to start up, so I'm trying to stop it from annoying me all the time

 

[BileGhost]

Disable startup items? Its in the same msconfig I mentioned before, but on a different tab (First one I think). That should prevent any applications starting at startup, assuming you have the required privaledges and you don't need anything else starting.

 

[Nermal]

I've resolved the problem by using the "kludge" I mentioned in my first post. It seems to work well enough for the few seconds it saves me

This was more of a "see whether it's possible" thread rather than an actual problem, after all it's trivial to just hit the Exit button once the thing's started up. However, it appears from your post that the only way is to disable all startup items, which I certainly didn't want to do.

 

[clevin]

msconfig is only one of the two places app will check to see if they should auto start.

Ther other being "start->all programs->startup"

 

[neilhart]

An alternative is to download and run Process Explorer which allows you to see and examine the processes that are running. In version 10.21 you have the ability to modify the current state. This is a better Task Manager.

Microsoft purchased the software and now has newer version for download. Search for Process Explorer v11.20 on MS web sites.

neil

 

[jeremy.king]

I'd review the Services control panel to see if you have a service that could be setup to start automatically. Might be completely obviously named, or could be obfuscated. Word of caution: Don't disable a service unless you know what it is.

Start > Run > "services.msc"

or

Start > Control Panel > Administrator Tools > Services

 

[steveza]

Run: regedit. Browse to this key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run. You should see entries in there for applications that run at startup.

 

[jeremy.king]

Run: regedit. Browse to this key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run. You should see entries in there for applications that run at startup.

This is the same as using msconfig