# How do I kill this damned thing? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 18, 2000, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-kill-this-damned-thing/33615 "2000-09-18T16:43:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Surgoshan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Surgoshan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surgoshan)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2000, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-kill-this-damned-thing/33615/1 "2000-09-18T16:43:47Z")
While this won’t be on the level of Scylla’s ground hogs, it is irritating me. I screwed up my computer yesterday and, after three phone calls to Dell ended up doing exactly what my computer had been telling me to do all day: reinstall windows. Ok, great, my computer’s working again (and, after another hour of fiddling, my ethernet), but now this ‘Discovering Windows 98’ has been starting up every time I turn on my computer. I’ve tried to get rid of it through deletions, playing along, hunting down it’s creator and killing him in the past, but NOTHING works. Any clues? ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2000, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-kill-this-damned-thing/33615/2 "2000-09-18T16:50:20Z")
I just had to reformat my hard drive, and the same thing kept popping up. But there is a little check box on it somewhere that says, “Don’t show me this in the future” or some such. It took me a while to notice it, just look harder. ---
**Author:** ![retsin2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@retsin2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/retsin2000)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2000, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-kill-this-damned-thing/33615/3 "2000-09-18T16:53:00Z")
A few of thoughts: -Is the Windows CD still in the drive? It could be popping up because of autoplay. -Is there a checkbox to show or not show this thing when it pops up? -Check the Startup group to see if anything is in there (Start | Programs | Startup) If it is there just right click it and choose delete. -If you are up for editing the registry there may be an entry under HKEY\_LOCAL\_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\ ---
**Author:** ![Surgoshan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Surgoshan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surgoshan)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2000, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-kill-this-damned-thing/33615/4 "2000-09-18T16:56:07Z")
No dice on the first three. How do I edit the registry? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Cynical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ee59a6/32.png) [@Mr.Cynical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Cynical)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2000, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-kill-this-damned-thing/33615/5 "2000-09-18T16:57:32Z")
Yeah, IIRC, it’s in the bottom left corner. ---
**Author:** ![Surgoshan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Surgoshan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surgoshan)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2000, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-kill-this-damned-thing/33615/6 "2000-09-18T17:03:21Z")
… ::blink blink blink:: … of the control panel? Not there, at least, and ‘find files’ is particularly unhelpful. I think I’ll dig through Windows help. After class. Jesus, gotta run. ---
**Author:** ![mrblue92](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@mrblue92](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrblue92)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2000, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-kill-this-damned-thing/33615/7 "2000-09-18T17:22:07Z")
Registry Editor can be started by doing a Start -\> Run and typing “c:\windows\regedit.exe”. Proceed at your own risk. If you understand how it works, it’s not terribly complicated, but if it you’re in over your head, do a Registry -\> Exit and get the heck out of there. ---
**Author:** ![mrblue92](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@mrblue92](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrblue92)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2000, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-kill-this-damned-thing/33615/8 "2000-09-18T17:24:43Z")
BTW, I think **Mr. Cynical** was referring to the checkbox on **retsin** ’s second suggestion. ---
**Author:** ![Surgoshan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Surgoshan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surgoshan)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2000, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-kill-this-damned-thing/33615/9 "2000-09-18T19:59:24Z")
Got it. The bastard’s done for. Mwa ha ha ha ha! I chose rightly! Screw you, microsoft!! ---
**Author:** ![Skribbler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Skribbler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skribbler)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2000, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-kill-this-damned-thing/33615/10 "2000-09-19T02:37:12Z")
Dynamight. Works quicker, is better for frustrations and annoys the heck out of the neighbors and scares the crap out of Windows.