Rather complicated Windows 98 problem or Attn: All Geeks and Nerds!!!!

Factual Questions
1

This question is a new one developed in relation to a previous thread I had. I will sum it up here but if you want to read it, here’s the link. http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=54548

I was trying to remove a program from the little bar on the right part of the start bar, where your volume button and other useful icons are. First, I removed the program from my computer by going to Add/Remove under the startbar setings. This did not prevent it from trying to start the program when I started the computer, so I went to msconfig, selected the startup, and unchecking the name of the program.

Good. Now the computer will not try to start it up. My question is this. How do I remove the name of the program from the Startup list. If you want to see your list, select run and type “msconfig”. Then click the startup tab.

See the list of programs, some checked and some unchecked. How do I remove a program’s name from there entirely?

Thanks for your help, guys(and girls).

2

Click

Start button (typically at bottom left)
Settings
Taskbar & Start Menu
Start menu Programs tab
Advanced tab

Now it’s dsiplayed. Simply delete it.

3

The uninstall process probably didn’t remove all the registry entries for the program. Try one of the many freeware registry cleaners available.

I use one called EasyCLean myself. Got it winfiles.com or tucows.com or one of those.

Just remember…make a backup of your registry.

4

Some stuff is here (C:\WINDOWS\Start Menu\Programs\StartUp) and some stuff is the registry. I don’t rememember where in the registry though.
You might do a search on the registry and remove references to the program.
I guess you have to be careful screwing around with the registry though. I believe they recommend that you make a copy before you make changes. I think Windows also makes a backup copy that it keeps somewhere but I don’t know where or how to activate it if needed.

5

Sorry read question too fast.
Short of editing registry free “startupcop” utility at http://www.zdnet.com may do what you want. Out of curiosity if it’s defeated why bother?

6

The long answer:

MSCONFIG is meant to be used for trouble-shooting, not for long-term configuration changes. As a tech, there are few nightmares worse than getting to a machine and finding it’s been in selective startup mode for a year or so. One of the things it does is create dummy files, which act as your system configuration files on a temporary basis. Problem is, if you install any software while in selective startup, you install the entries for the win.ini and system.ini into the dummy files, and if you go back to normal startup, all sorts of havoc can be caused… And other things. So…

Go to start, run, type in msconfig. Go back to normal startup. Hit okay. Hit yes to restart. Thank you.

The items in startup are in one of three places (Possibly others, okay, but it’s really rare.) These places are:
1)Start Menu - Programs - Startup. Just delete them from there, they won’t start anymore.
2)The registry. Before doing anything in the registry, take a deep breath. Then let it out. Be scared. Back up the registry. Go to Start - Run - type in SCANREGW. It’ll ask if you want to back up the registry. Hit Yes.
Then go to Start - Run - type in REGEDIT.
Begin panicking now.
The path to the two most likely spots for startup items are:

a) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

b) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServices

c) Hi, Opal.

  1. Hi, Opal.

Find the key on the right hand side that you’re looking for. Right-click on it, then choose delete.

Be sure it’s the right one. Just delete the one you want gone. I can’t be responsible for deleting any keys that may be necessary for the operation of Windows. Heck, I can’t be responsible for just about anything, including the contents of this post.

Once you’re finished, close out of regedit, and reboot. Pray it works.

Want more detailed instructions?
Try out…
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q192/9/26.ASP

Going for a whole new definition of TMI here…

7

Pfshhh. There are two good ways to rid yourself of this problem. Probably what has happened, as atarian has said, is that the registry entries for the program have not been removed when the program was uninstalled.

The easiest way to try and fix the problem is to reinstall the program, reboot, and uninstall the program. Many times when an uninstall fails to remove something it is because it was interrupted, or there was some kind of other problem. I have had this procedure correct this type of problem before.

Or if you don’t feel like doing that, just follow these steps. (Note: If you are not comfortable editing your registry, don’t do this. If you screw up, your system may not start, so don’t blame me if you accidently delete one of the HKEY trees or something)

  1. Open your msconfig and go to the startup tab. Check that program in you want to remove, and apply the change, do not restart the system.

  2. Go to Start|Run and type regedit.exe. Click ok.

  3. Open HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, then Software, then Microsoft, then Windows, then Current Version, then click on the “Run” folder.

  4. Over to the right side, you will see a list of the programs, just like in msconfig. Click to highlight the name of the offending program here.

  5. Hit the delete key on your keyboard. If asked to confirm the delete, do so.

  6. Close the Registry Editor and reboot the machine.

All should be well, once this is accomplished.

8

Oh, and about those cheap, easy, nifty neato-keen registry clean-up utilities?

Want to hear true fear in a human voice? Call up a tech support line, and mention you’ve been using one of those, and now your machine won’t boot up.

Ditto for searching through the registry, and taking out any references to programs. Unless you’re a long-term tech, with the derring-do of Indiana Jones, I don’t recommend it.

9

Removing registry entries pointing to a program that you have uninstalled and do not want will not make your registry unreliable.

Just be sure you are punching the right nazi.

10

Yeah, it’s that “right Nazi” thing I was warning about. Registry entries that seem to be directly related to the program you’re looking for can often be used by multiple programs.

Also, the registry entries for the program you’re trying to get rid of can be unrecognizable, unless you know all the file names that comprise the original program. DLLs and everything. A daunting prospect, at best.

Knowing which Nazi to punch is the trick, as Indy would no doubt inform you.

11

If you will look at the OP, you will see a specific question.

My post above is precisely what needs to be done in order to “punch the right nazi”

It is indeed dangerous to mess around with the registry indiscriminately, but if you are qualified (I am) or receive instructions from someone who is qualified, and follow them exactly, problems like the one the OP is having can be remedied with minimal irritation.

I don’t mean to be testy, but I’ve got a really bad cold, and I get irritated when people freak out when someone says “regedit.exe.” It’s not that big a deal, if you have the proper knowledge or instructions.

I personally have walked many, many people through the process of editing their registry to successfully fix a problem, including the one faced by the OP. Most of the people I coached through this did not know what the difference between “click” and “right-click” were, much less what the registry was.

So Mahaloth, as Spiritus Mundi says, grab your whip, follow the instructions I wrote, and the program will no longer appear in MSConfig.

12

Let me explain to you how I finally got the program out of the msconfig list.
[ul]
[li]I first tried what Qixotica suggested but found that the program was not listed under the Registry-Windows-Current Version, etc. list. Don’t ask why.[/li]
[li]I then selected Edit from the menu and did a “Find” option, looking for any and all references to the program. When I found them, I deleted them.[/li]
[li]Dangit! The program had had(I thought) all traces of its existence removed from my computer, but it still existed in the msconfig list. Then today, as I was looking to uninstall a temporary program I had installed recently, I realized something rather obvious. When I scrolled down on my list of Programs using the Startbar, there was a new directory listed. It was called Startup Programs Deleted I clicked and behold, my program’s name was there. I deleted the directory and BAM!!!, the program was out of my msconfig list.[/li][/ul]

So there we have it. I’m surprised no one mentioned the directory Windows 98 adds when you delete a Startup program. Pretty interesting, huh? Frankly, I’m embarassed I didn’t notice it earlier, but I never really scroll down my program list. :slight_smile:

13

Try Tweakui its free from Microsoft, it should clean, But still the best way is a third party programlike SYstem suite, which does it automatically. First time i ran its registry cleaner it cleaned 400 entries.