# Removing programs from start-up **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 31, 2003, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-programs-from-start-up/178790 "2003-05-31T17:26:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2003, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-programs-from-start-up/178790/1 "2003-05-31T17:26:57Z")
There are two programs that start when I restart my computer. I _thought_ I had removed them, having removed the programs and removing them from the “start menu”. But they still come up when I restart. How do I make them go away? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2003, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-programs-from-start-up/178790/2 "2003-05-31T17:29:50Z")
Easiest way: Start Menu \> Run. Type msconfig, and hit enter. Click Startup Tab on resulting window and uncheck whatever programs you don’t want to start. ---
**Author:** ![rjk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2003, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-programs-from-start-up/178790/3 "2003-05-31T17:47:26Z")
Look in your Windows directory (assuming this is Windows we’re talking about), Start Menu\Programs\Startup. Delete any unwanted shortcuts. That probably won’t work, since there are other places to start from. Since you say you deleted the programs, they’re spyware hiding someplace. Download AdAware or a similar program and clean up with that. Also check that your virus defs are current. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2003, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-programs-from-start-up/178790/4 "2003-05-31T18:11:03Z")
**Q.E.D.** : Thanks. I’ve done it, and will re-start next time Netscape crashes. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@Bill\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_H)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2003, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-programs-from-start-up/178790/5 "2003-06-01T05:34:52Z")
StartStop ([http://www.tfi-technology.com/startstop/default.htm](http://www.tfi-technology.com/startstop/default.htm)) is pretty good, if you can’t find what you want in msconfig. It’s free as well. ---
**Author:** ![tastycorn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@tastycorn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tastycorn)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2003, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-programs-from-start-up/178790/6 "2003-06-01T10:44:13Z")
One more, if you are not scared of the registry. Go to start, run enter “regedit” Hit CTRL-F (find) search for RunOnce Right above RunOnce is Run. Check both these trees for the unwanted programs. Delete any unwanted keys. Hit F3 and keep searching for the other occurances of RunONce and Run (should be three). Switch to Linux. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![istara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e79b87/32.png) [@istara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/istara)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2003, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-programs-from-start-up/178790/7 "2003-06-01T11:08:26Z")
Some versions of Windows don’t have msconfig, but you can download it. Run a Yahoo! search for msconfig. When you double click msconfig.exe, it can throw up a few error alerts, but the basic functionality of removing things from the start up queue is there. ---
**Author:** ![Powers106](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@Powers106](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Powers106)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2003, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-programs-from-start-up/178790/8 "2003-06-01T11:17:30Z")
I use a program called Startup Cop that I got from ZDnet for free. Works like a charm and is super easy to use. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2003, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-programs-from-start-up/178790/9 "2003-06-01T14:56:18Z")
What are the programs that are starting? Maybe Windows needs them?