# Why no MSCONFIG in W2k ? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 21, 2003, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-msconfig-in-w2k/156615 "2003-02-21T20:29:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![andy\_fl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@andy\_fl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andy_fl)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-msconfig-in-w2k/156615/1 "2003-02-21T20:29:41Z")
Is there a purpose to that or is it just another ploy to prevent me stop what loads up at startup ? ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-msconfig-in-w2k/156615/2 "2003-02-21T20:33:28Z")
W2k uses other tools to serve the various purposes of MSCONFIG. As for startup programs, there’s a key in your registry under: HKEY\_LOCAL\_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run that lists all the stuff that’s triggered by the registry to run. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-msconfig-in-w2k/156615/3 "2003-02-21T20:35:32Z")
Ah, and you can look through the sysinfo tool under software environment, startup programs, but can’t change it there. I seem to remember using an MSCONFIG-like program to select and deselect auto start programs, but I can’t remember what it was or how to get to it. ---
**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:** [February 21, 2003, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-msconfig-in-w2k/156615/4 "2003-02-21T20:37:43Z")
HKEY\_LOCAL\_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run does not list anywhere near all the startup programs. I have a lot of stuff that loads up on startup but none of them are in that key. I don’t have Win2k, I have XP. I’l see if I can find out the equivalent of msconfig for 2k. ---
**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:** [February 21, 2003, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-msconfig-in-w2k/156615/5 "2003-02-21T20:42:18Z")
Ah. You can download msconfig for Win2k [here.](http://www.svrops.com/svrops/dwnldoth.htm) It’s the one that comes with XP, but it works for Win2k, reportedly. ---
**Author:** ![andy\_fl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@andy\_fl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andy_fl)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-msconfig-in-w2k/156615/6 "2003-02-21T20:46:03Z")
I use [REGCLEANER - freeware](http://www.webmasterfree.com/regcleaner.html) which not only lets me change the startup programs but also cleans up the startup programs. But my OP was not about how to remove startup programs, but about MS’s reasoning in removing a useful utility like MSCONFIG. Any clue to that ? ---
**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:** [February 21, 2003, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-msconfig-in-w2k/156615/7 "2003-02-21T20:48:50Z")
Oh that. I have no idea. It seems it was missed though, since they included in in XP. That’s Microswift for you. ---
**Author:** ![Lagged2Death](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ac8455/32.png) [@Lagged2Death](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lagged2Death)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-msconfig-in-w2k/156615/8 "2003-02-21T21:26:16Z")
MSCONFIG was never intended to be an end-user utility. Half of the stuff in there, on a clean system, is OS stuff that should never be disabled. It’s ugly, confusing, and dangerous. Unfortunately, with all the scum-ware, ad-ware, and user-hostile software installers out there, it’s also very useful. Windows NT/2000/XP provide support for a “service” application class, which is a better way to set up programs that should start and run in the background every time the system boots. Under NT and 2000, at least, there is a control panel for services, which offers more control over them than MSCONFIG ever could. Many of the programs that get started from the registry’s Run key really should be either stuck in Start -\> Programs -\> Startup or implemented as services. I think Microsoft was a little optimistic in removing MSConfig, but I agree that ultimately, it should go away. Sadly, not everyone wants to do The Right Thing, so we’ll be stuck with it for a while longer. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Carnage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/max_carnage/32/12775_2.png) [@Max\_Carnage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Carnage)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2003, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-no-msconfig-in-w2k/156615/9 "2003-02-21T21:37:02Z")
You can actually copy the MSCONFIG executable from a W98 or WMe machine and run it on a W2K system and it works just fine.