MSCONFIG in Windows XP is Misused and Abused!
I do computer repair in the local Houston, Texas area. I get questions on MSCONFIG in Windows XP often. Usually about a startup program or how to disable startup programs on their system. MSCONFIG is short for Microsoft System Configuration Utility. It was designed to help troubleshoot system configuration issues, not control what programs automatically startup when Windows XP boots up.
To address startup programs you can use Registry changes, Group Policies, Windows Run at Startup policy settings, or uninstall the software all together. Although you can disable a program to start in MSCONFIG by figuring out the files that load under the startup tab for that software, it's not the recommended method. I'll mention some other ways to help you control startup programs at the end of the article.
The System Configuration Utility was designed for user support personnel to assist in solving configuration issues with Windows XP. The idea was to eliminate typos and mistakes on changes to the following files:
System.ini file
Win.ini file
Boot.ini file
Programs that are set to load during the startup process (these programs are listed in the Startup folder and the registry and should not be changed here)
Environment settings
International settings
MSCONFIG shows all the current settings and information about the above configuration files. You can also make changes by starting and stopping specific loading of device and software drivers. This utility was designed for advanced users and if some important or necessary settings are changed, you can kill your computer.
To start the MSCONFIG utility:
Click Start, click Run, type msconfig, and then click OK.
You now should see a program startup that says System Configuration Utility at the top. It will have six tabs, General, System INI, Win INI, Boot INI, Services, and Startup. The utility opens up on the General tab. You will also see two buttons on the bottom right hand side that say Launch System Restore and Expand file.
As you click on each tab, a screen will show the contents of the INI files, a list of services under services, and a list of files that are run at startup under startup. You can check or uncheck each listing. The naming convention on services and files in startup are not always easy to connect with a particular program or action. This is why Microsoft only recommends this utility for advance users, it can get very technical to figure out the relationships.
One of the most popular uses of MSCONFIG is finding and removing (or stopping from loading) viruses and malware. Since most virus and malware creators want to control your computer, they will load a program when the computer starts. Once the program has started, it locks down the program files as in use and you cannot delete them.
So one of the ways to stop the programs from running (so that you can delete the files) is to find the offending service or actual file that loads at boot up. The trick here is knowing what services or files are related to the virus or malware. And as mentioned above, if you stop a critical service or program from loading, your computer may not boot up.
OK, so now you understand what MSCONFIG is used for and why it may not be a good choice for stopping startup programs and eliminating virus and malware programs. So what is the best way to stop certain programs from loading (other than the Microsoft suggestions mentioned above)?
One way to deal with programs starting automatically is to always choose the custom install method offered by most software. You can disallow the installation of the auto start features if available. Another good solution that can be managed by any normal user is by installing Microsoft's System Defender. This software is free and you can get it from the Microsoft website here:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/defender/default.mspx
Once you install the software, here's how you can manage startup programs:
Click Start, click All Programs, and then click Windows Defender.
Click Tools, and then click Software Explorer.
Click the application name in the Name column that you want to disable, and then click Disable.
Installing Windows Defender will also protect you from spyware and malware to begin with so it's always a good thing to have some kind of protection running. If you are a Vista user, Windows Defender comes pre-installed and is available on the All Programs menu.
There are other utilities and software available to make managing your Windows XP system easier and can also speed up your computer. Many are very user friendly and can help you solve many computer issues. You can learn more at our website listed below.
(ArticlesBase SC #728898)
How to View/Modify Windows Startup Programs
Learn how to find Windows Startup programs & modify them whenever required. The Demo Shows How to use msconfig utility and displays a pc which has Configurable Desktop Clock Utility and Turn Off Monitor Utility (from http://www.rtsoftwares.com) added to Startup. In case you need low level details of the Startup Programs, look for autoruns utility by microsoft, google autoruns which tell every possible detail about windows startup programs / add ons etc (03:34)
Find Out What's Running On Your Computer
This video shows you how to determine what processes are running on your computer and which one's are harmful. (02:59)
Using Windows System Restore
Windows System Restore is a feature that was added in Windows XP. Restore Points are created when you install or uninstall software, install devices, and so on. You can also create your own Restore Points, just in case you encounter a problem. In those times you can restore your computer to an earlier time when there wasn't a problem. Very handy. (02:18)
How to Use System Restore to Recover your Windows System
Tech advice and tips: in this video, you will learn how to use System Restore to recover your Windows system. (02:28)
How to Back Up Your Windows System
Tech advice and tips: in this video, you will learn how to back up your Windows system. (03:42)
Windows XP Pro a robust OS which has several features left unexplored. This article tries to encompass the great features of this OS. (contd.)
Learn the basic tips of Windows XP Professional like how to see the IP address of the computer, how to troubleshoot the security related issues, how to install netmeeting, how to remove programs from startup, how to disable firewall in Windows XP and many other tips
Windows XP does provide us with a quality performance, but lately, you do not think that you have been getting the best out of your operating system. You always find it working a little bit slower than usual, and sometimes, you just want to switch into a different operating system at once. If you always find yourself always asking 'How do I speed up Windows XP?' then do not fret anymore.
Do you have slow computer startup and shutdown? Do you have to wait for minutes to have your Windows boot up? If so, you can read this article to learn how to speed up your Windows XP startup and shut down.
You can do quite a bit to clean the average Windows XP system. Files proliferate, programs fall out of favor, viruses reproduce, e-mail clusters, and pop-ups populate. Throw in a little system neglect and before you know it, you have a messed-up system that badly needs cleaning.
23 Easy Ways To Speed Windows Xp. not only defragmentation is the option there 23 different options to imprrove the spped of the xp.
performance, here are 23 suggestions that will. Each can enhance the performance and reliability of your customers' PCs. Best of all, most of them will cost you nothing.
Members of Facebook and other similar social networking sites are told to watch out for a new computer virus. This is spread through a Christmas card video.
Like any other machine, when a computer is new, it has high efficiency and speed. But as it grows old, its performance goes down and speed also decreases. Mentioned here are some of the PC optimization tools that are provided with Windows operating system (we are limiting our scope to Windows XP) to improve the performance of your computer.
The question about how to unprotect an Excel password comes up more often than most people might think. You have to figure that there are millions of people around the world who are relying on Microsoft Office and whether they
The Global Positioning System otherwise known as the GPS happens to be controlled by US Government since its conceptualization back in the 1950s. The famous GPS Tracking was actually intended for military use and was designed to send signals regarding the commanded coordinates for operations. It also used to have...
Along with digital cameras and cellular phones, laptops are just some of the things that techie guys and gals out there would love to own. There have been lots of advancements in these gadgets these days that is why more and more people are going gaga over them. Well why...
MTS to iPad Converter for Mac provides Mac users a wonderful solution to convert mts, m2ts videos to iPad as well as iPod, iPhone, PSP and so forth with seamless quality and high converting speed.
Introduction Buying a motherboard these days is quite a difficult task since, in terms of performance, there is very little to choose between the top contenders. Brand loyalty is one route but leaves the feeling that something good could be missed out on through lack of awareness of the various offerings....
Unquestionably, ecommerce software can really boost your business and your website. However, it can also be a cause for lack of sales and significant loss for you. The software may not really be the one directly responsible, but it could be the bugs in it or the difficulty in using...
For those of us not in the retail industry or holiday type businesses, December can be a slow month. Most people go into the holiday mode right after Thanksgiving. This means less new projects, decisions, and ongoing business takes a backseat to holiday cheer. So if you fit into this category...
The holidays are once again upon us. Which means that my wife is going to go crazy printing out photos she takes of all the events, parties, kids, and grandkids. We discuss this on every holiday, the difference in cost between getting prints done by the local drugstore, photo shop,...
A great way to make Christmas and Holiday decorations and even presents using your inkjet printer and some heat transfer kits. These heat transfer kits are available in Craft stores or most Office Supply stores. You can assemble your own components or go with the kit that includes everything you...
At the end of each calendar year I often schedule a quick review of my clients websites with the owner or person in charge of the website. These days website design involves much more than graphics or the layout of a web page. We look at the visitor stats, any...
It's been a few weeks now since the launch of the Windows 7 release by Microsoft. The launch in general was much lower key than past version launches, probably for a couple of reasons. The biggest being that Windows 7 was the solution to the Vista version of 2 years...
Every year we face an uphill battle with our Christmas Tree. We have several cats that are absolutely fascinated by anything new in the house. These are outdoor cats and run around our trees outside like they are squirrels. So when they see a tree inside, they can resist checking...
Half of the fun of shooting digital pictures is to edit the photo using software to get the best result you want. There are many good software programs from simple to advanced that can help any amateur photographer for free. Here are my top choices for no cost software photo...
The final two months of each year can add on the pounds. Weight Gain in November and December is a national pastime in the good old USA. Two of the greatest festivals of food (not to mention the extra alcohol consumed thrown in for good measure) Thanksgiving and Christmas will...
0