HELP! Trying to remove startup items in system configuration

I've deleted several spyware programs from my computer, but they still show up as startup items in my system configuration utility. I'm not sure how to delete them from this utility. Right now I've gotten the system to start without them by using the selective startup option and unchecking the problematic items, but I don't know how to permanently remove them from the list. Please help!!

 

You can search the registry if you are comfortable doing so, just be sure to back the registry up before deleting anything. go to start/run/ type in regedit in the box/edit/find. Type the file you are looking in find and do a search.

 

That did the trick! Thank you so much!

 

I am just glad it helped.

bigc

 

Using Autoruns (http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/autoruns.shtml ) will make it easier to get to the relevant registry entry. Right-click on the autorun item, select "Jump to...", and you will be shown the entry in regedit. Then in regedit's right-hand window, right-click on the entry and select delete. As always, back-up your registry, or export the key you want to remove to a reg file so that you can restore it easily if something goes wrong, or create a system restore point before you play with the registry.

Nick

 

Mike Lin's Startup Control Panel is another good tool for removing entries from the system configuration utility.

http://www.mlin.net/StartupCPL.shtml

 

you can get rid of start programs with jv16 power tools they can be gotten here free.

 

FYI, if determined to remove those unchecked items from Msconfig/Startup by directly editing the Registry, here's excactly where to find them:

In Win 95, 98, Millennium:

Navigate to, and examine the following 3 subkeys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run-
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServices-
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run-

Note the - (minus) sign behind Run and RunServices.

In those subkeys you'll find the Msconfig/startup entries that are UNchecked.

Highlight the ones you'd like to get rid of in the RIGHT pane, and choose 'delete'.

These keys contain the stuff that starts up from the Registry.

Items that were loaded from your Startup folder, and are now unchecked in Msconfig can be deleted in Start/Programs/Disabled Startup Items.

Incidentally, don't remove stuff this way you still have, and might want back in startup, for in that case restoring them gets a little more complicated

In Windows XP, make your way to the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Shared Tools\MSConfig\startupreg.

Expanding the Startupreg subkey will reveal a further listing of folders (subkeys) which will be named after unchecked items in the System Configuration Utility that were loaded from the registry.

For items that were launched from your Startup folder, and are now in "Disabled Startup Items", look in
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Shared Tools\MSConfig\Startupfolder.

Cheers,