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Windows
Startup
The startup process includes all the automatic activities
that are taken by your computer from the time you power on
your system until you are first able to launch programs of
your own accord. This article defines this process and
examines reasons why startup time can diminish compared to
when you first purchased your computer. This article also
briefly outlines some issues that can arise and offers
resource links. Included in this article are manual steps
you can take to improve startup performance. Some of these
require caution – disabling system functionality is at
risk. We also include links to applications that remove
unwanted items for you safely and with ease.
Brief Description
Starting your computer has been referred to as “booting”
your machine. This term comes from the phrase
“bootstrapping” from days of old when a loop of material
known as a bootstrap was used to pull on your boots.
Booting your computer involves loading the software
essential to running your computer. Your operating system
is the underlying software that manages computer resources
including all programs and hardware devices. It is first
loaded at startup and it is essential for running software
on your system. The startup process on more recent
Microsoft operating systems also includes an automatic
process where other software applications are launched.
This will be covered in more detail later in this article.
The Windows operating systems – from Windows 3.x to Vista –
all use a process of initialization. While there are
variations, from the user perspective, initialization
typically involves pressing the power button, watching the
monitor power on automatically, and seeing various Windows
screens displayed until you are required to logon to the
system. After you logon, the Windows startup sound can be
heard and the desktop appears with a background image and
shortcut icons. It is common to hear your computer system
as it loads applications automatically. Even though it
appears that you can start, it is during this time you need
to wait as the computer system is busy launching
applications and processes that likely are running in the
background.
Internally, each operating system uses a slightly different
boot process. Generally it involves a special program
dedicated to launch other programs until the operating
system takes over. There are “boot devices” that also must
be initialized before the operating system is loaded. These
include the primary input and output devices: the keyboard
and monitor respectively, and the program load device or
devices: the hard disk drive, floppy drive, CR-ROM, and
flash drives.
Windows 3.x, 95, 98, and ME use a boot loader that is
managed by MS DOS and involves files dedicated to the boot
process:
Autoexec.bat and Config.sys, and files for the configuration
settings: WIN.INI and SYSTEM.INI. Windows NT systems make
use of a boot loader called NTLDR. For Microsoft Vista, the
Windows Boot Manager invokes the boot loader which has a
filename of “winload.exe”.
There are different methods of booting your computer. The
most common and well-known are a “hard boot” and a “soft
boot”. A hard boot is also known as a cold boot as the
computer is starting cold. In other words you are starting
it from an off position to on by pressing the power button.
A soft boot is also referred to as a warm boot as the
computer is still running and you are resetting it by
pressing a reset button or using a reset or restart
command. There are situations when your computer
unexpectedly reboots itself. This has been referred to as a
“random boot” as the cause is initially unknown and
challenging to determine. Many times it can occur due to a
combination of errors related to software and hardware.
With Windows XP, your system is configured by default to
restart automatically when faced with a Stop error so as to
avoid encountering the commonly known “Blue Screen of
Death”. See the
Stop Error article for more
information including how you can change your settings to
view the system error screen when it happens.
Won’t Start
Microsoft states on their support site that having a
computer not start is frustrating but “…the problem is often
easy to fix.” They offer support instructions for Windows
XP in the following situations:
- after you successfully log on you are unable
to launch any programs
- during the startup process, the Windows logo
appears but the system fails before you reach the logon
stage
- a message appears stating: “Non-system disk or
disk error”
- you press the power button and the computer
immediately stops or the monitor does not display anything
- your computer fails to turn on
- a Windows XP repair installation is required
If you are experiencing any of these issues you can get
assistance on their site at:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/support/nostart.mspx.
You can also go to their support site for troubleshooting
startup problems in Windows XP:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308041/.
The most frequent case of start issues is related to
hardware or, more specifically, power chords becoming
unplugged or coming loose. The first thing to check is that
the power plug is working. You can check this with another
electrical device like a desk lamp. Next, follow the power
chord and make sure that it is connected properly to the
computer and that all chords are connected correctly from
the computer to your devices (monitor keyboard, mouse, and
others).
If you are still experiencing problems, the next step you
will need to take will be to check for faulty hardware or a
corrupted system file. If you have added new hardware try
removing it and seeing if the problem can be repeated. If
the problem is still occurring, you will have to do some
online investigation and problem solving. With Windows XP,
we recommend you begin with the link above as it includes
troubleshooting problems related to startup including how to
run your computer in Safe Mode and how to use the
Last Known Good Configuration option when you boot your
system.
If you are running another operating system you can check
one of these links for online support:
Microsoft has full support for the most recent operating
systems and they have placed the following notice for other
systems: “Effective July 11, 2006, Windows 98, Windows 98
Second Edition, and Windows Me (and their related
components) will transition to a non-supported status. After
this date, Microsoft will no longer provide any incident
support options or security updates. Microsoft is not
offering a custom support agreement for these products.”
Startup Slow Down
When you start a brand new computer system you can trust
that it will start quickly and without difficulty.
Unfortunately, over time, startup performance can degrade as
your system becomes bogged down. Assuming there are no
hardware malfunctions, there is pretty much only one reason
for startup slow down – applications have been installed and
added to the startup process. In other words, programs are
launched automatically at the end of the boot cycle. Often
this happens without your knowledge or consent. Of course,
there are times when installing a program involves not
reading the fine print of all the screens that appear.
Instead, most of us click on the Next buttons until the
installation is finished and it is not until later that we
make the discovery that there are new desktop icons, email
notifications are sent on a regular basis, and the
application is launched every time the computer is started.
However, there are other applications that are added to the
Startup folder covertly. These and other applications are
sometimes referred to as “Trash Apps” or “Startup Spam”. A
group of malicious software programs known as malware,
viruses, spyware, hijackers, and more can reside on your
system and be included in the automated functioning of your
computer. These have a direct impact on available system
resources.
There are steps you can take to remove some trash apps –
those that are not overly difficult to detect and remove.
Later in this report we will cover how to combat more
elusive malware. There are three places where
self-launching applications can be found: the Startup
folder, the Scheduled Tasks folder as logon scripts, and in
the registry.
Startup Folder
You can view items in your Startup folder by doing the
following:
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Clicking the Start button.
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Select Programs | Startup.
You can right-click on items there and select Delete.
Keep in mind that this will delete the shortcut to the
application – it will NOT uninstall or remove it from your
system. To uninstall applications you should check for the
application in the Programs list (as in step two
above), and then check for an uninstall option. If you
cannot find it you can try uninstalling it from the Add or
Remove Programs utility in the Control Panel. Another
option for removing items from the Startup folder is to open
Windows Explorer and go to: C:\Documents and Settings\YourUserName\Start
Menu\Programs\Startup where “YourUserName” is the name you
use to logon to your system. You can delete the items as
you would any file keeping in mind that these are shortcuts.
Scheduled Tasks Folder
The items in your scheduled tasks folder include all the
programs that are scheduled to run automatically. You can
view these items by opening Windows Explorer and going to:
C:\WINDOWS\Tasks. Having items in this folder will not slow
down your startup process unless you have them scheduled to
run “At Logon” or “At System Startup”. To get a better idea
of when an item is scheduled to run you can modify Windows
Explorer so that the Details view is selected. Click the
View menu and selecting Details. The details of
each item in this folder includes: Next Run Time and Last
Run Time.
You can either delete or modify scheduled tasks. To modify
the task so that it does not run at system startup or at
logon do the following:
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Double click a scheduled task to open it.
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Select the Schedule tab.
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Click the drop down arrow in the Schedule Task
field and choose a scheduled time other than “At System
Startup” and “At Logon”.
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Select a Start time and configure other settings as
appropriate.
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Click OK.
It is best to select a start time when your system is
running and you are not busy using several programs at
once. Many people choose to have scheduled tasks such as
virus checking done at night or during a lunch break.
To delete a scheduled task right-click on it and select
delete. Once again, this will not delete the application
only the scheduling of the application.
Startup Items and the Registry
Modifying the registry by manual means is not recommended
unless you have some knowledge or experience in this area.
There are registry items essential to the overall
functioning of your system and tampering with it could have
serious repercussions. We recommend that if you are going
to roll up your sleeves and delve into altering your
computer settings that you begin by making sure you have
your files adequately backed up. Also, if you are running
either Windows XP or Millenium (Me) it is useful to have
some familiarity with system restore functionality.
Microsoft offers information online for XP users:
Backup utility:
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/msconfig_usage.mspx?mfr=true
System Restore:
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/msconfig_usage.mspx?mfr=true
We suggest that you first begin with the System
Configuration utility. As pointed out by Microsoft
Microsoft, you will need to have the necessary privileges by
being logged on as an administrator. The System
Configuration utility is commonly used by support
professionals to troubleshoot issues. To open the utility
do the following:
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Click the Start button and select Run.
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In the Open field, type: msconfig and click OK.
Click the Startup tab – the utility will look similar
to what can be seen here:
With respect to startup troubleshooting, Microsoft offers
Windows XP Professional online documentation. The
information presented points to the Startup tab for
isolating problems. The instructions are simple… clear all
the check boxes and then select a startup item one at a time
and restart your system to see which item is the source of
the problem.
With respect to improving startup performance we offer the
following:
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Expand the Command column so that you can get a better
idea of what application is associated with each startup
item.
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Next, you need to determine if each program listed needs
to run when the system is started. If you are running
anti-virus and anti-spyware tools that work
automatically in the background, we suggest leaving
these in the start process. You do not want to have to
manually start something that should be running every
time you fire up your computer.
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Clear any check box corresponding to applications you do
not want launched at startup.
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Click Apply and then click Close.
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You will receive a prompt asking if you want to reboot
your machine. Make sure all your applications are
closed and that your working data is saved before you
reboot your computer.
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When the system restarts you will receive another
message with the option of returning to your previous
settings (for Windows XP and Me only).
If you had no problems starting your system then you can
place a checkmark by the Don’t show this message or
launch the System Configuration Utility when Windows starts
option.
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Click OK to close the window. Be alert to any
improvements in startup performance.
While this process and the procedures listed above can get
you on the right track to better performance, there are some
limitations and it can be, in some respects, just scratching
the surface. For one, this should be done on a regular
basis depending on your computer use; two, there could be
many items in the registry that are unwanted and unused;
three, you could have items that are not showing up in the
Startup list or the folders mentioned here. We highly
recommend that you use an application that can work easily
and efficiently for you.
RegCure is a product that not only cleans up unwanted and
orphaned items in your registry but it also includes a
Manage Startup tool so you don’t have to use the Windows
System Configuration utility. For ongoing registry cleanup
that includes scheduled scanning you can download and run
RegCure Registry Cleaner
Once you get your system startup tweaked so it is performing
at an acceptable level you have to take steps to ensure that
it stays that way. Another excellent program directly
related to ongoing protection from applications that
automatically add themselves to the startup processes is
ParetoLogic Anti-Spyware. This application is essential for
removing unwanted malicious software and it includes a
feature where you are informed of any changes to the system
startup. The Windows Startup monitor detects spyware that
attempts to install itself and offers you the control of
determining what gets included in your startup list. There
is also scheduling capabilities for ongoing automatic scans
and frequent automatic updates to insure protection from the
latest Internet threats. You can get
ParetoLogic Anti-Spyware
with real-time protection.
Trashing the Trash App
So to put this in perspective, it is common to have computer
start time bogged down – installing applications is common
and, unfortunately, so too are residing spyware items. On
one hand you want to get the most out of your computing
experience and on the other you want to remain in control or
your computer functioning. Malware – malicious software –
commonly installs itself to your computer without your
knowledge or consent. Once there it can be difficult to
detect let alone remove. In fact, there are particular
applications that are not only annoying but sophisticated in
their capabilities. They are like a weed – once you try and
remove a piece of them, they replicate themselves as they
have their roots buried deep in the registry and other areas
of your computer.
The most annoying of these apps are those that constantly
offer advertisements, popups, banner ads, or unwanted
additions to existing applications like your Internet
browser. There are applications that always try to take
control whenever you open a particular file type –
particularly media files like image or sound files. This is
known as file association and any good software application
should give you the option but leave it in your control.
There are malware apps that hijack your Internet browser so
that the settings are changed including homepage, search
page, favourites, and more. Worse than these annoying
programs are a whole slew of applications that take on more
criminal or harmful elements – keyloggers, data miners,
Trojan horses, worms, and other associated spyware.
Many computer users feel that they are immune to these
items. However, many of these items – especially the more
benign ones – can be easily picked up from simply browsing
the Internet or downloading a trusted application that
includes other associated software that installs to your
system. There is information that is available on the
Internet about taking steps to remove these from your
registry. However, this can often be a tricky endeavour.
For safety and peace of mind it is best to use a trusted
product that is efficient and leaves you in control. Along
with ParetoLogic Anti-Spyware there is another spyware
solution with less features but the same effective results
in detecting an removing malware:
XoftSpySE Anti-Spyware
Awareness and prevention are key factors in keeping your
computer system in top running form. Hopefully the
information presented here will get you started on the right
track.
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