MSConfig Startup for Windows 2000 users
Category: Windows
by Dennis Faas, infopackets editor
http://www.infopackets.com
Last week I wrote an article which touched on a useful utility called
msconfig. To recap what the program does: msconfig is a program that
comes bundled with all version of Microsoft Windows, except Windows 2000.
One of the most useful functions of the msconfig program is its Startup Tab
which allows you to select / deselect programs from launching at the Windows
Startup. By the way,
you can
learn how to launch msconfig by reading last week's article.
Why is that so useful, you say?
Well, I guess the answer to that question depends on what you have
installed on your system. Sometimes, when a program is installed, it
copies an instance of itself to the Windows Startup. After that,
the program will be executed every time Windows is loaded. Some
programs will notify you if it has placed itself in the Startup, while some
programs just don't bother.
Is that sneaky? The answer is yes and no --
it all depends on the nature of the program.
The point is -- if there are 20 programs listed your Windows Startup,
then you have to wait for all 20 of those programs to finish loading before
you can begin using your system. That can add a lot of time to the
entire Startup process; it can also eat up a lot of memory and slow your
system down.
Alright. Now that the basis behind msconfig has been covered -- you
may be wondering why msconfig doesn't come bundled with Windows 2000.
At least, you may wonder that if you're a Windows 2000 user. The
answer is that I don't know why Microsoft didn't include it with Windows
2000. After all, it's present in all other versions of Windows.
What is a Windows 2000 user to do?
Once again, my troubleshooting techniques have taught me that
google is a good starting point when
searching for answers to most questions that can be found somewhere on the
Internet. Why? Because google is the most accurate search engine
that I know of in existence -- hands down.
Google's results came up a few viable possibilities. One of
the most interesting facts that I found was that msconfig (which comes standard with all other versions of Windows) * is *
compatible with Windows 2000. The only problem is that when msconfig
first loads up under Windows 2000, it generates a bunch of error messages
stating that it cannot find some files. Not to worry though -- the
program still functions and the Startup Tab is usable. I tested it
myself.
So where can you obtain msconfig for Windows 2000? You might be
able to find it somewhere on the Internet; if you own any other version of
Windows, you can simply copy it to floppy from the Windows\System directory
and then place it in the WinNT\system32 directory.
That brings me to my next point. Unless you legally own another
version of Windows (other than Windows 2000) that has the msconfig utility,
it is (as far as I know) illegal to obtain / distribute / copy parts of
another Microsoft operating system onto your system. That's why I'm
not providing a link to a downloadable copy of msconfig.
OK. Maybe you've somehow managed to obtain an illegal copy of msconfig, and those error messages you see when you run msconfig under Windows
2000 leave you with an unsettled feeling... or, maybe you're scared that Microsoft
is going to knock down your door and demand you hand over the illegitimate
software snippet.
Not likely.
In any case, I managed to find some other useful third-party utilities
which provide the same functionality as the msconfig Startup Tab that
Windows 2000 users so desperately need.
As such, here are some quick picks in no particular order:
On a side note, there may be some programs listed in the Startup that you
may not know what they are for. Two Gazette readers (Renee N. and
Denise R.) emailed me after reading the featured article in
the last
newsletter and mentioned a web site that contains a database full of
common programs that are listed in the Startup. Here is the email Renee
N. wrote:
--
RE:
http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_index.htm
Just thought I would pass this link on. A very comprehensive list of start
up programs and if they can be removed and what they are for. Identifies
programs, viruses, adware and snoopware. I was surprised when going
through this list that I had a klez virus registry entry. Checking out the
info and going through my computer, the virus was no where to be found. But
still the entry was there. Anyway, just thought this link might be
useful to you.
I love your infopackets newsletter and have learned a lot already.
Thanks so much for the time and info you share with us.
Renee N.
--
SIDE NOTE:
You may also want to check out
a
previous article that I wrote on the Windows Startup Folder -- something
completely separate (yet somewhat related) to the Startup Tab in msconfig.
After this newsletter was emailed, Vinnie A. wrote in :
Dear Dennis,
In the msconfig there are check marks next to a program file. Do I
just uncheck any one of them and and reboot? Or is that a bad idea?
Vinnie A.
My response:
Hello Vinnie,
If the program name/directory is not listed immediately to the right of the
check-mark, you'll have to do a search for the program to find out what it
is. Example: for me, d:\utils\icq.exe is part of ICQ... but,
ctfmon.exe, as it turns out, is part of Windows. To find out where the
program is being pointed to, click:
START -> FIND -> FILES / FOLDERS
After that, type in the file name you're looking up which is located in the
second column on the right side of the checkmark in msconfg.
It should then come up with something -- a directory -- of where the file is
located. Usually the directory name will tell you what the file is for.
Example: if there was a program called "navavg.exe" and I did a search on
it, and the result turned up that the file was located in C:\PROGRAM FILES\GRISOFT
ANTI VIRUS\NAVAVG.EXE, then I would know that the program is GriSoft's virus
scanner.
If after you do all that and you still can't figure out what it is -- check
out
http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_index.htm and see if it's listed
here. If not, then you can always try trial and error: either take the
check mark off and see if your system still functions properly -- or leave
it alone and hope that it isn't something that shouldn't be there 
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