G

Guest

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Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support (More info?)

I have a wierd start-up entry that is essentially blank, with a check
box enabled.
The only suggestion of where it is, points to;
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
I have run all Spyware & AV scans and machine is clean.
Any Idea's?
Thanks,
Treeman


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Treeman


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Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support (More info?)

This is known as a startup orphan.

A startup orphan is a startup item that has a non-existent target file.

If there is no path in Value Data, the item shows up blank in
msconfig | Startup. Also if Default under Data is blank (nothing
there at all) instead of (value not set).

Start | Run | Type: regedit | OK |
Navigate to >>
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

What do you see in the right hand pane?
Do you see an entry with blank (nothing there at all) in the Data
column?

From StartMan HELP:
[[An orphan is a startup item that has a non-existent target file.

How do they occur?

They primarily occur because you've disabled a startup and then, at a
later date, uninstalled the program that uses it. The uninstaller won't
know about the disabled startup so it gets left behind. And if the
uninstaller deletes the target file then the startup becomes an orphan.
Orphans can also occur if you rename or move the target file elsewhere.
Where an orphan is also enabled you may see missing file reports at
startup. In the case of menu startups (shortcuts), the shell will
attempt to resolve the target by a brute-force search for the file based
upon the information stored in the shortcut.

How do I avoid creating orphans when uninstalling software?

Firstly, before uninstalling any software, ensure all its startups are
enabled with StartMan. This ensures all its startups can be located.
Next, use the program's own options to disable or remove the startups -
if that is an option. Finally, uninstall the software. All things being
equal, the startups should be gone, along with the software that used
them. If not...]]


--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In news:Treeman.1t1osa@no-mx.msusenet.com,
Treeman <Treeman.1t1osa@no-mx.msusenet.com> hunted and pecked:
> I have a wierd start-up entry that is essentially blank, with a check
> box enabled.
> The only suggestion of where it is, points to;
> HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
> I have run all Spyware & AV scans and machine is clean.
> Any Idea's?
> Thanks,
> Treeman
>
>
> +-------------------------------------------------------------------+
>> Filename: Startup1.gif |
>> Download: http://www.msusenet.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=177 |
> +-------------------------------------------------------------------+
>
> --
> Treeman
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Treeman's Profile: http://www.msusenet.com/member.php?userid=1260
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Guest

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Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support (More info?)

Hello Treeman,

That Run key is one place that programs are set to load at each Windows startup. Do more research to identify the program in question.

You may go to www.dougknox.com and download Doug's Startup tracker.
That would help you get a complete list of startups.

Also, Here are 2 tools from SysInternals that may help you get an insight on what's running.
Autoruns (checks & shows what's set to auto-load at Windows startup)
http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/autoruns.shtml

Process Explorer http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/procexp.shtml

--
Maurice N
MVP Windows - Shell / User
-----

Treeman wrote:
> I have a wierd start-up entry that is essentially blank, with a check
> box enabled.
> The only suggestion of where it is, points to;
> HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
> I have run all Spyware & AV scans and machine is clean.
> Any Idea's?
> Thanks,
> Treeman
 
G

Guest

Guest
Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support (More info?)

Hi Wes & Maurice,
Went to; Start | Run | Type: regedit | OK |
Navigated to >>
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

What do you see in the right hand pane?
Do you see an entry with blank (nothing there at all) in the Data
column?

Yes, the Name is (Default) the Type is Reg_SZ, the Data field is
blank.
What is the best way to treat this Orphan?
Brute force removal from the registry? Uncheck the start-up box in
Msconfig and see what happens?
Thanks for the post back & ideas.
Best,
Treeman


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Treeman


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Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support (More info?)

I would delete the Run key and then create a new one. You wouldn't
necessarily have to create a new one, but what the heck.

Navigate to >>
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Right click the Run folder in the left hand pane.
Select Delete.
Click Yes to the Are you sure you want to delete this key and all of its
subkeys? popup.
Scroll up and right click the CurrentVersion folder.
Point to New and then select Key.
"New Key #1" will show up highlighted in blue.
Just type Run in the box.
Hit your Enter key.
If you do not get it renamed or named correctly, right click, select
rename and make any corrections.
It will be sorted in alphabetical order when you close regedit or you can
hit your F5 key to refresh.

The new key...
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
should then have (Default) REG_SZ (value not set).

Now open msconfig, click the Startup tab if the entry is still there either
reboot or kill explorer.exe and restart it.

To kill explorer and restart it.

Open the Task Manager...
Ctrl + Shift + Escape | Click on the Processes tab | Locate and highlight
explorer.exe | Right click explorer.exe | Click End Process | Click
Yes to the Task Manager Warning that pops up | Click File on the Toolbar |
Click New Task (Run...) | Type in: explorer | Click OK

End Process on explorer.exe will make your Desktop and all programs
disappear. This can be startling. Restarting explorer will bring
everything back.

For what it's worth, I didn't have this run key...
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
until I created it just now. As a double check for the instructions that I
listed above. ;-)

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In news:Treeman.1t3b5f@no-mx.msusenet.com,
Treeman <Treeman.1t3b5f@no-mx.msusenet.com> hunted and pecked:
> Hi Wes & Maurice,
> Went to; Start | Run | Type: regedit | OK |
> Navigated to >>
> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
>
> What do you see in the right hand pane?
> Do you see an entry with blank (nothing there at all) in the Data
> column?
>
> Yes, the Name is (Default) the Type is Reg_SZ, the Data field is
> blank.
> What is the best way to treat this Orphan?
> Brute force removal from the registry? Uncheck the start-up box in
> Msconfig and see what happens?
> Thanks for the post back & ideas.
> Best,
> Treeman
>
>
> --
> Treeman
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Treeman's Profile: http://www.msusenet.com/member.php?userid=1260
> View this thread: http://www.msusenet.com/t-1870945419