Remove Items from Windows XP Startup

Posted by on May 3, 2007 in Basic Tutorials, Windows Tutorials | 45 comments

Having too many programs run at startup can slow down the time it takes to log on or restart your computer. It also can be a pain to have 30 different icons in your task bar. This tutorial will show you how to remove the items from Windows XP startup.

Disclaimer: Always try to disable the startup or task bar icons from the menu options on the programs first. After that remove the program from the startup folder on the Start Menu If that doesn’t work, then you can try to remove them using msconfig.

Click on the Start Menu and Select the Run option.
Remove Items from Windows XP Startup

In Run box type msconfig and press enter.
Remove Items from Windows XP Startup

The Windows XP System Configuration Utility windows will open.
Remove Items from Windows XP Startup

Click on the Startup tab to display the programs that run at startup.
Remove Items from Windows XP Startup

Now all you have to do is uncheck the box next to the program name. If the box is clear, the program will no run at startup. Make sure you know what the program does before you disable it.
Remove Items from Windows XP Startup

When you are finished just hit the Apply button and then OK. The next time you restart your computer the programs will not run.

Subscribe to our mailing list

* indicates required
  • http://www.undergroundrevolt.org jake

    great tutorial, will this speed up windows?

  • http://www.chaddukes.org Chad Dukes

    Good article! And useful. But for me the problem is often knowing which program you need to keep running on startup and which are superfluous. Perhaps this isn’t for novices?

    Thanks,
    Chad

  • http://www.projectcrankwalk.com John Ward

    If you need to know what processes you can stop simply Google it. If you search for something.exe you can usually get a good explanation of what the program does in the first few results of a search engine. Then it is up to you to decide if you want to let it run or not. Hope that helps.

  • jeff

    well i do the exact steps and it works but after ir estart my comptuer something pops up it says that it cannot function and that i should put it on regular mode for startup and the msconfig pops up and every time i restart it pops up with the msconfig and i didnt uncheck internet expoler or something that might cuase it to stop working i only unchecked the game stuff and quicktime that was all and it keeps popping up can u tell me how to fix this?

  • http://www.teamtutorials.com John Ward

    That is normal. Windows will display that error message anytime you make changes to MSCONFIG. Just check the box that says do not display this message again and click OK.

  • Ken Ford

    Easy enough, but then I have to use selective startup continually, or the items I disabled for startup will be right back in the starting gate.

    How do I get around this?

  • Lin

    I have this same problem, if you find a solution please let me know!

  • Brian

    I have the same problem, Anyone find a solution??

  • http://www.teamtutorials.com John Ward

    You have to check the box that says do not ask this again.

  • Russell

    I think you article is inappropriately titled. What you have described is a workaround that simply stops it from loading. It does not remove it. I would like to take it out of the list completely since selective start up is supposed to be for troubleshooting and diagnostics, not a permanent solution. Any idea if their is an easy way to do this short of manually removing the entries from the registry?

  • Venkat

    nice. i got exactly the thing i needed in a flash. thanks

  • Steve Kasian

    Russell has it right: This article, while helpful, is inappropriately titled. It should be entitled “Stopping applications from loading at startup”.

    I came across this article in a search for exactly what Russell is looking for – a way to remove the dead entries which seem to keep accumulating over time, including multiple copies of certain entries.

    Thanks for this article, but can someone point us in the direction of the answers we seek, which would be the exact information the title of this document refers to? Thanks!

    Steve

  • Steve Kasian

    Here’s the tool – I found it and I’m posting it here for anyone else who’s looking for it:

    http://www.techiequest.com/windows-msconfig-cleaner-remove-windows-startup-program-entries-easily/

    This application will actually REMOVE unwanted ENTRIES in msconfig/startup rather than DISABLE them, which is what this article has actually been about.

    Hope this helps someone. Good luck!
    Steve

  • http://www.jefftuttle.com Jeff Tuttle

    I would like to know how to eliminate it from the Start-Up list too. Especially since mine is XP_Antivus 2009 !!!
    Ans, is there a site to check out programs that should be checked to run ay startup or must they be done individually?
    Thanks,
    Jeff

  • Christopher

    Jeff, download the Symantec Removal Tool, run it twice. It will remove NAVver.9. If you have NortonAntiBot, good luck! 12 hours on-line w/Symantec… NAB is now gone, but the msconfig still shows the entry. Once that is gone from my start-up, perhaps all will be better.

    Norton Anti-bot users… BEWARE! It’s got more sticky power than hot tar.

    The Norton Removal Tool.exe’s proper name is 7z Setup SFX.exe

    Best o’luck, mate

  • http://www.imrankhalid.com Imran

    Thanks, i was searching for this tool, and you made it easy :)

  • Tina

    well i do the exact steps and it works but after ir estart my comptuer something pops up it says that it cannot function and that i should put it on regular mode for startup and the msconfig pops up and every time i restart it pops up with the msconfig i dont think i unclicked anything that is important so could you please tell me what i need to do, my computer is an xp so can u tell me what things i have to have on.

  • Nick

    For those of you looking to manually dead entries still showing in the msconfig startup list you need to look at the following registry key -

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Shared Tools\MSConfig\startupreg

    This seems to be the location where msconfig stores the items currently unchecked in the startup list. It worked for me but you might want to backup your registry before making any changes.

    Hope this helps some of you.

    • TC

      Thanks Nick. That is exactly what I needed.

  • Tom

    Thanx a lot friend….. It helped me solve a long time problem of slow system startup…… thanx once again

  • http://myspace.com/deepbasspaul Paul The Bass Player

    Excellent, Thankyou.

  • http://www.qwertyweb.blogspot.com qwertyweb

    hi ! i have done all of these setting ,but still on startup ,my pc says that pls check setting for automatic updates ,i had disabled it ,but
    how do i disable the checking of automatic updates ?

  • Len Hopkin

    Am I missing some thing?
    none of the comments above get a reply.
    I am trying to remove unwanted items in start up and it is not working
    What am I doing wrong?

  • http://www.stritasbrassmen.org Reg Henry

    EXCELLENT , EXCELLENT , EXCELLENT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    All of the other site that talk about giving you information as to
    how to remove startup programs , most are all BS !

    They get you their site by using key words and then when you try to find
    the download that will help you it is ALL mixed in with other applications
    that they wish to sell to you.

    U guys just told me straight up and directly…. THANK YOU !!!!

  • Pingback: My desktop have a dark blue screen with numbers and words, then it turned off, now i cant start my PC? | maom

  • http://www.mindruin.com/ Mind Ruin

    This is a great tip for blocking those annoying programs that run automatically. I had forgotten what the command was exactly, so thank you.

  • http://yekwo.com/ Cute Graphics

    I love this cause AIM just keeps starting and now I can disable it.

  • Charli

    Great step by step instructions.

    I do have a question about an item that has no name or command. It’s right under HPWuSCHD2. Start-up item is blank as is command the only thing showing is the location which is hklm\software\microsoft\windows\cyrrebt/versuib\Run

  • Rahul

    That link provided by Steve Kaisan is really wonderful. I was plagued with the problem of unwanted items in msconfig startup. Just downloaded msconfig cleanup from the site and finally got rid of the unwanted bugging items that loaded at the startup. Thank you Steve. I’m pasting that link here again.
    http://www.techiequest.com/windows-msconfig-cleaner-remove-windows-startup-program-entries-easily/

  • http://www.groovypost.com/ Baxter

    These are good instructions for XP!

    @Charli,
    HPWuSCHD2 is an updater for hp computers. It comes pre-packaged when you purchase their line of products. It helps monitor your stats and program use and helps HP to determine how to best troubleshoot issues that you have. Slightly an invasion of privacy but also slightly helpful.

    For managing these startup items in Windows 7 here is a write-up on it:
    http://www.groovypost.com/howto/microsoft/performance-disable-startup-programs-windows-7-vista/

  • sharath

    good info.. very useful.. thanks..:)

  • http://www.berkeleysamson.com berkeleysamson

    wow. thanks.. this is my problem for how many years.. now found the solution.

  • MUKESH

    C:\WINDOWS\system32\config\systemprofile\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

    delete all the files from there and in case u need backup make a temp folder in same folder and cut & paste all the files there so that files can be retreifed if any of the programs stop working

  • joe

    and how do we remove it completely from the start up not just unchecking it ,coz some programs keep registering itself again ..it has something to do with regedit which i dont know how .so anyone knowz?

  • Rock

    This will not remove the entry made in “Service” or “Start-up” List. To Remove this, do as said that remove the “check” mark then Goto “Run” dialog box in “Start” menu. Type “regedit” without quotes, hit “Enter” key. A window for editing Registry will Open. Select “My Computer” Icon. Press “ctrl+F”, type “msconfig” without quotes and hit “Enter”. You will lead to MSCONFIG folder. Here will shown the unchecked Items(in right Panel). Select them and Press “Delete”. This entry will be removed. And you will not be prompted to reset the MSCONFIG settings from Windows.
    That’s all!!
    Note: for Windows XP only

    • JHS

      Didn’t work. Followed steps exactly. After ctl+F it took me to a screen quite different than what you described.

  • Edward

    i did as you said, when i typed msconfig and pressed enter. it searched and came up with name (Default) type REG_SZ data ILaunchMsConfigElevated

  • james

    when I type run and msconfig the system says it cannot find msconfig. I have checked my spelling

    what’s next?

  • http://dhanlaw.com Daryl Hansen

    This blog has been helpful, but sometimes one has to “drill down” to get to the right place to get the needed answer. As for going to the suggested site to get the MSCONFIG “cleaner,” I am not a trusting person, so I tend to rely on tried and true tools. In this case, CCleaner is is a versatile and tried and true program. Google it on the Internet to pick your download site, but I use cnet.com. Once you have installed and loaded CCleaner, at the opening screen, click on Tools at the left and then on Startup on the next screen. Active Startup items will be in bolder type, while disabled items will be “grayed out.” You can then go to the item desired to be deleted, click to “highlight” it and click on the Delete button to the right of the screen. The item is then “gone.” BE CAREFUL! Incidently CCleaner can also be used to clean up your drive and clean your registry. It is reputed to be one of the safest registry cleaners out there.

  • http://www.blog404.com BLOG404

    Cool , was searching for this since an hour .
    Awesome tutorial :)

  • http://www.gearknobs.net Gear Knobs :

    registry cleaners are really very useful specially if you are encountering registry errors on your windows xp machine “”

  • http://www.earinfectiontreatment.info Ear Infection Treatment

    i really find registry cleaners very necessary to improve the system performance of a desktop PC ~-`

  • sohail

    hey jhon ward.!! i disabled 2 programs but when i come after applying and restarting pc they were again tick marked.. i means they were not disabled. please tell me how can i remove them?

  • http://www.collatio24.de Tobias

    Hallo, schöner Bericht. Ich kann nicht verstehen, wie so viele Menschen die Atomkraft ablehnen (was sich nicht zuletzt in den Wahlergebnissen zeigte) und dann aber nicht bereit sind, im eigenen Haus auf Ökostrom umzusteigen. Es gibt doch mittlerweile genug Anbieter und bezahlbare Tarife.

  • Poeloeloe

    yeah and then your computer will be in diagnostic mode and even more slower

  • Windows wizard

    It works