Intended For Windows Vista Windows XP Windows 2003 Windows 2000 Windows Me Windows 98 Windows 95

• A program can be started automatically at bootup if a shortcut to the program is in your Startup folder (which is inside of your Start Menu folder).
• Older programs might still install themselves in your WIN.INI file (on the same line that starts with "LOAD="). Use Notepad to edit this file.
• Some drivers can also display errant messages, and are loaded from your Registry (do a search to find them) and in your SYSTEM.INI file (use Notepad to edit this file).
• Also, programs may specified in your Registry, in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\ Windows\ CurrentVersion\ Run.
• Programs notorious for putting things in these places include backup utilities that automatically load their useless scheduler programs, and the software that comes with older versions of Micrsoft mice and keyboards.

Written by: Annoyances.org
Last updated: Wednesday, February 7, 2007

Previous discussions about this article:
(open a message to see applicable responses, if any)

• [Windows 98] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (JO : Monday, August 13, 2001)
• [Windows 98] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (aquafishx2: Monday, August 27, 2001)
• [Windows 98] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (Robert REid: Wednesday, August 29, 2001)
• [Windows 95] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (Steven Harper: Sunday, September 2, 2001)
• [Windows 98] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (Fardin: Wednesday, September 5, 2001)
• [Windows 98] 'How do I stop the dial-up properties box from coming up immedialtely when I start Windows?' (Craig Moore: Tuesday, October 16, 2001)
• [Windows 2000] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (Steve: Monday, October 29, 2001)
• [Windows 98] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (calvin arnold: Tuesday, November 6, 2001)
• [Windows 95] How to stop a program from running whenever you start Windows (Joshua Hrouda: Saturday, November 10, 2001)
• [Windows 95] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (Ben L.: Thursday, November 29, 2001)
• [Windows XP] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (Michael: Sunday, December 16, 2001)
• [Windows 95] Registery loads at startup (Christine: Friday, January 11, 2002)
• [Windows 98] Windows 98 ''Open With'' at StartUp (Chas.: Sunday, February 17, 2002)
• [Windows 98] 'How to stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (The Answerman: Monday, February 25, 2002)
• [Windows 98] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (''kahluagal'': Friday, March 1, 2002)
• [Windows 98] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (Matt: Thursday, March 7, 2002)
• [Windows 98] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (gg: Monday, March 11, 2002)
• [Windows Me] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (Larry Maturo: Wednesday, March 20, 2002)
• [Windows XP] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (Joe Guerra: Wednesday, April 3, 2002)
• [Windows 2000] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (RonS: Wednesday, April 17, 2002)
• [Windows 98] stoping win 98 logo on boot up (friedrich: Friday, June 14, 2002)
• [Windows 98] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (Mike: Thursday, August 15, 2002)
• [Windows XP] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (Bob King: Monday, August 19, 2002)
• [Windows XP] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (Dave McGuire: Tuesday, September 3, 2002)
• [Windows 98] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (Pete: Monday, September 30, 2002)
• [Windows 98] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (dad: Friday, November 1, 2002)
• [Windows XP] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (Nikzeb: Thursday, November 7, 2002)
• [Windows Me] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (Zed Vohra: Wednesday, November 13, 2002)
• [Windows 98] Programs that are running during disk degragmentation (Jay : Thursday, November 21, 2002)
• [Windows 98] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (Fernando: Friday, November 22, 2002)
• [Windows Me] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (vicki fitzgibbons: Friday, December 6, 2002)
• [Windows XP] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (john williford: Thursday, January 16, 2003)
• [Windows 98] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (Stephen King: Wednesday, January 29, 2003)
• [Windows 2000] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (John: Saturday, March 1, 2003)
• [Windows 98] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (James C.: Monday, March 10, 2003)
• [Windows XP] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (Karl: Tuesday, March 11, 2003)
• [Windows 98] How do i uninstall ''Weatherbug''? (mlbrooks57: Tuesday, April 1, 2003)
• [Windows Me] How do I stop Windows Installer from loading? (Wayne Severson: Wednesday, April 16, 2003)
• [Windows XP] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (Matt: Friday, April 25, 2003)
• [Windows 98] 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (John Clarke: Wednesday, June 18, 2003)
• [Windows 98] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (wally: Wednesday, June 25, 2003)
• [Windows XP] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (Jonydeth: Friday, July 18, 2003)
• [Windows XP] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (Juan briones: Friday, July 25, 2003)
• [Windows 95] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (CATHY: Thursday, August 21, 2003)
• [Windows 98] matcli on taskbar (Terry: Wednesday, October 1, 2003)
• [Windows XP] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (Matt: Wednesday, October 22, 2003)
• [Windows 98] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (David Leikam: Monday, November 10, 2003)
• [Windows 98] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (Jan: Wednesday, November 12, 2003)
• [Windows XP] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (Marc: Tuesday, November 18, 2003)
• [Windows XP] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (Suzy: Thursday, January 29, 2004)
• [Windows XP] Reply to 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (Csswo: Thursday, February 12, 2004)
• [Windows XP] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (rudy: Tuesday, February 17, 2004)
• [Windows 98] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (chris Parsons: Saturday, February 21, 2004)
• [Windows 2000] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (Leisa: Tuesday, May 11, 2004)
• [Windows 98] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (David Smith: Wednesday, May 19, 2004)
• [Windows Me] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (James: Tuesday, May 25, 2004)
• [Windows Me] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (Sharon Slayton: Friday, June 11, 2004)
• [Windows XP] Tool for viewing and choosing which registry items to launch: msconfig (M: Tuesday, June 29, 2004)
• [Windows XP] How do I stop "Search Assistent" from loading onto my taskbar (Man Giang: Wednesday, July 14, 2004)
• [Windows 2000] Wininimil.exe automatically start (mabrus: Sunday, July 18, 2004)
• [Windows XP] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (Dave: Friday, August 27, 2004)
• [Windows 98] Easier Way (Chris: Tuesday, August 31, 2004)
• [Windows 98] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (John: Thursday, September 16, 2004)
• [Windows XP] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (John: Monday, February 7, 2005)
• [Windows 98] looking for program to correct dblbuff and ishlp (KENNETH POWELL: Tuesday, May 3, 2005)
• [Windows XP] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (Foxlore: Friday, May 13, 2005)
• [Windows XP] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (Mee Mee: Monday, September 5, 2005)
• [Windows XP] Question about 'How do I stop a program from running whenever I start Windows?' (Omar: Wednesday, January 11, 2006)