The only way to remove the unused startup items is to edit the registry.  Only do this if you are sure you know what you are doing.  The entries that need to be edited are discussed at:

http://www.tweakxp.com/tweak202.aspx

Steve

Hi,

To premanently remove msconfig startup entries that reside in the registry ... from the Start Menu, click "Run", enter "regedit" and click "OK".  You will find the startup entries in one of the following registry keys:

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServices
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServicesOnce
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx (key undocumented by Microsoft)

Note: Any of the above keys that are followed by a "-" (minus sign) represent starup entries that are disabled (unchecked in msconfig).

I realize that some people are not comfortable with editing the registry.  If you happen to be one of them, then I think you will find the freeware applications Startup Control Panel and Startup Manager more to your liking.  They can be downloaded from here:

mlin.net/StartupCPL.shtml
f2.org/archive/software/startupmgr.html

For assistance in determining which startup applications to disable or delete, you'll find explanations for most of them here...

www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_index.htm
www.3feetunder.com/krick/startup/list.html
www.answersthatwork.com/Tasklist_pages/tasklist.htm

In addition...

From within Windows Explorer, delete any uneeded shortcuts in your startup folder (C:\WINDOWS\START MENU\PROGRAMS\STARTUP).  From the Start menu, click "Run", enter "sysedit", click "OK", edit the WIN.INI file (C:\WINDOWS\WIN.INI) and delete any uneeded applications following the "=" for the "load=" and/or "run=" entries.  From the Start menu, click "Run", enter "sysedit", click "OK" and edit the autoexec.bat and config.sys files and either delete uneeded entries (applications, device drivers, etc.) or comment them out by inserting "REM" and a space preceding the entry to be "remarked" out.

Jim McNamara

Message Edited by jimmymac_4 on 04-11-2004 09:52 AM

You can also try Startup Cop