Spybot - Search & Destroy's startup tool invokes msconfig's Selective startup

Discussion in 'Software' started by Raxin, Sep 6, 2008.

  1. Raxin

    Raxin Private E-2

    Hello,

    MajorGeeks is a great site for finding utilities. I really value and trust the geekolicious rating too. I've downloaded less than 10 files in three years but they have always been gems. This is my first post. Please move it as appropriate.

    This is a response to http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=149804 by chaslang, which is closed to replies.

    Thank you chaslang for teaching me (us) not to use msconfig's Selective startup option to control programs on a permanent, non-diagnostic basis.

    You also warn people not use CCleaner's startup tool because it simply invokes msconfig's Slective startup. You suggest other programs instead, including Spybot - Search & Destroy. I discovered that Spybot - Search & Destroy's startup tool also invokes msconfig's Selective startup mode. My suggestion is that you add that warning to your useful post as well. Incidentally, the choice that worked for me under Windows Millennium Edition (ME) is Startup Control Panel 2.8 http://www.majorgeeks.com/Startup_CPL_d619.html .

    Here's my test (Windows ME, msconfig v2.0, Spybot S&D v1.6.0.31):

    First set msconfig to Normal startup

    Start / Run / msconfig / General / Normal startup

    then OK out of msconfig and restart the computer.

    Now edit one startup entry using Spybot - Search & Destroy

    Start / Programs / Spybot - Search & Destroy / Spybot - Search & Destroy (advanced) / Tools / System Startup / [uncheck one unessential list item]

    Now look again in msconfig to see if it is affected

    Start / Run / msconfig / General / [observe that this is now chosen] Selective startup

    Raxin :cool
     
  2. DavidGP

    DavidGP MajorGeeks Forum Administrator - Grand Pooh-Bah Staff Member

    Hi

    Good test and great to bring this out into discussion again, I totally agree on using msconfig as a startup managment tool is overused for the wrong reason and other applications are much better at managing startups.

    Me personally I dont manage them, if not needed they are deleted from the run hives, however I have been using the latest incarnations of CCleaner and have tested its Startup disable option and have not found that it enables msconfigs selective startup, while I could see this "may" happen in some OSes it does not in Vista, tested 3 PCs with this all running Vista and Selective Startup was not enabled if you use CCleaners Startup disable option.

    I found CCleaner no different to using Mike Lin's StatupCPL, which is a great app and one I would suggest as a your startup manager over many other apps.

    Dont use Spybot and or WinME so cannot comment on your test above.
     
  3. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    Just seeing this message now as it was brought up in another discussion.
    First I want to clear something up. I did not say in the reference thread that CCleaner uses selective startup. I said:
    Ccleaner just inserts things into the MSconfig registry keys and does not make use of the below keys at all
    Because CCleaner does not change the values of these keys, you have no way of knowing the Ccleaner was being used to control the startups and it just looks like there are stuck registry entries that need to be cleaned up.

    As far as I know, Spybot does not use these MSconfig keys but I will have to retest with the current version to be sure.
     
  4. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    I double checked Spybot and it does not use the MSconfig registry keys to save disabled startups. It uses keys like below:


    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\run-]

    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\run-]

    It also does not put your system into selective startup mode because if it did, it would have to use the below MSconfig registry key and it does not.

    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Shared Tools\MSConfig\state]


    Thus all info stated in my Dealing with Startup Processes sticky is still correct as written.
     

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