Changing Start Up Sequence

I did a search and found a number of posts about Start Up menus but nothing about changing the sequence at which the programs start.

I'm having a "Server Busy" message problem that occurs most of the time on start up. Windows forum tells me that message appears when a program tries to start before the system has connected to the Internet.

I suspect it is my avast! virus protection program trying to call home and get an up-date before the Internet connection is complete.

Is there a way to "move" that program further down the Start Up list so my Win 7 system will be able to complete the Internet connection before the avast! program begins it's call home?

This "Server Busy" message is not a show stopper, just a minor irritation on start up and it doesn't seem to happen all the time. In order to continue start up, I have to click on 'Switch To' and then start up proceeds as it should.

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

Avast has a delayed startup option accessed from it's UI.

Click the Avast Tray icon for the UI and then select:

• Settings > Troubleshooting:
• Put a check mark in front of, "Load Avast services only after loading other system services"
• Click the "OK" button.

That particular option is not checked by default.

 

After clicking Properties, could not find a 'Start Up Type' tab or selection.

General - Compatibility - Digital Signature - Security - Details - Previous Versions

Going to try the suggested avast! settings change. Of course, avast! didn't like it. Red warning that I could be infected during start up.

I think the basic problem it the AT&T DSL connection to my router. Sometimes AT&T's DSL disappears for hours/days. So, my system often has a difficult time connecting on start up and even has trouble staying connected. In my location I don't really have a choice for an Internet connection.

I guess that's the price I pay (among other things) for living in the woods above Waynesville (area code 828).

Thanks for your replies. I might just have to live with that "Server Busy" irritation.:cry

 

I believe this is what DavidGP is referring to:

 

I can't find a Window that looks like the one pictured. I'm running under Win 7, if that makes any difference.

When I run 'autorun' select Services, highlight 'avast!' and right click, I select Properties and get the window with the tabs I listed above. It comes up with the General tab displayed and it does not look anything like the window you pictured.

In any case, I went to avast! settings, selected Troubleshoot, and was able to check an entry that delays the loading of avast!

I have two (almost identical PCs) on my desk, both access the Internet via my router. I'm going to have PC#2 boot-up and connect via the AT&T DSL before booting PC#1.

The inconsistency is both use avast!, yet PC#2 has never encountered the Server Busy message. Go figure.

 

Click on the Start Orb, highlight "Administrative Tools", select "Services" from the context menu.

After the Services window opens, look under the "Name" column, in the right window pane, for "Avast Antivirus". Double click on that entry and the window I showed in my previous post will open.

That pic is from a Win 7 machine.

 

When I click on Start Orb the list does not contain an "Administrative Tools". I used "Help and Support to find out that 'Services" was Control Panel -->System and Security-->Administrative Tools.

I then did as instructed and brought up the window that allowed me to click on "Automatic (Delayed Start). When I clicked on Apply, I got a message that said "The delay auto flag could not be set. Error #87 The parameter is incorrect.

 

I just did a Shut Down and five minutes later did a Start Up. No "Server Busy" message. Maybe it's fixed.

 

Yes, Avast tends to get a little cranky when it's settings are tampered with using external methods. For instance if you were to try and disable it from starting using Autoruns or stop it from running using "Services".

Whether or not it would let you delay it's startup using "Services", I didn't know. You may have received that message because services was not run with elevated privileges.

Instead of having you use the menu to access "Services", I should have asked you to click the Start Orb and type services.msc in the search box, then right-click on the services.msc option and select "Run as administrator".

Anyway, this is what I was trying to describe earlier when explaining "Administrave Tools" from the Start Orb:

 

I understood your instructions but my system does not list "Administrative Tools". The list starts at the bottom with 'Help and Support' and the the next one above that is 'Default Programs' Next up is 'Devices and Printers and then 'Control Panel'

In any case, I'm beginning to think that the underlying problem is Windows attempt to connect to the Internet.

As I mention in a previous post, I have two PCs that are nearly identical. Both run Win 7 and use avast! for virus protection. PC#2 has no trouble (most of the time) connecting on start up. I have NEVER encountered the 'Server Busy' on PC#2

Then there is PC#1 that always seems to take a long time to connect. I watch that little blue circle whirling away on the Network Connection Icon in the system tray for over 2 minutes before it finally shows 'connected' More often than not I get a 'Server Busy' message that I am able to get past once the connection has been made by clicking on 'Switch To' While I'm watching the little blue circle whirl, I can see avast! trying to call home, so I'm pretty sure that program is what is triggering the 'Server Busy' indication. I checked the avast! settings and the block for delaying it's start up is checked (along with a red letter warning that my system my get infected because of the delayed start up). So I think avast! is waiting for all the other Start-Up programs to execute, but the Internet connection is still trying to connect, so avast! triggers the 'Server Busy' message.

So I've hit the 'brick wall.' Don't know what else to do. I've edited the Start-Up menu as best I could to eliminate any programs that try to connect to the Internet during start up.

Do you think that the Windows connection program is in some way corrupted or has been modified by some other program. If that is the case, can it be fixed?

Thanks for your continued help.

 

Right-click the Start button/orb, click Properties, click Customize..., and scroll all the way down. You'll see System Administrative Tools. Click the middle radio button next to Display on the All Programs menu and the Start menu. Click OK, click Apply and then OK.
Adminstrative Tools will appear on the Start menu.

 

Why you are having a startup problem on only 1 of 2 almost identical PCs, is hard to diagnose. What (if any) are the hardware differences?
Now that you have (I hope) Administrative Tools on the Start menu, open Services. Look for your modem/router and change the startup type to Automatic (Delayed Start). See image in post #5. Restart the PC and look if there is a difference.

FYI Avast is not trying to call home. It's scanning for rootkits during startup.

 

Both PC#1 and PC#2 have identical CPUs, memory and both are running Win 7.

When I try to set Delayed Start using Administrative tools I get an error message and it won't let me set it.

I've been monitoring the Start-Up on PC#1 for a number of days and it seems to me that my avast! virus protection program tries to load and execute before Windows has established an Internet connection. Attempts to delay avast! have not worked, either via Administrative tools (error message) or settings on avast! (although avast! indicates the setting has been set to delayed - with a warning.

I have attempted to time it takes for Windows to complete the Internet the connection on Start Up and it appears to be about 3 minutes.

In the past week I have run CCleaner and Malwarebytes once a day,four times. Most recently today. Neither have found any problems.

I have reduced the Start Up menu as much as I dare (I'm not very knowledgeable and don't want to do something that would prevent Start Up.)

When I run sysconfig on PC#1 I get eight (8) programs listed. On PC#2 there are seven (7).

When I run autoruns I get a list of about 30 programs, 20 of which are checked. On PC#2 the autoruns list is much longer, since I haven't tried to "edit" it to remove or uncheck PUPs.

This Server Busy has never occurred on PC#2 and in the past month or so it ALWAYS occurs on PC#1.

I am at a loss.