But your not really cleaning anything out with msconfig, it can point you too useless registry entries that run on startup but it cannot delete anything. The only thing you can do with msconfig is find registry entries, or disable programs from running...doesn't delete anything.

I'm not talking about registry stuff. I'm just saying that msconfig loads alot of crap that uses up memory and other resources. If you uncheck stuff in the startup folder of msconfig and tell the computer that you will decide when and if stuff runs; 1) your computer startsup alot faster, 2) it frees up alot of resources for running the type of programs that you do actually want to run. I still can not understand why you are told to add stuff to the startup folder in the start/programs/startup folder if you want a program to start with your windows, and then there is also a startup folder in the Microsoft Configurator. One startup thing should be good enough. I just usually tell customers who come in complaining about a program not working that I'm sure the program works, or, walmart wouldn't sell it. And that they probably have something running in the background that is causing a conflict, and that's when I say; go into the msconfig and remove all the checkmarks under the startup tab. By doing that, you're not deleting stuff; you're just telling windows that you will decide when programs start. I do use registry cleaners, btw. Tweak 7 is not that great, imho. Reg Tool is what I like. It's kinda good.

Direct's problem may well be that she has a anti-virus program running in the background and when this maleware stuff got on her/his system it tried to run a virus checker and conflicted with the main virus checker. One virus program is saying this isn't right, and the other is not allowing it to make a change. So the computer just freezes waiting for these two programs to "duke it out". BTW, tried dl-ing lotus symphony. IBM wants alot of personal data before you dl that. I wasn't to comfortable with that. So, I went to open office; got it to work the way I want, so, it's ok. So, does anyone know a good email client. I need the calendar stuff that outlook has. I'm not to happy with windows live mail, mozilla thunderbird doesn't have a calendar. I thought with all the info IBM wanted when I tried dl-ing ls; that I'd get alot of spam and stuff.

I agree with Fear-
MSCONFIG doesn't actually FIX anything... it just gives you the opportunity to remove programs that you didn't realize were in the startup-group in the first place, that you wouldn't be able to rid the system of if they were running. That's their Hook - You didn't REALIZE that they were running - You Certainly didn't ASK 9/10 of those Programs to run!
Personally.... I've never seen the Reason for the "Start-Up" Folder.
There are ever only a few things in it - Verses the TON on things that always appear in the MSCONFIG Menu.
Shutting off almost all of the Start-Up Items will undoubtedly make any system run faster.
My Question is...
WHY does the Decision to be in the Startup Group get automatically MADE for the Computer User?!?!
The Less Savvy User has No Clue they're there, but why doesn't more software give you a Choice if you want it there or not?
I'm speaking of things such as Adobe, Quicktime, MSN Messenger, Yahoo Messenger, Anything AOL Puts out, Printer/Scanner software... the list goes on....

The programs you noted typically have a preferences tab or options tab, somewhere in the preferences or options there is startup options. Make the selection that needs to be made and it won't run at startup. Some things are necessary at startup and there is no option to stop some programs, most things have the option though.

She is/was infected with a rogue anti-virus. The way that rogue anti-virus's are programed there wouldn't be a conflict, though her anti-virus wouldn't pick it up as her anti-virus would more than likely be disabled. Her problem is that she ran system restore and now can't see her icons, virus shouldn't be a problem now since she is back at an earlier configuration on her PC.

Now the problem is if the restore corrupted her windows install, which is why explorer.exe and the task manager comes into play...that doesn't work, she has to reinstall windows.

This is what I'm saying............... When I have a customer tell me that thier computer freezes; I always mention msconfig, Most people have no knowledge of that. msconfig is suppose to let you load and run a program faster. But, by doing that, it screw stuff up. And fear is right. Half of the programs come with a setting. I have 3 programs that don't. But, alot do.

Msconfig doesn't eliminate the problem, it just stops the problem from running...the problem still remains on the PC until it is deleted manually or by some third party software. Take a simple trojan for instance, it is embedded into the registry as az678.exe (just an example), so you go into msconfig and disable az678.exe from running, now it doesn't run...but is still on the computer, even taking out the registry entry it will just recreate another registry entry until the source of the problem is taken care of, in most trojans case it is a .dll file somewhere on the harddrive. This takes extensive knowledge of the registry editor, or a third party program to eliminate the issue.

System restore does not fix a virus problem. And a complete reinstall is not necessary to fix a corrupted explorer.exe either. Assuming virus is taken care of running the repair utility after booting from your windows disk, should fix that.

Restore is what I meant. It can fix a virus problem though, if done properly. Depends when the virus hit and the restore point, if the restore is before the virus...it gets rid of the virus. Although system restore tends to cause more problems, so I don't typically use it.

I know msconfig will not eliminate the problem. Since I don't know the parameters of everyone's computer; I'd be very hesitant to tell people what files to eliminate. I also agree with you about system restore. That's not always the best answer.

If you are talking about restoring to factory settings essentially doing a reinstall then yes it would work, but that is not necessary. There are several Live Linux distros that include an antivirus program. All you have to do after downloading and burning the image is restart your computer with the disc in the drive and enter a few (2 or 3) simple commands at the command prompt after it starts. Live Linux distros run completely from the CD drive and do need to be installed to the hard drive.

I've got to try that too!!! Thanks, Thomas!!!

Ahhh...I don't use Linux, never have actually. That's where the confusion is then, on Windows you can restore to a previous configuration on a PC and it gets rid of whatever was on your PC before the restore more often than not.

Mine won't do that, Fear. Tried it...

So Direct-
Where does this Problem Stand right now?
What have you Tried? What have you Not Tried?

Tried the system restore thing, tried doing things through Norton. Nothing seems to want to be accessed, not even in safe mode. My uncle has been trying some things when he can. He's more of a computer person than I am...

Tried the system restore thing, tried doing things through Norton. Nothing seems to want to be accessed, not even in safe mode. My uncle has been trying some things when he can. He's more of a computer person than I am...



ok, Wow.
I can't believe that you are Still having these issues first off!
Second-
NORTON is Probably Corrupted somehow,(that would be the work of the Virus itself - they are Programmed to disable anti-virus programs) so it is no surprize that it didn't do anything in the way of solving your problems.
I know we were squabbling previously about the MSCONFIG, and shutting start-up items off... but that is really where you should begin.
Have you tried Spybot, Threatfire and a Different Anti-Virus program yet?!