How do I make programs autostart?

Eclipse · 07 Dec 2009

I'm particularly interested in Firefox and Thunderbird autostarting.

Tried searching in Windows7 help, but no joy. Anyone? Please?

torrentg · 07 Dec 2009

Place a shortcut in

C:\Users\{your user name here}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

for your specific user

or

C:\Users\All Users\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

for all users.

FuturDreamz · 07 Dec 2009

while holding down ctrl, drag the application shortcut into the startupitems folder in the startmenu to copy.

Eclipse · 08 Dec 2009

Thanks IceFire,
it was a bit weird but I got there. In Mac one just goes into your account preferences / Startup items and click away directly on the Application items. In Windows7 one has to copy a Shortcut, then Ctrl drag into the Start menu, then carefully browse through into All Programs and wait for the thing to pan down to the Start menu and open the Start menu and then finally drop it in there.

Tricky, but got there in the end. Boy, this is going to be one rough ride.

FuturDreamz · 08 Dec 2009

on Mac you just need to right-click on the dock icon and select "launch on startup"/"open at login" (iForget), right?

guest · 08 Dec 2009

U can also use the registry

Add a new STRING VALUE to the registry path provided and enter the program path
for eg C:\Program FIles\cpuz\cpuz.exe

To open registry editor go to Run and then type REGEDIT and press enter

To enable autostart for ALL users add a VALUE here

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

To enable autostart for CURRENT user add a VALUE here
Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

Eclipse · 08 Dec 2009

Hi Icefire, not that I remember. But do you have any idea what this string value stuff mentioned above is? It's enough to make someone run back to mac!

rover3500 · 08 Dec 2009

I think guest is assuming u've used the registry before.I do all the time,but sometimes it's easy to 4get it's not ur average user that does so...

smarteyeball · 08 Dec 2009

Eclipse said:

Hi Icefire, not that I remember. But do you have any idea what this string value stuff mentioned above is? It's enough to make someone run back to mac!

Why do you need the string values? Torentg's method works just fine. You probably couldn't find it as the appdata folder is hidden by default.

In Windows Explorer, press ALT to bring up the menu, Tools>Folder Options>View tab and select Show hidden files, folders and drives.

Anyway, to create the string value you right-click on the Run Key and select New>String Value - name it - and then right click on the new value and select modify.

This is where you the location of the applications .exe file

FuturDreamz · 08 Dec 2009

Eclipse said:

Hi Icefire, not that I remember. But do you have any idea what this string value stuff mentioned above is? It's enough to make someone run back to mac!

basically that's editing the registry. the registry could be likened to taking a mac's systemwide preferences folder and merging it into one giant file that is vital for windows to run.