Essential Start-up Programs?

Part of a larger problem I am currently experiencing, about which I have posted elsewhere, is that there are no programs starting up when my laptop boots.

Neither MSCONFIG nor CCleaner's Start-Up sections display any programs.

I am running Windows 7 Ultimate and would be grateful if someone could let me know which, if any, programs are considered essential for a correct start-up.

Thanks.

Well.... Your PC is still booting, so that's a good sign. Usually all you need to automatically start is your security suite.

Here's my start list... Allthough two of the three aren't necessary, I let them start out of convenience for me.

electrotune1200 said:

Well.... Your PC is still booting, so that's a good sign. Usually all you need to automatically start is your security suite.

Here's my start list... Allthough two of the three aren't necessary, I let them start out of convenience for me.

Thank you electrotune1200.

I've got my security program in Start-up now and after some root-kit searching and deleting over the last few days my laptop seems to have regained it's former speed.

No worries!

Glad everything is sorted for you.

By the way... What detected your rootkits? Are you sure you have them completely cleaned? They can be pretty nasty to remove.

I used Sophos and that seemed to get rid of them, although as I wasn't 100% sure I decided, this morning, to reinstall Windows 7.

Don't know why I didn't just do that to begin with - it only takes an hour - rather than spending a whole week-end trying to sort it out!

Anyway, all appears to be OK now. I downloaded AntiMalware Bytes and that didn't find any nasties. Avira is now set up to monitor my system and hopefully there will be no more problems.

Thanks for your help, much appreciated.