Softwares cannot add themselves to windows startup

yoavain · 04 Jun 2011

Hi,

I got this annoyance for a couple of weeks and couldn't solve it on my own.
Softwares cannot add themselves to windows startup. Meaning, when trying to enable "run on startup", configuration is ignored, (although the softwares remember the new settings)

I'm using

Windows 7 x64 SP1 with all latest hotfixes (which I suspect responsible for this annoyance)
User is administrator
UAC is disabled.

Here's what I already checked:

I've tried with several software like AIDA64,Fraps, Hard Disk Sentinel and more, so it's not a problem with a certain software.
I've tried creating a new administrator user account.
I've tried stopping all processes that might block this (firewall, antivirus, anti malware, etc.)
I've tried safe mode.
I've checked for viruses (with both local AV, and online AV)
I've checked the registry permissions, and my user got full control
I've checked event viewer and I can't see any new event upon trying to set one of the software to run on startup
I've checked group policy and nothing is enabled/disabled there
I've checked using sysinternals procmon to see if there is any access denied upon trying to set the software to run on startup, but there was no mentioning to either HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run or HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

By the way, adding the softwares manually to registry works fine.

Please advise,
Thanks,
Yoav

Bare Foot Kid · 04 Jun 2011

Hello yoavain, welcome to Seven Forums!

Have a look at this tutorial at the link below and be sure to post back with any further questions you may have and to keep us informed.

How to Create a Task to Run a Program at Startup

yoavain · 05 Jun 2011

Bare Foot Kid said:

Hello yoavain, welcome to Seven Forums!

Have a look at this tutorial at the link below and be sure to post back with any further questions you may have and to keep us informed.

How to Create a Task to Run a Program at Startup

Hi,

Thanks for your reply, but as I said - adding the softwares manually to registry works fine. I know how to add a software to run on startup. That's not the point. The point is softwares that has this option in their configuration, but can't make the change to registry. I know the workaround, but the problem may suggest a bigger problem, like corruption of the registry, or a virus blocking the registry, or a missing/corrupted file that is used by 3rd party to edit registry...

By the way, I just found out that I got the same problem my second PC. I'm suspecting a relatively recent hotfix that caused this problem.

Yoav

yoavain · 05 Jun 2011

Just reproduced it on 2 more machines:

Windows 7 x32 SP1 with all recent updates.
With a new installation of Windows 7x64 SP1 + all recent updates, TeamViewer was not able to add to startup.

Can't pinpoint the time it stopped working

Neutron16 · 05 Jun 2011

Software can be run un-elevated under Administrator, so run that software AS ADMINISTRATOR.

But since UAC is disabled...
Please, turn on UAC to check whether this might cause the problem.

yoavain · 05 Jun 2011

Neutron16 said:

Software can be run un-elevated under Administrator, so run that software AS ADMINISTRATOR.

But since UAC is disabled...
Please, turn on UAC to check whether this might cause the problem.

Thanks for your reply.
I've already tried running software AS ADMINISTRATOR. Not working...

Regarding your second suggestion, I haven't tried enabling UAC, but even if it does work with UAC turned on, that doesn't make it less of a bug. It should also work for people with UAC disabled.

I've reproduce this on 3 more PCs at work today, with different softwares.

Neutron16 · 05 Jun 2011

Please report the case with UAC ON.
And could you be so kind to share at least some software names and versions.

yoavain · 05 Jun 2011

Neutron16 said:

Please report the case with UAC ON.
And could you be so kind to share at least some software names and versions.

Hi Neutron16,

I've turned on UAC, restarted, and tried again (with another different PC). But problem still happens.

Here's a list of softwares:
AIDA64
Fraps
Hard Disk Sentinel,
TeamViewer
(and more)

All got a configuration checkbox to start the program during startup, and all fail to do so.

Thanks,
Yoav

Neutron16 · 05 Jun 2011

Aida64 (as well as it`s predecessor Everest) is using Task Scheduler to startup.

I do not use other programs you mentioned, but I think it is very likely the case with them also.

yoavain · 06 Jun 2011

Neutron16 said:

Aida64 (as well as it`s predecessor Everest) is using Task Scheduler to startup.

I do not use other programs you mentioned, but I think it is very likely the case with them also.

Oh, you're right

Thanks Neutron.
Now I need to rephrase the question:
Why does software in Task Scheduler "at logon of UserName / any user" does not work?