How do you diagnose Windows Startup?

Ztruker said:

Use msconfig to determine what is causing the problem.

These are good tutorials on using msconfig in XP, Vista or Windows 7:
How to use msconfig in Windows XP
How to use msconfig in Windows Vista
How to use msconfig in Windows 7

Click on Start then Run, type msconfig and press Enter.
Click on the Startup tab, record what is currently starting then click the Disable All button.
Reboot and see if it runs normal.
If yes then use msconfig to enable several items at a time till you find the culprit.

If no, boot to Safe Mode again, start msconfig and click on the Services tab.
Check the Hide All Microsoft Services box, record what is currently starting then click the Disable All button.
Again, do a regular boot, see if it runs normal.
If yes then use msconfig to enable services till you find the culprit.

Once you've found the culprit, uninstall it or find out how to eliminate it from your system.
Simply disabling it in msconfig is a temporary fix at best.
Enable everything else you disabled.

Thanks to all for the help, all very good ideas that I will probably use again in the future. In the end, this approach helped identify the culprit, it was indeed a service.

OfficeScanNT RealTime Scan Trend Micro Inc.

Not sure why it's causing the issue, but this is the cause.

Regards,

Mike

Best to stick with MSE or Avast with Windows Firewall, Malwarebytes on demand. They just work.

Soluto has real promise, but needs to build up its database on startups and work out some bugs.

When the public becomes aware of how important limiting startup items is to good performance (think of freeloaders clawing your back) a free program like this will be highly valued and energized to perfect itself like a CCleaner.

The last install fritzed a clean reinstall I was doing so I am giving it a rest for awhile.