Startup folder

[spysmily1]

I put my start menu programs in the all users folder. The only problem I've had since doing this is that everything that is listed in the startup folder is now duplicated at startup time. I will have only one shortcut listed but if I look in startup under msconfig it shows twice. I only noticed this because one shortcut is related to a tray icon. The tray icon was duplicated and it caught my eye. If I create any new shortcuts in the startup folder pointing to any program it will start twice.

Thanks for any advice

 

[Orbital Shark]

Hi, welcome to the forums.

Did you just 'copy' the files or did you 'move' them? I ask this a just copying will create a second copy of the file

for example:

copying from c:\users\[your name]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu to c:\users\default\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu will cause 2 copies of the same file in the start menu.

You need to 'move' the files so that a copy is not left behind that will duplicate the entry

Hope this helps


OS

 

[spysmily1]

The only start menu programs that exist now are located in C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu

I've cleaned out every other type of user including default. I also duplicated the same type of problem by creating a new shortcut to a different app which will cause the same problem. Msconfig will show two entries pointing to the same shortcut running from the same startup folder even though there is only one shortcut.

 

[Orbital Shark]

Could you get a screenshot of your MSCONFIG showing the duplicates, maybe something there could give me a push

 

[spysmily1]

This shows the folder and the msconfig entries. Sorry about the picture it was due to quick editing and having to leave my house right now. You can see one shortcut in the folder but two entries in msconfig.

 

[Orbital Shark]

You might want to try running 'Disk Cleanup' (as Admin) and clearing the 'System Restore and shadow copies' after clicking 'Cleanup system files' then the 'More Options' tab.

I'll try & look into it more too

 

[Antman]

CodeStuff Starter is my friend. AutoRuns is also nice (maybe not for some). MSConfig is, well, MSConfig.

 

[Orbital Shark]

The dreaded duplicate entries of msconfig
............and what to do about them:​

Easiest way to get rid of duplicates in the startup tab: Check them all and then use apply/ok/reboot. All "real" duplicates will be eliminated.

Now, to address the real matter: For each entry left, check the associated program for an option not load at startup and undo it. Look for something like "allow to run in system tray" or "allow to run in the startup group". The duplicates you are seeing in the startup tab is the result of not doing this in the first place. Many programs will simply rewrite the entry if not disabled properly.

Then, after completing that step, you can go back to msconfig and disable whatever is left that you could find no option for, refer to this page: Cleanup Your System. Be aware that some duplicates are by design, a particularly notable one is "load power profiles" and both entries should remain enabled, the explanation is below.

For the last part, if there are entries for programs which are no longer installed on the computer, and you did correctly uninstall the program (not just deleted the program folder, which can cause a whole host of problems), then you can remove the "dead" entry by editing the registry:

Start/run regedit, navigate to these keys (not all may exist in all systems):

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run-
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Runonce
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run-
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServices
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServices-

and look for the disabled lines in the keys ending with a minus sign (-). Delete the strings in the right-hand pane representing those programs. I would suggest exporting a copy of any string before you delete it just in case its' removal causes any problem (it shouldn't, but this is a good habit to get into when you are messing with the registry).

*NOTE* Please use caution when working within the registry. Changes made here are generally immediate. Making the wrong change or carelessly changing/deleting keys can render your system unbootable. If you are unsure about any change, don't do it. Before you make any changes to the registry, know how to backup and restore the current one from a command prompt.
Now, many times I see a question regarding "Load Power Profiles" and why is it there twice. This is by design actually. One entry originates from Run Services in the registry, the other from a Run key. The first loads a set of "default" settings for power management. The second loads the user-specified ones. Disabling one or the other often causes any system setting changes to be "lost" when the user reboots. This is why neither of them should be disabled. This is true even for a single user system with no Windows logon, the logon in these cases is automatic and unseen, but it still exists.

Source Here

This may help

 

[spysmily1]

I understand how to get rid of true duplicates but the only thing duplicated is both msconfig entries related to a single shortcut in the startup. You can see this by the two pictures I show in the above image. Whenever I remove the single shortcut both entries disappear. Whenever I make a new shortcut two identical entries appear in msconfig. It happens for any shortcut I create, doesn't matter what program the shortcut I point it to. This is a problem that is not related to anything I have searched for thus far.

 

[spysmily1]

My problem is solved after finally finding the same problem affected Windows Vista. Windows 7 will mishandle the registry settings for the current_user if one decides to combine the startup folders.

The correct entry for Computer\HKey_Current_User\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Currentversion\Explorer\Shell Folders is C:\Users\Your_Name\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup ...remember to replace Your_Name with you login name.

The correct entry for Computer\HKey_Current_User\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Currentversion\Explorer\User Shell Folders is %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup ...this needs no change copy exactly as is.

These entries were changed to point to the all users startup which would cause windows to load the startup twice, once for all users and another time for the current user. This is why there were identical entries for the same one shortcut.

Thanks for any help that was provided along the way.

 

[Drant]

Use these default paths and registry keys to restore the separately pathed Startup folders

Startup Folders:

You: C:\Users\YOURNAME\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
All: C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup


Default Registry Keys:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders]
"Startup"="C:\\Users\\[COLOR="Red"]YOURNAME[/COLOR]\\AppData\\Roaming\\Microsoft\\Windows\\Start Menu\\Programs\\Startup"

Location: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders
Key: Startup String: C:\Users\YOURNAME\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

---

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders]
"Startup"="%USERPROFILE%\\AppData\\Roaming\\Microsoft\\Windows\\Start Menu\\Programs\\Startup"

Location: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders
Key: Startup String: %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

---

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders]
"Common Startup"="C:\\ProgramData\\Microsoft\\Windows\\Start Menu\\Programs\\Startup"

Location: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders
Key: Common Startup String: C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

---

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders]
"Common Startup"=hex(2):25,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,44,00,\
  61,00,74,00,61,00,25,00,5c,00,4d,00,69,00,63,00,72,00,6f,00,73,00,6f,00,66,\
  00,74,00,5c,00,57,00,69,00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,5c,00,53,00,74,00,\
  61,00,72,00,74,00,20,00,4d,00,65,00,6e,00,75,00,5c,00,50,00,72,00,6f,00,67,\
  00,72,00,61,00,6d,00,73,00,5c,00,53,00,74,00,61,00,72,00,74,00,75,00,70,00,\
  00,00

Location: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders
Key: Common Startup String: %ProgramData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup