Temporarily stop programs in startup folder

[patermann]

Windows XP (and earlier?) prevented programs in the startup folder from running if I held down the shift key when logging in. This was very useful as I was able to put shortcuts to all of the programs I normally run into the startup folder but I could do a quick login (no startup programs) by simply holding down the shift key. Unfortunately, this trick does not seem to work in Windows 7. Is there a way to enable it, or an alternative method of temporarily preventing startup programs from running when I log in?

Many thanks,
patermann

 

[Kari]

Hi Patermann, welcome to the Seven Forums.

Open msconfig, Windows built-in configuration utility (Start > Run, type msconfig, press Enter) and change boot options as you wish for instance Diagnostic Startup only loads basic services. Reboot.



Kari

 

[patermann]

Many thanks for the information Kari but, unfortunately, it does not solve the problem. Maybe an example will make it clearer. Imagine the scene:

I have just logged out at the end of the day and, oh dear, I forgot to back up that document that I spent all day editing. All I want to do is quickly log back in and copy it to the NAS. I do not want to have to wait while the browser, email, IM and my anti-RSI program all load up! On XP, it was simple: I entered my username and password and clicked Ok on the login screen. Immediately, I pressed the shift key and held it down until Windows had logged me in. This told Windows not to run the programs in the Startup folder, so log-in was fast. I copy the file and log out. In the morning, I log in but do not hold down the shift key so Windows runs all of the programs in the Startup folder as normal.

Unfortunately, the shift key "trick" does not seem to work on Windows 7 and the programs in the Startup folder always run when I log in whether I hold the shift key down or not.

I hope that explains the issue better.

Thanks!

 

[Sir George]

Many thanks for the information Kari but, unfortunately, it does not solve the problem. Maybe an example will make it clearer. Imagine the scene:

I have just logged out at the end of the day and, oh dear, I forgot to back up that document that I spent all day editing. All I want to do is quickly log back in and copy it to the NAS. I do not want to have to wait while the browser, email, IM and my anti-RSI program all load up! On XP, it was simple: I entered my username and password and clicked Ok on the login screen. Immediately, I pressed the shift key and held it down until Windows had logged me in. This told Windows not to run the programs in the Startup folder, so log-in was fast. I copy the file and log out. In the morning, I log in but do not hold down the shift key so Windows runs all of the programs in the Startup folder as normal.

Unfortunately, the shift key "trick" does not seem to work on Windows 7 and the programs in the Startup folder always run when I log in whether I hold the shift key down or not.

I hope that explains the issue better.

Thanks!

From the following article, it appears that function has been removed from Windows 7;

login - How to SUPPRESS programs from startup folder (Windows 7)? - Super User

Additionally, I am unable to find workaround without using MSConfig.

HTH

 

[Kari]

Unfortunately as Sir George's link show, it's not possible in Windows 7. You need to select your boot options with msconfig and reboot.

Kari

 

[patermann]

Thanks, Sir George. It seems to be the norm these days that improving the software sometimes means taking features away rather than adding them! If I find a solution, I will post it here.

patermann

 

[CarvedDuck]

What I have done is to create a new Folder called StartupStuff so that it appears directly below the Startup Folder. I copy all of the Shortcuts in Startup into the StartupStuff folder.

When I want to boot without any Startup items I delete all of the Shortcuts in Startup. When I want to reinstate the them I just copy the StartupStuff Shortcuts back. Not quite as easy as holding down the shift key but a drag and drop for maybe 5 seconds work.

 

[JohnON]

Anything new on this?

I have exactly the same problem as patermann. Sir George's reply and link, although useful, are not definitive. Has patermann or anyone else found a workaround? (not Kari please as she is not describing our problem).

 

[Mellon Head]

Kari is a man, and he has outlined a perfectly valid solution.

It seems that Microsoft has taken away the ability to use the shift key to avoid loading startups, as you know. The only way I know of to not load them is to use msconfig and set it as Kari has suggested.

I think if you ask almost any member here, they will tell you the same thing.

 

[badger906]

would creating a second accound with shared access to your documents but with no start up programs help? just name the new account speedy login or something.

 

[JohnON]

Great solution

That is great thinking-out-of-the-box. Thank you badger906. It should solve pattermann's issue as well. (Sorry Mr. Kari, I am not familiar with Finnish names)

 

[andrew129260]

The other solution is to see if maybe a reg key in xp is holding that info and to see if it can be extracted and used in 7. I will look into it.

 

[Jedis]

I was looking for the same thing. I also found that holding shift does not work like it used to in Windows XP.

I have a custom logon script for work, residing in the Startup folder, that runs to execute a bunch of programs upon logon. When I take my laptop home, I don't want that custom logon script executing.

Here's what I did as a workaround:

1. Took ownership of the Utilman.exe file in c:\windows\system32
2. Wrote a VBscript to move my custom batch file out of the Startup folder in the Start Menu, and into another folder.
3. Compiled my VBS script using the trial of VBSEdit (or you could use IExpress, which is bundled with Windows 7).
4. Placed my compiled VBS script into the c:\windows\system32 folder and named it Utilman.exe

Now, from the logon screen, I can click the "Ease of Access" button in the lower left corner of the screen. It then runs the VBS script that moves my custom logon script out of the Startup folder. I just see a command prompt window pop open for a split second and close. Then I login and my logon script does not run, as planned

When I want to re-enable my custom logon script, I just click the icon again the next time I am at the logon screen, which sees the file doesn't exist in the Startup folder and moves it back. Then I login again, as normal.

Hope this helps someone!

 

[lonrot]

I just found a program that can do this (LaunchMeNot).

The program has an autostart feature "Autolaunch" which loads a custom list of startup programs, after converting all the startup programs to that list I can click "cancel" as soon as the loader launches.

The program is old (2010) and the developer dropped support since it's release probably due to lack of exposition (902 downloads so far). It works well on Windows 8.1 64 bit, the interface is decent and easy to use.

This is my second post here, so I will avoid posting a link, it's free at CodePlex, even the source code is available.

Alternatively there are programs that can delay startup programs like WinPatrol but awkwardly enough don't offer the stop/cancel feature.

 

[krammy]

I know this is an old thread, but I was searching for a solution to this same problem and think I came up with something good:

Move all your startup shortcuts out of Start Menu\Programs\Startup and into another folder like C:\Users\YourName\Documents\Startup.
Create the batch file below and save a shortcut to it in Start Menu\Programs\Startup.
echo OFF
CHOICE /M "Do you want me to open the startup programs? (you have 5 seconds before I assume Y)" /T 5 /D Y
IF ERRORLEVEL ==2 GOTO TWO
IF ERRORLEVEL ==1 GOTO ONE
GOTO END
:TWO
rem -- N selected. do nothing.
GOTO END
:ONE
for %%v in ("C:\Users\YourName\Documents\Startup\*.lnk") do start "" "%%~v"
:END


Perhaps there's a more elegant way to write this code, but I just pieced it together from some examples I found online.