Windows seven, System configuration startup programs is empty?

[Elwood42]

I recently backed up some programs on my pc and uninstalled a few. Today I booted windows and noticed my antivirus didn't load on startup.

I navigated to control panel > Administrative tools > System configuration > Startup, only to find that there are no programs listed at all. I didn't disable them, or remove them, but now they are not there.

Unfortunately I cannot see an option to re-add programs to this system configuration startup, so can someone tell me how to do so, or possibly why they were removed in the first place?

 

[gregrocker]

You're referring to msconfig>Startup? There are no listings present with boxes for you to check your AV?

In this case I would use System Restore to roll back before this happened.

But first just to be sure run a full scan with Malwarebytes.

Once you roll back to where Startup tab is populated, establish a Clean Boot and run a SFC from Troubleshooting Steps for Windows 7

 

[Elwood42]

You're referring to msconfig>Startup? There are no listings present with boxes for you to check your AV?

In this case I would use System Restore to roll back before this happened.

But first just to be sure run a full scan with Malwarebytes.

Once you roll back to where Startup tab is populated, establish a Clean Boot and run a SFC from Troubleshooting Steps for Windows 7

Just about to run a malware scan now. It's really strange, all I did today was install a program to format an external Hard drive and move some files about.

God, pc's are a pain.

 

[Elwood42]

You're referring to msconfig>Startup? There are no listings present with boxes for you to check your AV?

In this case I would use System Restore to roll back before this happened.

But first just to be sure run a full scan with Malwarebytes.

Once you roll back to where Startup tab is populated, establish a Clean Boot and run a SFC from Troubleshooting Steps for Windows 7

What could have caused them to be removed, I checked the registry where they should be, and only one is there, which is my audio driver. How could they all have been removed?

 

[gregrocker]

Please follow the steps and report back results.

 

[Elwood42]

Please follow the steps and report back results.

Running a malware bytes scan, went to select a system restore point, there are none available. i know this is incorrect, as I just created a system restore point a week ago, and had several weeks worth back logged.

Advise please?

 

[gregrocker]

It's either infected or you did something that messed up your install. Finish the steps I gave you.

You could also cut to Clean Reinstall Windows 7 using only the tools and methods given this time which assure you will get and keep a perfect install.

 

[Elwood42]

It's either infected or you did something that messed up your install. Finish the steps I gave you.

You could also cut to Clean Reinstall Windows 7 using only the tools and methods given this time which assure you will get and keep a perfect install.

Only step I can run so far is a malware bytes scan, and thus far it is displaying no results found. At all.

 

[gregrocker]

While you run those tests look over the steps involved to get and keep a perfect install to see how closely you are coming to them. If not then you might want to invest now in a perfect install and stick only with the tools and methods given which work best with Win7.

 

[Elwood42]

Note the program I installed was a hard drive partitioning tool, that I used only to partition an external hard drive and nothing to do with the computers main hard drive. I then uninstalled the program once I was done using it.

Also Malware bytes has finished with zero results. What do I do now? I have no system restore points at all.

 

[Elwood42]

I am sure I'm running m pc cleanly, rarely do I install random programs or browse dodgy websites, ever.

 

[Elwood42]

going to reinstall windows 7 now.

 

[gregrocker]

The other steps were to run SFC /SCANNOW Command to see if there are damaged System files then proceed with the Troubleshooting Steps for Windows 7 .

But if you're wanting a fresh start with a clean reinstall that is always a superior option if you do it right.

Be sure to stick closely with the steps given in Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7
to assure you get and keep a perfect install.

 

[Elwood42]

The other steps were to run SFC /SCANNOW Command to see if there are damaged System files then proceed with the Troubleshooting Steps for Windows 7 .

But if you're wanting a fresh start with a clean reinstall that is always a superior option if you do it right.

Be sure to stick closely with the steps given in Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7
to assure you get and keep a perfect install.

Ran sfc /scannow, everything is perfect.

 

[Elwood42]

I've reinstalled and the pc is working fine again, but I'm worried how this program got past my firewall and antivirus and managed to delete my system restores, and the registry for program startup using msconfig. Any idea how? Was it a virus?

 

[AddRAM]

I am sure I'm running m pc cleanly, rarely do I install random programs or browse dodgy websites, ever.

So why did you intall a program to format your external ? There is no reason to. Post the link to this program so we can check it out.

Install Microsoft Security Essentials and Malwarebytes on your new install.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security-essentials-download

http://www.malwarebytes.org/

 

[VistaKing]

Hi Elwood

   Note

Open REGEDIT by clicking on rb: then type REGEDIT in the Search box and press ENTER if you get a User Account Control window press Alt+Y or simply click on Yes

Can you see if this keys are empty .

:ar: HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
:ar: HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
:ar: HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
:ar: HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce

 

[Elwood42]

I am sure I'm running m pc cleanly, rarely do I install random programs or browse dodgy websites, ever.

So why did you intall a program to format your external ? There is no reason to. Post the link to this program so we can check it out.

Install Microsoft Security Essentials and Malwarebytes on your new install.

Microsoft Security Essentials - Microsoft Windows

Malwarebytes : Free anti-malware download

Because I wanted to format the drive to Fat32 to work with my PS3, but the windows tool only allowed it to do ntfs or exfat, neither of which worked.

This is the tool I last used that I think caused the problem.

Easeus Partition Master Home Edition - CNET Download.com

Hi Elwood

   Note

Open REGEDIT by clicking on rb: then type REGEDIT in the Search box and press ENTER if you get a User Account Control window press Alt+Y or simply click on Yes

Can you see if this keys are empty .

:ar: HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
:ar: HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
:ar: HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
:ar: HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce

Yes, they were all empty.

 

[Elwood42]

Any one got an update?

 

[gregrocker]

If you reinstalled following the steps in the tutorial I gave you, then stick with them to maintain a perfect install, you should have no further problems.

In the future use free Partition Wizard for any operations Disk Mgmt cannot do.

If performance is fine and you have not further issues, you can mark the thread Solved at top.