A new utility in NirSoft Web site, WhatInStartup, displays the list of all executable files (.exe) that automatically run when Windows starts up, and allows you to easily disable or delete them completely.
This utility replaces the old StartupRun utility, which haven’t been updated for more than 4 years.
WhatInStartup also provides 2 new important features that were missed in StartupRun:
- Ability to work with external instance of Windows: If you have Windows operating system with booting problems, you can use this feature to connect to another
instance of Windows, and disable/delete unwanted programs that runs at startup. - Permanent Disabling: Many programs add themselves into the Windows startup list without even asking you, and even if you disable or delete them, these programs add themselves again in the next time that you use them.
While WhatInStartup is running, it monitors the startup lists in the Registry and in the file system.
If a disabled program added itself again into the list, WhatInStartup detect the change and automatically disable it again. This means that as long as WhatInStartup is running, the programs that you disabled won’t return back to Windows startup.
For more information about WhatInStartup utility, click here.
rjl says:
How is this software different from the Microsoft msconfig.exe and going to the Startup tab? Are there significat benefits to using yours?
April 7, 2009, 10:45 amSherif Eldeeb says:
@rjl
msconfig.exe is far less capable than the mentioned tool, since it only allow you to disable the common start up methods and this tool gives you more “uncommon” startup options, also there’s no way to prevent the programs to add themselves again without asking you using msconfig. “e.g. googleupdate, realschedule…etc.”
@Nir
April 7, 2009, 9:58 pmThanks again for yet another fine product, will give it a testdrive, keep it up.
Zeroes says:
Nir!
What you think about utility Microsoft (before sysinternals.com) – Autoruns?
April 8, 2009, 4:39 pmmajoMo says:
StartupRun was 2 things that WhatInStartup doesn’t have:
. Show BSOE
. Allowed to add new startup items
Like StartupRun is now replaced, to add these features in the newest WhatInStartup perhaps?
April 10, 2009, 12:41 pm