Win7: Autostart (mcsonfig) for user SYSTEM?

Question

Okay so when you open up msconfig.exe, you can select which applications that should start when turning on the computer. It's in the tab "Autostart".

However, that tab only show alternatives for the logged in user. If I open up the controlpanel and go to the processes-tab, I see plenty of applications running under the user SYSTEM. (such as punkbuster and apache servers, neither which I want to run all the time).

How can I disable these so that they don't start when I turn on the PC?

Answer 1

The best way is first to open the applications/programs you do not want to start running when you turn on your PC. Check in every of these programs if there is a option to disable the automatic start-up and automatic update. If there is no option use Autoruns. Run it as Administrator and uncheck the program (that has no option to disable automatic start-up) you do not want to start-up with your PC. Also search for Services.msc (run as administrator) and change the services you do not want to start with your PC from Automatic to Manual. But be careful cause if you don't know what you are doing you might mess up your PC. Also check your Task Scheduler, there you can disable tasks you don't need to run.

You don't need to mess with msconfig.exe because if I know right it is meant for checking you system (troubleshooting).

Answer 2

These are usually start through the registry, although there are several different places where programs can start, including startup scripts, scheduled tasks, start menu->startup folder, as services and as mentioned earlier, the registry.

Most programs do this in the registry though.

There are 4 locations in the registry that start programs, divided into 2 sections.

Local Machine stores programs that launch regardless of who runs the computer (installed for all users)

And Current User stores programs that launch only for the user logged in (installed for your user)

So the keys are:

[HK_LM \ HK_CU] \Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

and

[HK_LM \ HK_CU] \Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce

RunOnce is only used to launch a program once and will clear itself automatically at next launch, though sometimes a program sets itself back there at every launch (virusses usually)

Programs such as punkbuster rely on services and services can be set to automatically start.

To access them, do the following:

1. Open your start menu
2. Type in: services.msc
3. Press enter
4. Click yes in the UAC dialog.
5. Locate the service and double click it
6. Press Stop to stop the service
7. Change the Startup Type to manual to prevent it from booting again, or to disabled so that nothing can even start it manually.

Do note that if you disable punkbuster, you won't be able to play multiplayer games that rely on punkbuster being active.

Note that you can use the net start and net stop command to start and stop services as long as their startup type is not set to disabled.