Managing Programs and Features in Windows Vista - Enabling, disabling, and removing your startup programs

(Page 2 of 5 )

You can configure startup programs for your account specifically or for all users on your computer, depending on whether you installed a program only for your use or for all users. You have three options for managing startup programs. You can:

Disable automatic startup 
   If you don’t want a program to start automatically
   when you log on, you can disable it. A disabled
   startup program will no longer run on startup.

Enable automatic startup 
   If you previously disabled a startup program, you can
   change this by enabling the program to run at
   startup.

Remove 
   If you no longer need a startup program or you want
   to prevent it from being enabled in the future, you
   can remove it.

Before you remove a startup program, you should first disable it. You should then restart your computer and determine whether there is any negative impact on your computer.

While you can enable, disable, and remove startup programs from your account and you may not need administrator permissions, you must have administrator permissions to manage startup programs configured for other, or all, users on your computer.

You can enable, disable, and remove startup programs by following these steps:

1. Click Start, click All Programs, and then click Windows Defender.
   
2. On the Windows Defender toolbar, click Tools and then click Software Explorer.
   
3. In Software Explorer, the Startup Programs option is selected in the Category list by default. Click a startup program in the left pane.
   
4. If the program is configured as a startup program for your account, you can enable, disable, or remove it using the option buttons provided.
   
5. If the program is configured as a startup program for another user or for all users, the Remove, Disable, and Enable buttons will be dimmed so that you cannot select them. Before you can use these options, you must click “Show for all users,” and then provide consent or credentials when prompted.
   
6. If you are disabling or removing a startup program, you will need to confirm this when prompted by clicking Yes.

Next: Viewing and Managing Network-Connected Programs >>
 

More BrainDump Articles
More By O'Reilly Media

Comments On: Managing Programs and Features in Windows Vista

· This article is an excerpt from the book "Windows Vista: The Definitive Guide,"...   >>> Post your comment now!

Buy this book...

This article is excerpted from chapter four of the book Windows Vista: The Definitive Guide, written by William R. Stanek (O'Reilly, 2007; ISBN: 0596528000). Check it out today at your favorite bookstore. Buy this book now.