How to manage Windows startup content? How to assign startup programs a delayed start to speed up Windows loading How to prioritize startup programs

To change the automatic start of the current session, you need to find in the list (in the left column) a folder called "HKEY_CURRENT_USER" and follow the path HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run(Fig. 5).

Figure 5. Finding the necessary registry keys to configure application startup.
Thus, you can easily configure the launch of applications.

List of Windows 7 registry keys where you need to look for applications registered in startup:

What do you need to add a new application to autostart?

This is how debugging of autorun applications in Windows 7 is done. Do not forget to save restore points so that if you do something wrong, you can return the system to its original state.

In the article about removing unused programs, we said that this also helps to clean Windows startup from unnecessary items and free up resources. But there are still applications that are used quite rarely, but at the same time they start with the system and hang in memory continuously, waiting for commands from the user. In fact, they simply “eat up” computer resources for nothing.

If there are programs on your computer that you use very rarely, then you should check if they start with the system. It is best to run them manually on the rare occasions when they are needed. So you save a decent amount of resources for other tasks.

To do this, open the tool " Autostart programs" V Reg Organizer. There you will see all the programs that start with the system. Look in the list for names of programs that you rarely use.

If such programs are found, then you can temporarily disable their autorun by checking the box next to " Temporarily disable» at the bottom of the window. After that, Reg Organizer will block the launch of the selected program. You can also disable automatic launch in the settings of these programs.

If suddenly some item seems unfamiliar to you, then the easiest solution is to skip it. Or you can read about it online. To do this, right-click on it and select " Search the Internet».

Drivers and protection programs should not be disabled, so just skip them in the list.

Auxiliary tools

On the right side of the list, there is a column called "Disable/Snooze Frequency".

It shows two percentage scales that show what percentage of Reg Organizer/Soft Organizer users disable or delay the launch of the selected program. The lower the percentage, the less users delay/disable application launch. Conversely, the higher the percentage, the more users resort to disabling or delaying the application.

With the function of delaying the launch of programs from startup, you can delay the launch of individual applications for a certain time.

It is best to postpone the launch of update check modules for individual programs (records with the word update, updater). In this case, they will start later than the rest, allowing more important applications to take advantage of all the free resources of the computer.

Using the diagram at the bottom of the window, you can visually evaluate the result. But remember that data is taken from the system and may not arrive immediately, but with a delay. In some cases, it happens that immediately after disabling a particular program, the system loads a few seconds longer. This is normal.

Sometimes it takes 2-3 reboots for Windows to rebuild the internal mechanisms associated with autoloading.

Autorun Organizer also has a built-in check of startup records through the VirusTotal.com service, which checks files with all key antiviruses. If any startup item has a positive result when checked by antiviruses, Autorun Organizer will notify you about it.

Information about this is located at the bottom of the window on the information panel, available after selecting any of the elements. Also, such entries are marked in the general list in red.

No matter how much Microsoft cares about speeding up Windows loading, as stated in versions of the operating system 8.1 and 10, alas, there have been no revolutionary changes in this regard since version 7. Plus, Windows 8.1 and 10 are constantly updated and do not know how to apply updates in any other way than doing it in the pre-boot mode of the system. What could be more annoying than a full-screen window saying, wait, there's a Windows update in progress when you need quick access to your computer's data. But if you can’t get away from this moment in any way, then the internal processes that affect the speed of loading Windows can be controlled.

By themselves, Windows 7, 8.1 and 10 do not load for a long time, the process of loading them is complicated by the launch of software installed on the system. Many programs, if they themselves are not assigned to startup by default, then register their background services in it. Not all autostarted background services can be disabled by removing them from Windows startup. Well, launching various messengers like Skype along with the system is a must for many people who need to always be in touch. For messengers, other programs and their background services that are registered in Windows startup, you can assign delayed loading. This will systematically distribute the resources of the computer and speed up the process of loading it.

Delayed launch of programs can be implemented by the regular functionality of the Windows system. The system task scheduler allows you to postpone tasks tied to the start of Windows. But in this article, we will consider a way to implement a delayed launch of startup programs using a third-party tool - using the AnVir Task Manager program.

1. Download and install AnVir Task Manager

The AnVir Task Manager program provides a variety of functions that can be useful to system engineers and experienced computer users. The program for the most part is an advanced system task manager with a lot of different options for monitoring and managing Windows processes. In addition to the main feature, AnVir Task Manager also offers system tweaks and plays the role of an anti-virus utility with which you can scan files, active processes and programs for threats using the Virustotal.Com Internet service. And all this in the free edition of the program. AnVir Task Manager also exists in a paid edition, but, in particular, the free edition will successfully cope with organizing the delayed launch of startup programs.

After downloading the program installer, when installing it into the system, you will be able to select the Russian language. The portable version of AnVir Task Manager available for download will have an English interface.

2. Assign a delayed start to startup programs

After installing and running AnVir Task Manager in the program window, switch to the "Startup" tab. All programs that start when Windows boots up are displayed here. Unchecking a particular program will simply remove it from startup. And to assign a program a delayed launch, you need to call the context menu on it and select "Add to delayed loading".

In the additional window that opens, we will see the settings for delayed launch. By default, AnVir Task Manager sets a delay interval of 1 minute for all programs. That is, startup programs will start a minute after Windows boots. In our case, we use an interval of 1 minute only for one of the programs. Assign other startup programs, respectively, a different start time and set the interval to 2, 3, 4 minutes, etc. The launch of instant messengers such as Skype and ICQ can even be postponed for 5-10 minutes. Thus, the programs will be launched systematically. To set a different interval for lazy loading, activate the "Custom interval" column and set the minutes.

Other options are available for delayed start of startup programs. We can run individual programs not every day, but either only on weekdays or on weekends. This is a handy feature for software that is used for business purposes. In this case, delayed loading can be supplemented by setting the “Monday to Friday” option, and professional software on the computer will not start on weekends when it is not needed.

Two other delayed launch settings are running programs as administrator and setting priority. The last setting is unlikely to matter when setting different intervals for running programs.

After setting the desired parameters for lazy loading, click "OK".

AnVir Task Manager itself removes from Windows startup programs for which delayed loading is assigned, however, just in case, it warns that you may need to manually disable autorun of the program in its own settings.

If AnVir Task Manager itself has not been added to autoload before, then a notification of such a need will follow. After all, it simply by condition needs to be launched along with Windows in order to provide delayed loading of other programs. Fortunately, AnVir Task Manager is a lightweight program, and its impact on Windows boot speed is negligible. Click "Yes".

In the future, if necessary, you can remove AnVir Task Manager itself from startup and re-assign it to start with Windows in the program settings.

Information about the delayed launch of startup programs will be displayed in a separate column in the startup section of AnVir Task Manager.

It is better to experiment with delayed launch only with known programs and services. But even if the experiments ended not with the performance of working with a computer, but with waiting for the driver of some device to start, this matter can be easily fixed.

3. Editing the delayed launch of startup programs and disabling it

Programs that are scheduled to start delayed will disappear from view of the startup section in the system task manager and in third-party uninstallers that offer startup control options. But these programs do not disappear from the startup list displayed in AnVir Task Manager. At any time, for any of the programs with a delayed start, the settings for this can be changed. As at any time, any of the programs can be returned to Windows startup. To do this, on the selected program, call the context menu and select "Edit delayed loading".

We will see the same settings window as before.

Here we either change the conditions for the delayed launch of the program, or return it to autoload by clicking the option below "Remove from delayed autoload".

Have a great day!

Turning on the computer, the user starts only the operating system. All other actions are performed in the graphical interface independently. Depending on the task being solved, a certain set of programs is launched. At the same time, each user has those that will be open without fail. Someone first launches an email client, someone opens social networks in a browser. Not everyone knows that these routine operations can be automated by setting up autorun programs.

A clean OS automatically starts only system services. When installing programs, most users do not pay attention to the initial settings. As a result, after some time, the computer turns into a "zoo". Several browsers “live” in it at the same time, clients of various cloud storages, optimization utilities and file downloads start independently. Thus, from a useful tool, autoload turns into an “enemy” of the user, slowing down the operating system.

Windows 7

On versions of Windows with a traditional Start menu, the Startup folder can be found in the general list of installed programs. In this place, it is a remote shortcut for quick access.

Actually the folder is in the hidden area of ​​user files. You can get direct access to it by calling the context menu. Items marked with frames will open the directory of a specific user in Explorer, and those indicated by arrows will open the system-wide directory.

In order not to look for where the startup is located in Windows 7, you can use the universal command in the Run menu. Enter "shell:startup" into the text field. Clicking on the "OK" button opens the "Explorer".

At the top of the window, we see the full path to the desired directory. By default, AppData is not displayed in File Explorer. Therefore, if we simply open the user folder, we will not find it until we turn on the display of hidden files.

You can enter Windows 7 startup in this way, but you cannot fully edit it. The disadvantage of this method is that most programs that have an automation option in the settings will not be visible here. You can edit the autorun list in the configuration utility. Launch the Run menu and type the command shown in the screenshot in the text box.

In the configuration utility window, go to the "Startup" tab. Here we see a general list of programs whose behavior can be controlled using the checkmarks indicated by the arrow. By removing them, we exclude automatic start. The changes made must first be applied by clicking on the appropriate button. The "Location" column highlighted in green contains the autoload path for each program and we will need it later.

When we're done with the configuration utility, we'll get a system notification. You can choose between immediate or delayed reboot.

The following method, which allows you to open autorun programs on Windows 7, requires intervention in the system registry. Once again, use the "Run" menu.

Having opened the registry editor, let's remember the green field in the configuration utility. It indicates the full paths along which the autorun settings for specific programs are located. The AIMP player registered just on the path indicated by the frame in the screenshot. To cancel automatic start for it, the key indicated by the arrow must be deleted.

So, we looked at several ways to find and clean startup in Windows 7. The most versatile is to use the configuration utility. Only in it all the necessary data and tools are collected in one place.

Windows 10

It has become a good tradition for Microsoft to surprise users of its OS. Changes are not only external, like the disappearance of the Start button in Windows 8. The system changes significantly inside. We just found a universal way to clean up startup programs. We apply it in Windows 10 and see the picture shown in the screenshot. There is a configuration utility, there is also a tab on it, and the control menu has “moved”. Thanks to the company's engineers who pointed out where the startup is located in Windows 10, and did not force users to look for it on their own. Click on the hyperlink indicated by the arrow.

In the task manager, go to the designated tab of the same name. You can disable autorun programs in Windows 10 right in it. To do this, it is now enough to call the context menu. The desired item is shown in the screenshot.

This is where the changes Microsoft made to the automation setup ended. Management has been moved to the task manager, it has become more convenient and does not require knowledge of special commands. The rest of the considered options are preserved. You can still remove autorun programs in Windows 10 by opening a hidden user folder or by editing the registry.

Autorun settings

In a well-tuned system, nothing should start without the knowledge of the user that is not required in the first five minutes. By cleaning startup from unnecessary "garbage" and guided by this rule, you can configure autorun programs that are needed in the first place.

Autorun software

Open the settings of the selected software and look for the item responsible for integration with the operating system. If the developer has provided such an opportunity, you just need to use it. Let's take the popular AIMP player as an example.

Here the required parameter is present. Therefore, we can add it to Windows 10 startup by checking the box indicated by the arrow.

Software without autostart

If the parameter we need is not in the settings, proceed as follows. We find the program using the search. We call the context menu and go to the location of the file.

In the "Explorer" window, select the icon of the desired program. We open the context menu and the drop-down menu for it. In the second, we get to the item that creates a program shortcut on the desktop.

Let's use the "shell:startup" command to launch an additional "Explorer" window. To add an application to startup, move the created shortcut to an open directory. Now in the task manager we will find both applications added in different ways.

Using the described method, you can add a program to autorun, regardless of whether the developers provided for this possibility or not. Windows 10 system is "capricious", after updating the application to a new version, it may refuse to recognize old shortcuts. In this case, the operation will have to be repeated by sending the updated file to autoload.

Task Manager

Using the scheduler, you can organize the forced launch of programs according to a schedule. Open the wizard for creating simple tasks and follow its instructions.

For example, let's schedule a regular launch of the music player. To later be able to find the created task, give it a name.

We choose to start at the entrance to the OS.

By default, the scheduler offers to create a task to run the program.

We use the "Browse" button to specify the path to the executable file.

The task is created, and the system gives us an overview window with the specified characteristics.

After completing the wizard, the trigger can be edited by specifying additional conditions.

For example, activate a time limit. Using the marked area, we specify the start and end date values ​​for our task.

Notebook owners should pay attention to the "Conditions" tab. In order for the task to be performed in any case, and not only when connected to the mains, in the area indicated by the frame, remove both checkmarks.

The result of the manipulations will be the automatic launch of the player every time you enter the OS. At the same time, it is impossible to remove the program from startup using the methods discussed above. It will not show up in the task manager. To cancel a job, it must be removed from the scheduler.

Finally

Automatic launch of programs is a useful tool that saves you from performing routine actions. However, he will work "for the benefit" of the PC owner only in the case of a reasonable approach. If the installation of programs is carried out according to the principle “the computer itself asked”, the system will quickly turn into a “zoo”, and autoload will cause “brakes” and the main enemy of the user.

Many users, after working with the operating system for a long time and after installing / uninstalling various applications, often have questions about autoloading applications. Along with the operating system, applications that are unnecessary for you may be loaded, or vice versa, an application that should start automatically is not observed in the notification area after the system boots, and system performance and startup time may deteriorate significantly. In order to avoid these problems, I propose to deal with the processes that run when the operating system boots and with the startup of installed applications.

Operating system loading

It is important to note that in fact, loading Windows does not start from the moment you approached the personal computer and turned it on or rebooted, the process of loading the operating system actually starts directly from its installation. During the installation process, the hard drive is prepared for its participation in the system boot process. At this time, components are created that participate in the loading of the basic input / output system (BIOS). These components include:

• Winload.exe - loads the Ntoskrnl.exe process and its dependent libraries, and also loads the drivers of the installed hardware;
• Winresume.exe - allows you to restore the system after a long period of inactivity (hibernation) and is responsible for the hibernation file (Hiberfil.exe);
• Ntoskrnl.exe - initializes the execution subsystems for loading and launching system drivers for devices, and also prepares the system for working with standard applications and loads the smss.exe process;
• Hal.dll - is an integral part of the kernel-mode code that is launched by the Winload.exe boot module that is loaded with the kernel;
• Smss.exe (Session Manager Subsystem Service) is a session management subsystem in Windows. This component is not part of the Windows kernel, but its operation is extremely important for the system;
• Wininit.exe - Loads the Service control manager (SCM), Local Security Authority process (LSASS), and local session manager (LSM). This component also initializes the system registry and performs certain tasks in initialization mode;
• Winlogon.exe - manages secure user logon and launches LogonUI.exe;
• Logonui.exe - displays the user's login dialog;
• Services.exe - Loads and initializes default system services and drivers.

It is important to understand that device drivers are a critical part of the boot process. When you specify an operating system partition, the installer writes the boot sector. The Windows boot sector gives information about the structure and format of the partition to the Bootngr file. Bootmgr does its work while the operating system begins its real-time life cycle. Bootmgr then reads the BCD file from the \Boot folder located on the system partition. If the BCD file specifies settings for resuming hibernation, then Bootmgr starts the Winresume.exe process, which will read the contents of the file to resume the system from hibernation.

If there are two or more systems in the BCD entry, then Bootmgr displays a boot menu for the user to select an operating system. After selecting a system, or if you have only one operating system installed, the Winload.exe process is loaded. This process loads the files located in the boot partition and starts kernel initialization. Winload.exe does the following:

Then the initialization of the kernel and executive subsystems begins. After Windows calls Ntoskrnl, it passes the bootloader block parameter data, which contains the system paths of the boot partition generated by Winload to describe the physical memory on the system. Upon completion of two stages (Session 0 and Session 1) of kernel initialization, the Smss.exe, Csrss.exe and Wininit processes start. Smss calls the subsystem configuration executive to finish initializing the system registry.

After that, the Winlogon system shell startup process starts, the parameters of which are specified in the registry key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WinLogon\Userinit. Winlogon notifies the system of registered network service providers that have passed Microsoft Network Provider Identification (Mpr.dll).

The last stage of system boot is the process of automatically launching applications when booting and entering the operating system.

Autostart management

You can see most of the applications that automatically start with the operating system in the notification area. I talked about the methods for setting the notification area in the article, so setting the notification area will not be considered within the framework of this article. To manage startup applications, users of Windows operating systems usually use the utility "System configuration".

System Configuration utility

Program "System configuration" is a Windows operating system utility designed to manage startup programs and system boot, as well as identify problems that may prevent the operating system from starting normally. With this utility, you can change boot options, disable services and startup programs. This utility first appeared in the Windows 98 operating system, providing a convenient interface to perform its tasks. The utility is called by the MSConfig.exe file, which is located in the System32 folder of the partition with the installed operating system. A huge disadvantage of this utility is the inability to add a new element to autorun. To open this utility, do any of the following:

The following screenshot shows the utility "System configuration":

There are five tabs in the current utility:

• Are common. On this tab, you can choose the download option: "Regular start"- the operating system starts in the usual way, "Diagnostic Run"- the system only boots using essential services and drivers, and "Selective Launch"- in addition to the main services and drivers, selected services and automatically loaded programs are also loaded with the operating system.
. On this tab, you can find operating system boot options as well as advanced debugging options such as "No GUI"- no welcome screen displayed on boot, "OS Information"- during the loading of the operating system, downloadable drivers and so on are displayed.
• Services. This tab contains a list of only those services that start automatically with the operating system, as well as the current state of each service. Due to the fact that installed software can install its own services, without a basic knowledge of system services, you may have trouble finding services that are not installed with the operating system by default. By checking the box "Do not display Microsoft services", only third-party applications will be displayed in the list of services. To disable a service, just uncheck it.
. The tab is responsible for loading applications, as well as certain utility utilities that are not loaded through services. As you can see in the previous screenshot, this tab is divided into five columns. These columns have been created so that you can know the name of the application being automatically loaded, the publisher of the program, the path indicating where the program is being loaded from, the location of the program's registry key or shortcut, and the date the program was disabled from startup. To prevent a certain startup item from starting during the next boot, clear the corresponding checkbox
• Service. On this tab, you can find a list of diagnostic tools that allow you to monitor the health of your system. To launch any tool displayed in this tab, select it and click the button "Launch".

More advanced users may want to not only disable unnecessary startup programs, but also add their own programs to automatically start with the operating system. To do this, you will need to use the system registry.

Autorun control by means of the system registry

In the system registry, you can find application autorun settings for the computer account and the current user account. Applications that run under a computer account are independent of which account the user is logged on to. You can find these settings under HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run. Applications that run with a user account may differ for each account. You can find these settings under HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run.

To add a new application (program "Registry Editor") to autostart the Windows operating system for all existing users, follow these steps:

But for more experienced users of Windows operating systems, the utility works "System configuration" and two registry keys may not be enough, since it is not known what was loaded with the system besides startup programs and system services. In order to find out about all the processes that were running along with your system, the Autoruns utility from Sysinternals will help you.

Working with the Autoruns utility

Autoruns by Mark Russinovich and Bryce Cogswell helps you check the maximum number of autorun locations for programs configured to run during boot or login, unlike any other autorun monitoring software. Version 8.61 is now available and can be downloaded from the following link . This program is absolutely free and one of its advantages is that all programs are displayed in the order in which the operating system processes them. In fact, such programs can be located not only in Run sections, but also in RunOnce, ShellExecuteHooks, ContextMenuHandlers, and other sections of the system registry. You can work with this program under both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows operating systems.

Before running this utility for the first time, a dialog box with a license agreement will be displayed. Read it and click on the button "Agree".

After loading the current program, you will see applications configured to start automatically, where you can find the names of applications and registry keys that store information about their launch, a brief description of the application, publisher, and the path to the file or library to be launched.

The items displayed by the Autoruns program belong to several categories, which can be viewed on the 18 tabs of the program. In this article, we will not consider each tab, but it is worth noting that the categories of the program include: objects that automatically start at logon, additional components of Explorer, additional components of Internet Explorer, scheduler tasks, application initialization DLLs, objects executable early boot, Windows services and more.

On each tab, you can:

• launch any selected application by double-clicking on the program name;
• open the registry key that contains the application startup settings by double-clicking on the line with the registry key or by selecting the command "Jump to" from the context menu;
• open the properties dialog of the selected object (to do this, from the context menu, select the command "Properties");
• open Process Explorer tabbed Image for the selected object, as well as find information about the object you are interested in;
• disable the object that starts automatically by unchecking the corresponding checkbox;
• delete an object using the context menu command or the button "Delete";
• view autostart items for other user accounts by selecting the desired menu item "User".

By default, the Autoruns program displays all applications and libraries that start automatically with the operating system. To display only those applications that are registered in the registry keys \Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run, go to the tab Login.

In addition to the applications that start automatically with the operating system, you can view all tasks scheduled by the scheduler at boot or login. To do this, go to the tab Scheduled tasks. On this tab, when you select a command from the context menu "Jump to" or double-clicking on a specific object will open a snap-in "Task Scheduler" with the given task.

You can save startup objects by clicking on a button Save on the toolbar or by selecting this command from the menu File. The report will be saved with *.arn or *.txt extension. In order to load previously saved Autoruns program data, use the command Open menu File.

Using the Autoruns Utility to Manage Autorun Objects Using the Command Line

If you prefer to work from the console, you can also use the commands of the Autoruns utility. With it, you can perform the same actions as with the Autoruns utility, only using the command line, displaying information in the console window or redirecting the output of the command to a text file. Due to the fact that this utility can only be opened using command line tools, to work with Autoruns, follow these steps:

1. Open command prompt as administrator;
2. Navigate to the folder with the downloaded Autoruns utility, for example "C:\Program Files\Sysinternals Suite\";
3. Run the utility with the required parameter.

The following options are available:

A - display of all autorun items;

B - displaying information about objects that are loaded in the early stages of system boot;

C - export of displayed data to a CSV file;

D - display of application initialization DLLs;

E - display Windows Explorer extensions;

G - display Windows sidebar and desktop gadgets;

H - display of Hijacks elements;

I - display additional elements of the Internet Explorer browser;

K - display of known DLLs;

L - display of elements launched automatically upon login;

M - do not display objects with Microsoft digital signature;

N - display of Winsock protocol providers;

O - display of codec elements;

P - display print monitor drivers;

R - mapping LSA security providers;

S - display of services in automatic start mode and not disabled drivers;

T - displaying the elements of the task scheduler;

V - verification of digital signatures;

W - display of Winlogon elements;

X - export of displayed data to XML-file;

User - display automatically launched objects for the specified user account.

For example, if you only want to view items that automatically start at login, use the utility with the -l option, as shown below:

Conclusion

This article explains how to configure the items that automatically start applications when you boot and log on to the Windows operating system. The process of loading the Windows 7 operating system is briefly described, as well as the methods of working and monitoring autorun using the system utility. "System configuration", changing autorun items using the system registry, how to work with Autoruns applications and the console version of Autoruns from Sysinternals. With the help of the information contained in the article, you can correctly configure the startup applications of your operating system.