Author Topic: Good programs for helping you manage what programs start with windows? (Read 75,410 times)

Trilinea · « **Reply #25 on:** May 06, 2007, 03:08 PM »

For simplicity or novice use I would probably recommend:

StartEd (by OuterTech) http://www.outertech.com/index.php?_charisma_page=products
or
StartUp Organizer (by MetaProducts) from http://www.metaproducts.com/mp/Startup_Organizer.htm

(For more advanced use RegRun NIVA and Absolute Startup for added features like delay etc.)

I just downloaded Chameleon Startup and so far it seems to be pretty good.

Best,

TriLinea

Curt · « **Reply #26 on:** May 06, 2007, 03:41 PM »

Welcome, Trilinea

The author is writing on a major Chameleon update - and I mean MAJOR!! He is going to add several feaures in order to beat all the other managers... A couple of months ago he said it might be launched during May. But time will tell.

broken85 · « **Reply #27 on:** May 06, 2007, 04:06 PM »

This may have been mentioned already, but there was recently a discount here for Chameleon Startup Manager 2 (http://www.neosoft-tools.com/windows-startup-manager.htm). I bought it, and I love it. It's small, it's reliable, it can postpone startup items on high CPU load and set startup delays, as well as keep profiles, and in my experience it works a lot better than Startup Guru (which I also own but which I've had a lot of trouble with in the past).

I also really like how you can easily switch the startup location of items between the current and all users in both the start menu and the registry. It gives you a great feeling of control.

EDIT:
Yeah, it was mentioned right above my posts. Whoops! Well let this serve as a shining recommendation for Chameleon Startup Manager!

Curt · « **Reply #28 on:** May 06, 2007, 04:08 PM »

Thanks to this thread I am now using Startup Delayer too. When I installed it, it was entirely because StartRight for some unknown reason wouldn't function properly on my new XP, though it worked like a charm on the old Win2K. But now, a month later, I wonder how I got by without Startup Delayer. It is very simple (as is StartRight), but it does excatly what I would want it to. I don't care if the starting procedure actually is slower now, because it is more important to me that the weaker programs are all starting the way their author intended them to. I have far too many programs to expect all of them to open every time, without a manager. But now I can relax, knowing that ALL programs will open AND display their icon. And Startup Delayer is soo easy to use.

I recommend the simple Startup Delayer and StartRight
- keep it simple, dummy!

broken85 · « **Reply #29 on:** May 06, 2007, 04:36 PM »

I used StartRight for some time and would recommend it as well. At one point (this was long ago now so I do not remember the details) I simply lost all the items StartRight was managing from my startup list, so that was a little bit frustrating, but all in all it was a great app which introduced me to the wonderful world of delaying startup applications.

Curt · « **Reply #30 on:** May 06, 2007, 04:42 PM »

Quote from: broken85 on May 06, 2007, 04:36 PM

... At one point (this was long ago now so I do not remember the details) ...

Do you remember if you were driving XP at the time, or something else?

nosh · « **Reply #31 on:** May 06, 2007, 05:05 PM »

Quote

I simply lost all the items StartRight was managing from my startup list

There's a really good 2-click utility, StartupSelector, that'll let you backup your startup program shortcuts (including the contents of commonly used startup locations in the registry) - it's written by the author of Startup Control Panel: http://www.mlin.net/other.shtml

Its main purpose is to let you create different profiles detailing which programs to run on startup. I find it handy having a 'minimalist' profile besides my main one.

The program doesn't let you delete previously created profiles but that can be done using regedit: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\mlin\StartupSelector

Curt · « **Reply #32 on:** May 06, 2007, 06:02 PM »

I gave up on Mike Lin because of too many crashes.

But that was me.

nosh · « **Reply #33 on:** May 06, 2007, 06:42 PM »

I've been using his apps without any problems for longer than I can remember... too bad he seems to have abandoned them. My mail to him requesting the addition of an essential function to Startup Control Panel was met with silence.

Curt · « **Reply #34 on:** May 06, 2007, 06:57 PM »

Quote from: nosh on May 06, 2007, 06:42 PM

I've been using his apps without any problems for longer than I can remember... too bad he seems to have abandoned them.

I think that is the problem; he has given up on updating. I guess he is busy doing other stuff. I hope! But it is okay, I think. Mike's star may be blurred, but it was shining, and you can't make a living by giving your work away for free all of your life. I was using Lin's apps when I was running Win98, and they were great. On Win2K some were still great, but not those I was hoping for. I have heard too many XP users complaining to dare to try any of his apps at this new XP of mine.

Trilinea · « **Reply #35 on:** May 06, 2007, 07:22 PM »

Thanks very much Curt for the nice welcome! I am really enjoying the welcoming atmosphere and the reviews, discounts etc here at DonationCoder

broken85 · « **Reply #36 on:** May 06, 2007, 08:46 PM »

Quote from: Curt on May 06, 2007, 04:42 PM

Quote from: broken85 on May 06, 2007, 04:36 PM
... At one point (this was long ago now so I do not remember the details) ...

Do you remember if you were driving XP at the time, or something else?

Yep, it was XP, on my work machine. I had been using it for months with no problem, but it would crash sometimes and I think it was one of those times I lost my managed startup items.

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #37 on:** May 06, 2007, 11:23 PM »

I have had a few issues with MLin's StartupCPL under WinXP - occasionally I have found that disabling and then restoring an item will lose any command line arguments that were present. The most obvious effect that some apps that started stopped 'auto-hiding' at startup.

Personally I just use MSCONFIG now which is part of all windows versions except Windows 2000 (though you can use the XP version under W2k and there are various links to downloads if you need it). Not sure if it supported under Vista but I'd guess it would be as MS responded to people's frustration when it was left out of W2k.

Darwin · « **Reply #38 on:** May 07, 2007, 12:58 PM »

Giveawayoftheday have InControl on offer for free today... I've never used it, but thought someone here might be interested in giving it a go.

hollowlife1987 · « **Reply #39 on:** May 07, 2007, 01:15 PM »

Not exactly very noob friendly and you can't add items to startup with it but, a very good program none the less.
So a little bit off topic, but hope you guys (and gals) don't mind.

Autoruns

Autoruns has some great features including the ability to hide all Microsoft verified entry's.

hpearce · « **Reply #40 on:** May 16, 2007, 04:15 PM »

I've been using Startup Manager by Brad Stowers for years. It's an old program but still my favorite.

A feature I like is it's ability recoginize new entries since the last time you used it. Allows you to quickly review what's happening and maybe connect confusing entries to something you installed if it isn't clear from the ptogram path or name.

http://f2.org/download/startupmgr-v1.5.2.25.exe

laughinglizard · « **Reply #41 on:** May 17, 2007, 05:43 PM »

My vote goes to Code Stuff Starter.
http://www.snapfiles.com/get/starter.html

Its easy to use for beginners, lets you control Start Up Programs, Processes and Services, each in a different tab.

One feature I really like is that if you aren't sure what a program or service is, you can click on Properties and it will give you information about the program.

[attach]

iphigenie · « **Reply #42 on:** May 18, 2007, 09:05 AM »

I use the bit that comes with regrun - it has never done anything strange ever.
I do wish it had delayed startup options like winpatrol or chameleon but I keep going back to it.

justice · « **Reply #43 on:** May 18, 2007, 09:17 AM »

And I use WinPatrol because it is the only one I found that works on Vista at the moment. The free version is very good and has no nags, so don't forget to buy the pro version if you want to support the author!

dluby · « **Reply #44 on:** May 18, 2007, 01:05 PM »

Did Quick StartUp get a mention:

http://www.glarysoft.com/quick-startup/

Its free and it helps give you a visual rating of what it considers shouldn't be in your startup (don't ask me on what basis).

Damian

TucknDar · « **Reply #45 on:** August 05, 2007, 08:08 PM »

Sorry to revive this thread, but I was wondering whether anyone use a AutoHotkey Script to manage their startup items? Either just a simple one or a more advanced with a GUI...?

Darwin · « **Reply #46 on:** September 01, 2007, 12:24 AM »

PCMag has just released Startup Cop 3 with a bunch of new features including both delayed startup and the ability to set startup order (as in, don't start app x until app y has successfully launched). It's $7.95 (unless you have a subscription to their downloads) and I've just installed it but haven't had an opportunity to wring it out and put it through its paces (ah, the mixed metaphor - an artform!). Anyway, here's a list of features from the website (because I am too lazy to type it out myself):

Quote

1) A new interface that behaves more like a Web browser, enabling you to go back and forth between pages.

2) A threat database, provided by safety experts Bit9, gives you security in knowing that the programs listed are what they say they are. Startup Cop Pro generates a unique hash for the files that Windows starts up. This hash is sent to the Bit9 servers to compare with all of the file information in their vast database. If a hash matches, Startup Cop Pro can provide a threat level for the file. This method of determining a file's threat level is much more accurate than basing it on filenames which can easily be renamed.

3) The ability to turn off monitoring programs attempting to add themselves to the startup process. For example, if you know a program needs to insert itself into your runonce key and you don't want to be alerted, you can choose to not monitor the program.

4) A new, more descriptive dialog appears when there are duplicate entries in the startup list.

5) A simpler icon view of startup programs (if you choose it).

6) The ability to select which search engine to use in order to search for more information about a program

skywalka · « **Reply #47 on:** September 01, 2007, 06:58 PM »

Thanx for the news Darwin.

For me the clincher will be something I've mentioned in my previous post. If I add a new program to start without much of a delay I don't want to have to manually edit the delay for all subsequent programs. If what you said here is true then maybe that wish has been realized?

Quote from: Darwin on September 01, 2007, 12:24 AM

don't start app x until app y has successfully launched).

Does this work? How can StartUp Cop 3 determine if an app is succesfully launched? By monitoring it's CPU useage?

I also like the feature that remembers how to handle reoccuring notifications.

Please, keep me posted.

Curt · « **Reply #48 on:** September 01, 2007, 08:06 PM »

Quote from: Carol Haynes on July 23, 2006, 02:55 PM

I know it has been mentioned here before (but not in this thread)

Startup Delayer (http://www.r2.com.au/software.php?page=2&show=startdelay) gives control over the startup process - you can delete entries you don't want, add new entries and also time the startup of applications so that you can introduce a delay during startup if you have a lot of apps trying to load all at the same time.

Yes, Startup Delayer is soo easy to use:
Click the green plus, navigate to the program file, click OK. End of story!

[attachthumb=#]

Edit: Startup Delayer is offering: "Pause Startup Delayer until this application has closed"

tomos · « **Reply #49 on:** September 01, 2007, 10:33 PM »

Quote from: Darwin on September 01, 2007, 12:24 AM

PCMag has just released Startup Cop 3 with a bunch of new features including both delayed startup and the ability to set startup order (as in, don't start app x until app y has successfully launched). It's $7.95 (unless you have a subscription to their downloads) and I've just installed it but haven't had an opportunity to wring it out and put it through its paces (ah, the mixed metaphor - an artform!). Anyway, here's a list of features from the website (because I am too lazy to type it out myself):

sounds very interesting, they seem to have a lot of nice little programmes.
(nudone has recommended a couple over the last couple years)
I think if you pay $19(.99 I guess

) you can down them all -
dont know if they are easily accessible though.

Yeah, Mike, do let us know how you get on with that!