Start-up programs missing on boot-up

davolente · Joined: Oct 04, 2003 Posts: 361 Location: Kent, UK

One of my PC`s is an ancient machine (originally ran Win98!) that surprised me originally by actually running XP quite successfully (or should I say "did"run XP successfully!), with a bigger drive and some additional RAM that I had going spare. Just recently, however, programs that should rustle up with Windows are intermittantly missing, just giving me the basics in the notification area, i.e. the volume icon and the network icon (it`s connected to the main PC via an ethernet cross-over cable). Also, a program called Synergy that allows me to use one mouse and keyboard across both PC`s works OK. More importantly, AVG and Zone Alarm aren`t there, along with Mailwasher, as I use that machine for previewing mail on the server. I have a couple of other items that I like to have running and they don`t come up either. It doesn`t seem to be a case of just the icons being missing (a known problem with XP), as task manager doesn`t show the programs as running. Normally takes several boot-ups for everything to show and run normally. Desktop looks normal, although it is a tad slow to show everything these days. Don`t really want to have to re-install. Have scanned thoroughly for any malware. Any suggestions, please?

Baby_Tux · Joined: Mar 06, 2007 Posts: 1242

VERY FIRST thing you HAVE to do is ask yourself, "What was the last thing I did or the computer may have done automatically just before the trouble started?" That usually gives the biggest clue.

You said you scanned for MALWARE - if you haven't already, I'd scan for the REST of the nasties. Could be a virus (Since your A/V stuff is kaput!) Always a good place to start when strange things are going on, on M$ anyway.

MORE LIKELY (RAM or other hardware)..., you mentioned adding RAM but not sure when in relation to when the problems started. So have to ask if you are sure the RAM is good. If not, then check the RAM, then rest of hardware / heat problems - If the system checks & is virus clean, then you can try a REPAIR INSTALL.

Yeah, I know, a very rudimentary, in a nutshell answer but the outline should work - at least to get started.

davolente · Joined: Oct 04, 2003 Posts: 361 Location: Kent, UK

Thanks for that. The RAM comment was just an aside, That`s been installed for ages - ever since I put XP on there and everything has been working fine for about a year. The malware scan was a generalisation. Yes, I have looked for other nasties. I have just found something similar on another forum, the answer being to go to services and change Universal Plug and Play Device Host on automatic but I can`t see the connection myself, especially as that seems to be used in conjunction with SSDP Discovery Service, according to www.blackviper.com and I have that disabled, as per. a previous not-needed services list that I have seen. In any case, everything worked OK before, so I don`t see as that can be the problem. I have just done a CHKdisk as a precaution on a boot-up and all the programs have come up, but that`s no real clue, as the problem seems to be intermittant. The other odd thing is that the programs have different start-up locations.
Mailwasher is located in
C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Start Menu\Programs\Startup.
Four of the others are in
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
and another is in
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run,
which makes little sense to me!
Perhaps someone could quickly enlighten me as to why there are different startup locations for different programs, out of interest.
I can`t think of any connection, off the top of my head, between what might have been done on the machine and the cause of this problem but, as the problem is intermittant, this makes it more difficult!

Baby_Tux · Joined: Mar 06, 2007 Posts: 1242

goretsky

Hello,

I wonder if the problem might be due to applications timing out when they run (or attempt to run) during startup. Have you tried clearing the various temporary file folders on the computer and then defragmenting the disk volume(s) on the hard disk drive(s)? If so, did that make any difference to the boot speed of the computer and the applications which go missing at startup?

Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky

davolente · Joined: Oct 04, 2003 Posts: 361 Location: Kent, UK

Hello everyone again. As usual, been busy, but thanks to all for suggestions. However, I think I may have it sorted. I was running Threatfire http://www.threatfire.com/
on both my machines and, although it`s supposed to play nicely with everything else out there, it appeared to be the culprit that was slowing down my main PC, so removed it from there and when I also removed it from the secondary machine (the one with the start-up programs missing), that seemed to resolve the problem. Not sure why or how!