Let me address your original post, and see if I can explain why I made some comments.
"Windows 2000 isn't a replacement for Windows 98", that’s why
the “replacement” isn’t there :
Windows 98 (msconfig: yes)------upgrade to --> Windows ME
Windows NT4.0 (msconfig: no) ---upgrade to --> Windows 2000
Due to the purpose and unique design of Windows 2000 it doesn’t have some features of OS designed for generally home-used computers. And I think, everybody is happy with it."
I agree ... the original intent of Win2k for not for home-desktop use. But ... the reality is that due to the relative instability of Win9x, many more advanced users have turned to Win2k, and it's not just for corporate machines anymore. In fact, there are great many people that come to this forum who are running the OS as a gaming platform!
For those of us who have spent many hundreds of hours fixing problems with Win95/Win98 ... Win2k IS a valid upgrade path. A viable, stable desktop version of Windows with the NT core was promised years ago ... and many of us grew tired of waiting for an OS that wouldn't literally destroy itself, even with regular maintenance. So it should be no surprise to discover that there is a larger percentage of home-based PC's running Win2k than any cross-section statistical analysis might show.
Note: Microsoft didn't bother to install a defragging utility in NT 4, either ... but that doesn't mean that using one occasionally was a bad idea, even in NTFS. M$ sometimes just does stupid things. (Argue with that statement, HA!) LOL!
"There’re some third party software that help work on registry and are capable to check/uncheck programs on startup :
Download Regcleaner from here. It has a function for this and works on Win2K.
Or Startup Control Panel here . Much better than MSCONFIG."
Good links. But the new version of MSCONFIG works very well, and users who are accustomed to Win98 might appreciate a familiar interface.
"Now what I think, Win2000 users don’t need that feature much."
Well ... not on a networked corporate machine. But for a home user, who might be installing several different programs in a year ... yes.
"What I suggest, read carefully how the software works/compatible on Win2000 first before download/install.
Check Microsoft site, developer's site, learn not only how to install, but how to uninstall. Ask your System Administrator/Analyst a suggestion/permission/help in case of a corporate computer. And probably you don’t need that program and that feature at all, and the system/network will run day and night problem-free for years."
Again ... on a network. Users on a network really should never be running around installing software without permission, upgrading drivers, or generally altering things to suit themselves. But for most home users who have installed Win2k, I would think that installing or uninstalling a program would be a familiar process. I could be wrong ... but that's my opinion.
I think that you were making the immediate assumption that the originator of the thread is on a Network, exactly as if you were in a work environment. But this place, this forum ... this is not a work environment. It's a help forum. (Except for the CPU section, which is populated with technical fanatics and burnouts who dearly love to scream at each other.) <GRIN>
Of course ... I could be wrong, myself! Maybe he wrote from the job site, and felt a strong, bizarre desire to cause the IT personnel some extra work.
"Unfortunately, that msconfig v5 with something we know, and it didn’t work when we tried to disable on startup an accordion (music box), one our co-worker installed on his workstation.
One day we tried all other tools we downloaded to disable the program on startup. No luck.
The thing is, normally every good software should launch itself from Programs>StartUp or have a Startup disable feature from its menu.
And we can see it on ATI, Sound Blaster, different printer and scanner software.
But some software instead, puts only its registry value entries in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE subkey . And each application has its own subkey there for information specific to the local computer. The thing is, the settings contained in these subkeys contain information provided by the manufacturer. (For me it looks like you forgot about it, Toejam31.)"
Yes ... most software will place a shortcut on the Startup menu ... if it has an installation program. The copy of MSCONFIG I posted the link to does not have this feature. For it to be functional, it has to be placed in the WINNT\System folder, and then launched from a Command Line, or a shortcut. But that doesn't mean that it is BAD software. It's small, doesn't take up a ton of system resources, and does only what it is designed to do. To me, that's the hallmark of good software.
I did not forget that information specific to a program is contained in the Registry sub-keys. But it doesn't RUN from there. Which defeats the purpose of having any kind of program that launches in the GUI to control what third-party programs start up during the boot.
I appears to me that your co-worker installed a program, without having any clue of how to do a custom installation. The quick fix would have been to uninstall the program, clear all references to it from the Registry, and then do a custom installation of the program. Basically, you guys just had to locate the READ ME file to see how the program should have been installed in the first place.
Are you sure that you had the new version of MSCONFG installed properly? Was the music box program listed there?
I can see how this sort of situation would have made you "gun-shy" about helping someone install an additional program in Win2k, even if it was for disabling startup items.
So why did you reply to the post in the first place? Again, I reiterate ... this forum is not your work place. It's okay. You don't have to protect anyone from themselves. Relax. If you want to help someone, feel free to do so, without the normal daily restraints.
There is no blame here. I'm not mad at you. I hope you aren't pissed off at me. I just disagreed with some of your comments. You might disagree with mine. Call it the mildest of arguments. If we had been face-to-face, it probably would have been a two-minute discussion. Don't worry about it ... it's all in the name of exchanging information. For example, you might be a Buddhist, and I might be a Unitarian. On secular matters, it stands to reason that we might not be in total agreement. But it doesn't matter ... it's all the same thing anyway, in the long run.
No, don't thank me ... thank you!
Toejam31
P.S. I just have to ask ... what program were you talking about? Why did the guy need an accordion on his workstation? This one I've got to hear!
<font color=purple>My Rig:</font color=purple> <A HREF="http://www.anandtech.com/mysystemrig.html?rigid=6847" target="_new">http://www.anandtech.com/mysystemrig.html?rigid=6847</A>
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