replacement for "MSCONFIG"

  • Thread starter Thread starter Guest
  • Start date Start date
G

Guest

Guest
"msconfig" was a very useful command in Win98...

does anyone know the replacement of it in win2000...

or how to disable some programs in the startup?....
 
[Originally posted by gm_ung: "....<b>"msconfig" was a very useful command in Win98... does anyone know the replacement of it in win2000...
or how to disable some programs in the startup?</b>...."]

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.

Anyway, if you want to see what is running after startup, go to Task Manager, Applications, Processes.
You can shut off what you don’t like and see what happens.
Or go to registry and disable on startup what you don't need and see what happens.

There’re some third party software that help work on registry and are capable to check/uncheck programs on startup :
Download Regcleaner from <A HREF="http://www.jv16.org/" target="_new">here</A>. It has a function for this and works on Win2K.
Or Startup Control Panel <A HREF="http://www.mlin.net/" target="_new"> here </A> . Much better than MSCONFIG.

Now what I think, Win2000 users don’t need that feature much.
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.
Chears.
 
I dont know about you, but I think that msconfig would be useful in a home or office computer... but in either case, where in the registry can you go to disable programs from starting at startup?
-k

I pledge allegiance, to the flag, of the Corporate Republic of America...
 
Dear Nick ... you completely missed the point of this post. All he asked for was a replacement for MSCONFIG in Win2k. It sounds like English might not be your native language?? No offense intended.

Turning off processes randomly in the Task Manager is NOT the right way to disable running programs in the OS.

And yes, most people still find, even in Win2k, that it is convenient to have a program that turns off unwanted items that load from the Registry. Not everyone is comfortable with working in the Registry, and it is very unforgiving to user errors. There are many third-party programs that load unwanted, unnecessary items during the installation, no matter what kind of custom installation you choose.

The whole point to having a computer is to run programs. I can't think of many that I might prefer to do without, simply to keep the OS running trouble-free. Although, if like you, I avoided installing a program long enough, I might eventually decide that I didn't really need it. Kinda like the story of the fox and the grapes.

IMHO ... Win2k is an excellent replacement for Win98, regardless of the environment.

Toejam31



<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>
 
Here ya go!

<A HREF="http://forums.gideontech.com/showthread.php?threadid=796" target="_new">http://forums.gideontech.com/showthread.php?threadid=796</A>

This works just fine. Pass it around!

Toejam31

<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>
 
Here:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

AND

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

You should also check any other "Run" keys in the Windows\CurrentVersion subdirectory.

Toejam31



<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>
 
What did I miss, Toejam31?
Gm_ung is asking about “..msconfig … replacement of it in win2000 … or how to disable some programs in the startup?....” as he posted.

And I provided him with the links on similar tools or even with better features and interface. Those tools work on disabling programs on the startup also. Although I didn’t recommend this approach.


Yes, probably I missed something, and I’d be very appreciated if you give me some more explanation.

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 <b>its own subkey</b> there for information specific to the local computer. The thing is, the settings contained in these subkeys contain information <b>provided by the manufacturer</b>. (For me it looks like you forgot about it, Toejam31.)

Trying to solve the problem we had to look through the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\manufacturer_name to get application information on specific settings that the co-worker could put during install. For some hint. And we did it.

As you know from Win2000 documentation and from the idea what it was designed for, its security level and durability compromises some user’s conveniences. What I learned, not always a universal tool available for Win2000.
As for me, I still think that it’s not too bad when every user on Win2000 workstation can’t freely play with the registry. Even in a relatively small network with 50-75 workstations there’re enough trouble when users ask for a permission to download an engineering software and get some Trojan horse instead. And often users, who granted temporarily with privileges to get some access to common resources, began to update drivers for a network printers and so on.
That’s why …sorry, I’ve already told about it ...

You can blame me, but my point is only I want my, yours and others machines work properly.
OK, anyway, that’s why I appreciate any further explanation on where I’m wrong and what don’t understand.
Thank you.
 
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>
 
Fantastic. When it comes to computers, I see we're about the same. The rest I don't mind nor discuss. In Layman's terms, clear as Vodka now! :smile:
The program the guy needed, had been downloaded along with newer sound card driver.
But <A HREF="http://www.techadvice.com/win2000/m/msconfig_w2k.htm" target="_new">
look at this</A>. This page certainly gives the impression that the tools will work on Win2K!!


Also <A HREF="http://home.att.net/~r.rizun/Special/start.htm" target="_new">that</A>.
 
I see exactly what you are talking about now. You thought I was saying that the guy should install the older Win98 version of MSCONFIG in Win2k. That does work ... but I don't think it's a good idea, anymore than you do. I like to stick to 32bit programs for Win2k.

The link I provided was to the latest version of MSCONFIG, which appears to have been "lifted" from one of the early
beta versions of WinXP, so it is fully functional.

I understand why you recommended that he try something other than MSCONFIG!

I figured that this was just a minor miscommunication.

"Fantastic. When it comes to computers, I see we're about the same." COOL! 🙂)

Toejam31

<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>
 
Yes, Toejam31, I've read everything very attentively. And what I didn’t understand (I told), on that
I got explanations. Despite on my own vision on WinNT/2000 machines from my point of view (based on my woking environment, the less tweaking - the better) I fully agree with you. Fantastic!- yes. :smile: