Best Free Startup Manager
Startup Managers (sometimes called “Setup” or “Configuration” tools) allow you to control and configure the programs and services that start with Windows.
It is possible to do this within Windows, but these programs are easier to use and provide extra information and facilities. Vista offers excellent startup management from the "Manage Startup Programs" applet in the control panel.
There are many commercial and free applications available for XP, but here are are five outstanding freebies:
The best choice for average users is Mike Lin's Startup Control Panel. It's small, easy to use, with powerful features including the ability to edit or add entries. It's accessed from the Control Panel, so no entries are made in the Start Menu. However, my personal favourite is WinPatrol, because of it's startup-mangement capabilites as well as all othe other features that it offers - monitoring the hosts file, file associations, warning on programs adding themselves to your system at startup, etc.
Nir Sofer's StartupRun lists all startup programs in a single list, rather than in tabs according to location. It also has a lot more information on each program and extensive editing facilities, so it's probably not for beginners. It also finds some items which some of the the others miss.
Starter has a very clear interface and includes a process viewer and System Services manager. It can be run directly from the executable without installation, which makes it a handy item to have on your toolkit CD or flash drive.
NOTE: Starter has become so popular that the author's website has exceeded its download limit, so use the alternative download link for product information or to download.
For technical users my top recommendation is Autoruns (originally from SysInternals). It has the most comprehensive display of auto-starting locations of any startup monitor and has the added advantage of being a Microsoft product. Just because Autoruns comes from Microsoft don't be fooled into thinking it's just a fancy interface for the Windows command line utility MSConfig. It does much more.
Autoruns displays logon entries, Explorer add-ons, Internet Explorer add-ons including Browser Helper Objects (BHOs), Appinit DLLs, image hijacks, boot execute images, Winlogon notification DLLs, Windows Services, and Winsock Layered Service Providers. Switch tabs to view items in different categories. Autorun's "Hide Signed Microsoft Entries" option helps you to zoom in on third-party auto-starting images that have been added to your system. That's pretty handy for chasing down obsolete entries and possible malware infection.
WinPatrol is another solid effort, well worth a look. As well as startup management (including a very useful "delay" enhancement, which may smooth-out booting), it includes a plethora of other features. These include cookie management, file association restore, Active X component management, BHO monitoring and management, system change monitoring, and adding notes or comments to any program on your system. In addition, there is now a portable version of WinPatrol, which allows you to run if from your flash drive without installing it.
Startup Control Panel
Website: http://www.mlin.net/StartupCPL.shtml
Download link: http://www.mlin.net/StartupCPL.shtml
Author: Mike Lin
Current version: 2.8
Version date: 03/01/2003
Download File size: 60KB; 36KB (exe only)
License: Free for private and commercial use; donation requested
Operating systems supported: Windows 98 - XP
Additional Software Required: None
64 Bit version available: No
Portable version available: No
Non-English languages supported: None
StartupRun
Website: http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/strun.html
Download link: http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/strun.html
Author: Nir Sofer
Current version: 1.22
Version date: 07/11/2004
Download File size: 60KB; 36KB (exe only)
License: Freeware
Operating systems supported: Windows 9x - XP
Additional Software Required: None
64 Bit version available: No
Portable version available: No
Non-English languages supported: None
Starter
Website: http://codestuff.netfirms.com/products_starter.html
Alternate download link: http://www.snapfiles.com/get/starter.html
Author: CodeStuff
Current version: 5.6.2.8
Version date: 11/01/2007
Download File size: 675KB
License: Freeware
Operating systems supported: Windows (All)
Additional Software Required: None
64 Bit version available: No
Portable version available: Yes
Non-English languages supported: None
Autoruns
Website: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/default.aspx
Download link: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb963902.aspx
Author: Mark Russinovich and Bryce Cogswell (Sysinternals)
Current version: 9.32
Version date: 24/07/2008
Download File size: 490KB
License: Freeware
Operating systems supported: Windows (All)
Additional Software Required: None
64 Bit version available: Yes
Portable version available: Yes (runs as exe, no install required)
Non-English languages supported: None
Other relevant information: Command-line version available
Website: http://www.winpatrol.com/
Download link: http://www.winpatrol.com/download.html
Author: WinPatrol
Version: 15.5.2008.0
Date: 15.02.2008
Download file size: 706 KB
License: Free version of shareware program
Operating systems supported: Windows 98 - Vista
64 Bit version available: No, but this 32 bit program works in a 64 bit environment
Portable version available: Yes, at http://www.winpatrolflash.com/
Other languages supported: Many - see here: http://www.winpatrol.com/download.html
Additional software required: No
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Another product that is worth a mention is STM: Startup Manager.
Website: http://startupmanager.org/
This software is free and pretty much easy to use. As the name suggestion, it does help you manage your startup.
Gizmo, request that you evaluate this software.
Hi Guys, Different Topic:
Do any of these programs offer management of the order of startup items ? I really want my security starting first, All of which i discovered on TechSupportAlert.
THANKS
Reynaldo.
Try WinPatrol.
Thanks, but not exactly what I'm looking for, I'd prefer to simply set the order rather than delay some. I'll delay them for now and keep looking.
Reynaldo
If you google "control order of startup items"some possibilities are suggested.
If you find one that works for you, please report back. You might also think of writing a review. Although we're obviously focussed on freeware, we're also interested in commercial software if we can't find a free equivalent.
I've been using a program called StartRight for quite some time now, as it easily lets me manage all of my startup items in the exact order (asynchronously) that I choose or in the way that I want them to startup, along with adding custom delays for each program individually, and waiting for Windows related services/tasks/programs, and the CPU, to finish starting up/loading before full execution at login/bootup time (e.g. adding a delay before the full execution of all startup items in the registry and/or in the startmenu's startup folder). The rest can pretty much be handled manually through msconfig, regedit, or services.msc via with the Run box, though I highly doubt you'll have to touch them - however, sometimes programs only like to be run by Windows, but its all very easily managable in the end with all the methods that you have to choose from. Take a look though, it might be what you're looking for. Its been great for me thus far, and I've seen much faster bootup times than what I used to have. Not to mention the fact that now I can actually see (and watch) all of those system tray icons load at the bottom right corner of my taskbar, instead of having everything somewhat frozen or not appearing for 5mins+ at startup. =P
.;.
Cheers C|_|
Website:
http://www.joejoesoft.com/vcms/113
Hi Gizmo,
Have you looked at StartGuard Pro (http://www.startguard.net/)?
It's a startup manager/spyware blocker. I've used it for quite some time on one of my computers and it seems to work well. I haven't noticed any problems, but Spybot S&D just scanned and found it as spyware. I can't find any solid information as to why it is labeled as such.
Chris
I got a "virus" warning from Eset as well. It doesn't look to offer any startup management tools (I could be wrong) but it absolutely will not be reviewed in it's current state.
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