Solved Stop Software From Opening on Win 8.1 System Startup?

I want to stop some newly installed software from starting automatically on my Microsoft Surface Pro 2 running Windows 8.1. It's not in the two places for software that is to open on system startup, Task Manager and msconfig. So I'm stumped.

How do I stop it from opening on Windows 8.1 system startup?

Welcome to the Forums.

There are 2 free utilities I am familiar with that may be helpful. AutoRuns which is the more thorough of the 2, and WinPatrol Free. WinPatrol is easier to use in that it is automatic. When you install a new program a short time may lapse until WinPatrol does its next detection cycle, at which time it will prompt you, do you want to let the program autostart and what it is trying to run. You can click Allow or Disallow.

WinPatrol also lets you open a section with the programs that run on startup. You can remove or delay them etc. without deleting the exe files. WinPatrol does not catch as many autostart locations as AutoRuns. The author of AutoRuns, Mark Russinovich, has been doing Windows system programming for many years.

My advice would be try WinPatrol Free and see if it does enough to prevent the annoyances. If you need a more technical tool then go with AutoRuns. In fact there are many small utilities on the SysInternals site that are handy to have. Most are single purpose. The AutoRuns has quite a few tabs so I get lost in it a bit myself. I always run WinPatrol. It does stuff like let me know if an install tried to change my home page, mess with my network hosts file, install a toolbar etc..

WinPatrol Plus can be set to patrol in Real Time. Otherwise, free is good

RolandJS said:

WinPatrol Plus can be set to patrol in Real Time. Otherwise, free is good

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Yes, I got Plus awhile back when it was at an excellent discount. I think I only paid $7 or so for it. In fact the licensing just changed to yearly. There was a deadline to purchase the lifetime license but I think it has passed.

Edit: Yes, March 1 was the last day you could purchase a lifetime license. But as you say, the free version does quite a lot. I only bought the license because I used it for so many years I wanted to contribute a few bucks to the author. I don't use the Plus features really.

MilesAhead said:

Welcome to the Forums.
My advice would be try WinPatrol Free and see if it does enough to prevent the annoyances. .

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Thanks for the reply. I should have mentioned that I have WinPatrol Plus. It doesn't list it in the startup list.

I'll look into your other suggestions.

pmillen said:

MilesAhead said:

Welcome to the Forums.
My advice would be try WinPatrol Free and see if it does enough to prevent the annoyances. .

Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply. I should have mentioned that I have WinPatrol Plus. It doesn't list it in the startup list.

I'll look into your other suggestions.

Click to expand...

With AutoRuns the easy way if you know the name of the process is to Control f and enter it. It should highlight the entry.

BTW, I read that some startups are simply a registry manipulation and the only way to stop the autorun is to delete the registry changes. I don't care to attempt that.

Well, Autoruns doesn't see it either.

Does any expert user want to install it in order to dissect it and thwart the startup? Go to Rocksbarbque.com and download StokerLog. It's free. It's a great program if you use a Stoker to BBQ. But it's annoying. And I hate the thought that I can't stop the author from doing this.

I know, I know. It takes less that three seconds to close it when it opens. Well, it's my three seconds. Not the author's to manipulate.

pmillen said:

BTW, I read that some startups are simply a registry manipulation and the only way to stop the autorun is to delete the registry changes. I don't care to attempt that.

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Third party software usually put the entry in startup but some will setup as a service.
Autoruns is all you need . You have the choice to delete the entry in the registry, or just to disable it. The only tabs that you are interested in are: logon and services. If uncheck on an item to disable it or right click on an item, a context menu will display the options: delete, open in registry, open file location etc...

Here's an example

I was wrong. Autoruns found it.

It was listed in Task Manager (and msconfig, I think) as Installshield without any reference to StokerLog. Autoruns had the reference.

Anything that is loading on boot, would be found in the Run & RunOnce keys for Local Machine & User. They are under Software, Microsoft, Windows, Current Version on both of those areas.

A good free tool is Regshot

You take a snapshot, run the program installer, then another snapshot. If detects what registry and file changes were made by the installer. Good for those programs trying to do sneaky stuff during install.

Folks:
If I earlier heard and remember correctly -- WinPatrol Plus licenses have been converted into 5-PC lifetime licenses.
I believe WinPrivacy and/or TaskCatcher licenses have also been converted.
** I will reEmail Ruiware owner and confirm the above; you are welcome to visit the main WinPatrol page and do likewise. **
IF the above first two sentences are correct -- then monies will be saved by all.

RolandJS said:

Folks:
If I earlier heard and remember correctly -- WinPatrol Plus licenses have been converted into 5-PC lifetime licenses.
I believe WinPrivacy and/or TaskCatcher licenses have also been converted.
** I will reEmail Ruiware owner and confirm the above; you are welcome to visit the main WinPatrol page and do likewise. **
IF the above first two sentences are correct -- then monies will be saved by all.

Click to expand...

That will be cool. I know a couple of months ago the author replied to a post on another forum that those who had Plus licenses before the change were grandfathered in. So my license should be good for good.

broe23 said:

Anything that is loading on boot, would be found in the Run & RunOnce keys for Local Machine & User. They are under Software, Microsoft, Windows, Current Version on both of those areas.

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I know you're trying to help, so thanks. But it didn't help.

Others may be able to follow this instruction, but not me. It's of no consequence, though. My problem is solved.

Ok, WinPatrol & WinPrivacy license holders now have a 5PC lifetime license.
I do not know about TaskCatcher, emailed BillP Studios -- will post the answer here.

CCleaner usually has a way to turn off programs that are starting on Boot as well, In Windows 8 the start-up items are listed in the Task Manage window under "Start-Up", I don't know if it's in the same place in 8.1. Just disable the programs from there.

XweAponX said:

In Windows 8 the start-up items are listed in the Task Manage window under "Start-Up", I don't know if it's in the same place in 8.1. Just disable the programs from there.

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Thanks for taking the time to help. You apparently missed my comment in the thread-starting post, " It's not in the two places for software that is to open on system startup, Task Manager and msconfig."