Cannot access all startup items in Windows 8

[Ztruker]

Couple possible fixes here: startup tab in task manager is blank - Microsoft Community

 

[ericwish1]

Sorry for the long delay, I have looked at this solution though and it still has not fixed my problem. I do have a startup folder and I ran the file checker without any issues. That thread though said that the startup tab is completely blank. I at least have 1 or 2 entries in there which is what makes this so frustrating because it does recognize some of the programs but not all, and the million dollar question I keep asking is, why? The programs that are listed are in the same folder as the ones that aren't listed, so I don't know what the difference is between the "visible" and "invisible" ones are.

Ztruker ​

do you have any other suggestions?

 

[Ztruker]

Try creating a new user account. See what shows on the Startup tab in Task Manager there.

 

[WingnutWilson]

Just came across this thread with the same problems myself with a fresh install, the programs not showing up are the Asus AI Suite, and Asus EZ Update (which I would definitely like to disable at start-up, I don't need it checking for AI Suite updates constantly).

From this guys post about the AI Suite and EZ Update he recommends disabling it from the Task Scheduler (I'm on Windows 8.1). It seems the process is not viewed as a start-up program by windows but rather as a scheduled task. Maybe the same is true for other programs too.

 

[ericwish1]

Ztruker
I tried your suggestion of creating a new account and that still did not help
As I mentioned, from the beginning, the only items in the start up list have been Dropbox and Btmshellex. There has been no corruption of any kind and the other programs are listed in the respective startup folder, I just cannot understand why they won't properly show up in the task manager. Since there is no corruption I am wondering if it would truly make a difference if I did a clean install of Windows 8.1? Are there any other troubleshooting steps you or anyone else can think of that would solve this incredibly annoying issue?

 

[Ztruker]

Couple things come to mind.

1. Run sfc /scannow from a Elevated Command prompt.`
2. Run Windows Repair All-In-One (portable version - no install, just run it)

 

[ericwish1]

Ztruker ​

I thought I had already run the scannow command but I did it again anyway and it did find some corrupt files, however when I tried accessing the logs I received an "access denied" error. I am not sure if that is because it is located in the windows folder. I also ran the all in one repair tool and I was hoping for some good news after doing both of these steps. However, after restarting there was still no change. What is even weirder is I opened up both the registry entries and the startup folders that did previously list the correct list of startup items and now they don't. I just don't get it anymore. I don't know what to do.

 

[Ztruker]

Can you uninstall then reinstall the two ASUS programs?

 

[ericwish1]

Which programs are you referring to? Aslo, I've mentioned before that up until now the only 2 entries I have seen are Btmshellex which I believe is for the bluetooth and Dropbox. After running the two fixes you suggested, Dropbox still starts up with my computer but it is no longer listed in the startup tab, the only thing left is the bluetooth module.

 

[Ztruker]

When you ran WRAIO, did you have it reset Registry Permissions? What about file permissions?

Put the listed registry keys into a batch file to make it easy to query startup items.

startupProgs.bat:
reg query "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run"
reg query "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run"
reg query "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run"

 

[ericwish1]

I just ran the default options, but yes, I do believe those were selected. I attempted to run the batch file but it is not doing anything. Am I just copying everything from startupProgs.bat: to the end of the 3rd query and saving it in notepad and running it as an Admin? Or is there a different procedure? Because when I run it, I see the command prompt coming up for about a half a second, then disappearing and then nothing else happens.

 

[Ztruker]

You need to run it from a Command Prompt and perhaps a Elevated Command Prompt. When I run it I get:

>startupProgs.bat

>reg query "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    Adobe ARM    REG_SZ    "C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Adobe\ARM\1.0\AdobeARM.exe"
    TrueImageMonitor.exe    REG_SZ    "C:\Program Files (x86)\Acronis\TrueImageHome\TrueImageMonitor.exe"
    AcronisTibMounterMonitor    REG_SZ    C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Acronis\TibMounter\TibMounterMonitor.exe
    Everything    REG_SZ    "C:\Program Files (x86)\Everything\Everything.exe" -startup
    (Default)    REG_SZ
    RoxWatchTray    REG_SZ    "C:\Program Files (x86)\Roxio Creator NXT\Common\RoxWatchTray14.exe"
    ControlCenter3    REG_SZ    C:\Program Files (x86)\Brother\ControlCenter3\brctrcen.exe /autorun
    BrStsMon00    REG_SZ    C:\Program Files (x86)\Browny02\Brother\BrStMonW.exe /AUTORUN
    APSDaemon    REG_SZ    "C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Apple\Apple Application Support\APSDaemon.exe"
    QuickTime Task    REG_SZ    "C:\Program Files (x86)\QuickTime\QTTask.exe" -atboottime
    LifeCam    REG_SZ    "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft LifeCam\LifeExp.exe"


>reg query "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    Acronis Scheduler2 Service    REG_SZ    "C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Acronis\Schedule2\schedhlp.exe"
    MirrorFolderShell    REG_SZ    C:\Program Files\MirrorFolder\mrfshl.exe
    VX3000    REG_SZ    C:\Windows\vVX3000.exe


>reg query "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    Sidebar    REG_SZ    C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar\sidebar.exe /autoRun
    Pando Media Booster    REG_SZ    C:\Program Files (x86)\Pando Networks\Media Booster\PMB.exe

 

[ericwish1]

I'm guessing I am doing something wrong because this is what comes up.

 

[Ztruker]

Looks like you are putting a colon at the end of the command startupProgs.bat: ... don't!

 

[ericwish1]

I re-did it but I didn't put a colon in there it did it automatically, but I feel like I didn't set up the batch file correctly. Were the steps that I described the correct way of setting up a batch file? Because I have never actually setup my own, so I'm wondering if I did it wrong.

 

[Ztruker]

Don't include startupProgs.bat: in the batch file, just the 3 reg query lines.

 

[ericwish1]

Ztruker

​

I'm guessing I did this right but still, I am only seeing the two entries that I have ever mentioned but I know for a fact that is not true. I have touchpad software through Asus starting up as well as dropbox, gmail notifier, norton internet security, hotspot shield elite, and I know there are more for drivers, etc. So why, after all of this, is everything just "blank".

 

[Ztruker]

Are you running this from a Elevated Command Prompt?

 

[ericwish1]

Ztruker
I have always been running it as Admin. I right click on the start menu and click Command Prompt (Admin).

 

[Ztruker]

It looks like those entries in the registry have been deleted but that can't be true or they wouldn't still be starting when you boot.

What does Autoruns that My2cents suggested show you? I would think it would be the same as Startup in Task Manager but let's see.