Cannot access all startup items in Windows 8

[ericwish1]

I am aware that the start up menu has been moved from msconfig to the task manager in Windows 8. However, I am running into issues because I have other third party software starting up with my computer such as Norton internet security, Dropbox, etc. But those processes do not appear within this tab and never have. I would like to find out, is there an alternate way of accessing these entries in order to either enable or disable them?

 

[Ztruker]

Look under Services.

Press Windows key + R, type services.msc and press Enter.
Check Hide all Microsoft Services then look at the remaining ones, see if what you want is there.

 

[alphanumeric]

Open regedit and look in;

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

 

[ericwish1]

Ztruker

I am not talking about Windows services, I am referring to software starting up with the machine. ​

alphanumeric

it looks like the first registry entry has the full list of the startup items, but how do I access that same list when I got into the task manager and go to the start-up tab? There is a SINGLE entry, why do the rest seem to be hidden from this tab?​

 

[Ztruker]

Are you sure you have Administrator authority? Does Control Panel, User Accounts say you do?

You could try enabling the real Administrator account then logon to it and see what it shows in Startup?

Open a Elevated Command Prompt
Type net user administrator /active:yes and press Enter
Switch users to Administrator or logoff your current account and login as Administrator

 

[alphanumeric]

Ztruker

I am not talking about Windows services, I am referring to software starting up with the machine. ​

alphanumeric

it looks like the first registry entry has the full list of the startup items, but how do I access that same list when I got into the task manager and go to the start-up tab? There is a SINGLE entry, why do the rest seem to be hidden from this tab?​

I don't know why there is a discrepancy between the two. Logitech annoys me buy putting in a reminder to register your product entry in startup. I could never find it with msconfig in Windows 8 so I went old school and looked at the RUN entries in the registry. I don't even bother with msconfig anymore. regedit will let you save locations under its favorites tab so I save those three locations there to make them easy to find latter on.

 

[alphanumeric]

Also have a look here, I'm on my Windows 7 PC at the moment but I think Windows 8 uses the same locations. Some of these are likely hidden folders so you'll have to change your view settings to find them.

C:\Users\(your user name)\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

 

[strollin]

When I view the Startup tab in Task Manager in Win 8, I see the items there that would previously have been seen on the Startup tab of msconfig in Win 7. You specifically mentioned Norton and Dropbox, I don't use Norton but Dropbox shows up in the list as do other items I use. Can you post a snapshot of the Startup tab of Task Manager?

 

[ericwish1]

strollin

that is exactly what I am talking about. In Windows 7, I had no issue seeing all startup items in msconfig but now, for reasons unknown, it does not list everything starting up with the machine and I want to know why.
​

I took a screenshot of the startup tab with the taskbar beneath it just so you can see the vast difference.

 

[Ztruker]

Any chance there is a More Details button at lower left of the Startup tab in Task Manager?

 

[ericwish1]

Ztruker

if you have it in less details mode it automatically only shows the currently running apllications, not the startup applications. ​

 

[ericwish1]

Nothing on my computer is in any kind of limited access and because of habit I am always making sure I look at everything in a detailed mode if its available. I was giving into the notion that it might be malware but I've been experiencing this issue since day 1.
alphanumeric brought me to the true startup list in the registry, so why can't I see it in the task manager?

 

[my2cents]

I have found that "autoruns" gives a more accurate picture of what is actually starting. You can download it here:

Autoruns for Windows

 

[ericwish1]

my2cents

I don't doubt that it is a great program but I would still like to know why a basic integrated component of the operating system is not functioning correctly.​

 

[my2cents]

my2cents

I don't doubt that it is a great program but I would still like to know why a basic integrated component of the operating system is not functioning correctly.​

Hi ericwidh1,

Yes, I did miss the target solution on this one because I didn't read the thread entirely. However, many are already working with you on this issue so I apologize for possibly taking this off-track a bit.

 

[ericwish1]

It is helpful no doubt. I just don't understand why a basic component in the OS is not working and there is no malware present. There are no limited settings or profiles enabled, so why can I not view all of the programs starting up with the machine?

 

[my2cents]

Just a suggestion for you to try. Instead of trying to solve this entire issue without targeting any specific startup program, why not pick one that you know for sure starts on boot and then try to find out why it doesn't show in task manager. Here are 2 examples:

Norton (your machine): I did some quick research and it appears this may have been removed as a task manager startup entry because it was perceived to be vulnerable to rootkit attacks. Why not post in the Norton forums to confirm?

Start8 (my machine): Does not appear as a startup entry in my task manager but it does appear as a running service via msconfig. Who knows why?

I guess what I'm trying to say that each machine may be different and some may appear to have more missing entries than another. So here is what I would do. Try to gather a list of all programs, that you think (or know) should appear there, and list them here. Once done, the forum members can collectively confirm each entry is either missing as well or help you to discover why via research. Now, I've already given you a possible clue about Norton so why not get that list together and post it here and also pursue that Norton entry via the Norton forums?

 

[Ztruker]

Sorry, been away on vacation for 10 days, just got back.

Can you post a picture of the entire Task Manager window pleas4e?

 

[ericwish1]

Ztruker

this is what I see when I go into my task manager and go into the start up tab. Occasionally it will only have the shell program and not even Dropbox. Please help me! I am attempting to update this to Windows 8.1, so I will see if that fixes the issue. I just want to know what is wrong an how to fix my computer.​

 

[ericwish1]

I have now updated to Windows 8.1. I was really hoping that the update would solve my issues, but of course, it didn't so I am still in the same position I was before.