Thread: need help with startup

  1. #1
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    need help with startup

    im very new to programming but i would like to know how to make a program load up the moment windows starts like my antivirus and firewalls do, any help is appreciated.

  2. #2
    Registered User sean345's Avatar
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    This information is stored in the registry. First you will need to learn to edit the registry. I don't know the exact key, but a certain part keeps all that information. You might try to take a look at regedit and do a search for something that starts up.

    - Sean
    If cities were built like software is built, the first woodpecker to come along would level civilization.
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  3. #3
    It's full of stars adrianxw's Avatar
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    To a certain extent, it depends on which versions of Windows you are running, but generally add the path to the registry key...

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Run

    ... to load a program when a specific user logs on, or...

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\Run

    ... for the machine.

    Be careful, you can louse up your machine big time fooling around in the registry.
    Wave upon wave of demented avengers march cheerfully out of obscurity unto the dream.

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    hey thanks a lot fellas, but i have one more question, in hkey.... run i had an icon called [default] which had no information in it, does this have any use at all or is it just there for no reason what so ever? anyways thanks again.

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    i hate programs that edit the registry to put on startup, i like it much better when programs just put a shortcut to their application in: %WINDIR%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
    "There are three kinds of people in the world...
    Those that can count and those that can't."

  6. #6
    It's full of stars adrianxw's Avatar
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    >>> does this have any use at all or is it just there for no reason what so ever?

    I think, if you look around, you'll find them in just about all keys. I don't know if they are ever used, or are simply placeholders, whatever, I would advise leaving them alone.

    Okie is right to a certain extent, the startup folder is also a way of starting things up, and safer than fiddling with the registry, but of course, on NT cored systems, it is user specific.
    Wave upon wave of demented avengers march cheerfully out of obscurity unto the dream.

  7. #7
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    >> on NT cored systems, it is user specific.

    Thats true, on NT, 2K and XP, you have to get the username, and then put it in "C:\Documents And Settings\USERNAME\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\" (is there an environment variable for the username?)
    "There are three kinds of people in the world...
    Those that can count and those that can't."

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