Unnamed file in startup list of system configuration utility (msco

[beachkid]

This morning I discovered a file with no name located in the startup list of
the system configuration utility (msconfig). I disabled it but what heck is
it?

[Wesley Vogel]

This is known as a startup orphan.

A startup orphan is a startup item that has a non-existent target file.
A target is the file which a startup will run when invoked.

If there is no path in Value Data, the item shows up blank in
msconfig | Startup. Also if Default under Data is blank (nothing
there at all) instead of (value not set).

Start | Run | Type: regedit | Click OK |
Navigate to >>
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

What do you see in the right hand pane?
Do you see an entry with blank (nothing there at all) in the Data
column?

Start | Run | Type: regedit | Click OK |
Navigate to >>
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

What do you see in the right hand pane?
Do you see an entry with blank (nothing there at all) in the Data
column?

From StartMan HELP:
[[An orphan is a startup item that has a non-existent target file.
A target is the file which a startup will run when invoked.

How do they occur?

They primarily occur because you've disabled a startup and then, at a
later date, uninstalled the program that uses it. The uninstaller won't
know about the disabled startup so it gets left behind. And if the
uninstaller deletes the target file then the startup becomes an orphan.
Orphans can also occur if you rename or move the target file elsewhere.
Where an orphan is also enabled you may see missing file reports at
startup. In the case of menu startups (shortcuts), the shell will
attempt to resolve the target by a brute-force search for the file based
upon the information stored in the shortcut.

How do I avoid creating orphans when uninstalling software?

Firstly, before uninstalling any software, ensure all its startups are
enabled with StartMan. This ensures all its startups can be located.
Next, use the program's own options to disable or remove the startups -
if that is an option. Finally, uninstall the software. All things being
equal, the startups should be gone, along with the software that used
them. If not...]]

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In news:04F13C6B-58C5-40E3...@microsoft.com,
beachkid <beac...@discussions.microsoft.com> hunted and pecked:

[databaseben]

Hard to say...

but you can dowload ace utilities, install and before you reboot, enable
that mysterious entry. upon reboot run the utility and you will see a tab
that describes the startups.... maybe the invisiable culprit will be
revealed.... let me knw too...

--
~~~~~~~~~~~
"To be a 0 or is it to be the 1 ?
That is the data".......W.Gatespeare

[beachkid]

Thank you for responding to my inquiry. I downloaded Ace Utilities and ran
it and to my surprise, it found some 106 or 109 invalid registry entries. As
suggested, I enabled the "no name" file and rebooted. On the third look
arounds, I found the entry in
HKLM/software/microsoft/windows/currentversion/run and deleted it. After
that, I checked the startup list and finding it gone, rebooted. Thanks!

[beachkid]

Thank you for the excellent explaination of the registry entries. It took a
while but I was able to find the invalid entry and deleted it. Again, thanks.

[Wesley Vogel]

Glad you got rid of the invalid entry. Keep having fun. :-)

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In news:E15E7CB2-E748-4E7C...@microsoft.com,