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Using MSCONFIG To Alter Startup Items

Using MSCONFIG to disable startup items and services can help remove viruses or adware from Windows XP systems. The document provides instructions for using MSCONFIG's Selective Startup option to disable all startup programs and non-Microsoft services. After running a virus scan, the user can then selectively re-enable necessary programs and services using MSCONFIG's Startup and Services tabs. If issues arise, selecting Normal Startup will restore all previously running programs and services.

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23 views

Using MSCONFIG To Alter Startup Items

Using MSCONFIG to disable startup items and services can help remove viruses or adware from Windows XP systems. The document provides instructions for using MSCONFIG's Selective Startup option to disable all startup programs and non-Microsoft services. After running a virus scan, the user can then selectively re-enable necessary programs and services using MSCONFIG's Startup and Services tabs. If issues arise, selecting Normal Startup will restore all previously running programs and services.

Uploaded by

Ceasar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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USING MSCONFIG

STUDENTS & STAFF

WINDOWS XP ONLY

USING MSCONFIG TO DISABLE SERVICES AND STARTUP ITEMS

Go to the ‘Run’ menu option from the Start Menu. Type msconfig into the box
as shown.

NOTE: Windows 2000 does not come with MSCONFIG normally, it must be
downloaded from the Microsoft website or installed from the Windows CD.

To Enable Selective Startup or Normal Startup.

When MSCONFIG opens, you will see the window below.


TO ENTER SELECTIVE STARTUP
(if you are removing a virus or adware)

1. On the ‘System Configuration Utility’ window, click ‘Selective


Startup’.

2. Click on the ‘Startup’ tab at the top right of the window.

3.

4. Click on ‘Disable All’ on this window. Note: if you have previously


installed F-Secure, you will need to re-install it again to be sure that it is
working.

5. Click on the ‘Services’ tab next to ‘Startup’ at the top right of the
window.

6. Click on the ‘Hide All Microsoft Services’ box at the bottom of the
screen so that it has a tick in it. The window in the middle of the screen
should change when you do this. It may take a few seconds to take
effect.
7. Then click the ‘Disable All’ button on the bottom right. It should un-tick
all the boxes now visible.

8. Then click ‘Hide All Microsoft Services’ again so that the box
becomes empty again. You should now see a lot of ticks again in the
window above, possibly with some empty boxes mixed in.

9. Now, click ‘Ok’ and you will see the following window:

10. Click ‘Restart’. The computer will restart. Upon restarting, you will see
this:

11. Put a tick in the box ‘Don’t show this message or launch…’ and click
the ‘OK’ button.

Note: If you make any mistakes at any stage, just click ‘Cancel’ at the bottom
and go back to Step 1.
TO RE-ENABLE SERVICES

(after you have run a virus or adware scan)

It is not necessary to re-enable everything to continue using windows as


before. Often, only a few programs will need to be re-enabled. Re-enter
MSConfig using steps 1-4. Look at the ‘Startup’ and ‘Services’ tabs and
select programs you recognise, or items that feature the brand of your
computer in their name, such as ‘HP’ or ‘Acer’ or ‘IBM’.

If you have any difficulties making something work that was working before,
then go back to the ‘General’ tab in MSConfig and select ‘Normal Startup’ ,
followed by ‘OK’, then restart. This will re-enable everything that was running
before – but hopefully, by now, the virus scan you have done has removed
the computer files the virus was relying on in order to work!

RELEVANT DOCUMENTS:

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