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PC Troubleshooting MSCONFIG - How to improve your PCs performance
How to troubleshoot and/or improve performance using MSCONFIG
MSConfig - how to use the System Configuration Utility
Is your computer really slow? Do you think you have spyware or adware or a virus? If so then you have come to the right place. Follow these instructions and your computer will be cleaned up and running like the day you bought it.
Spyware programs, viruses, adware, keyloggers and other malicious programs must be started in order to work. Programs can be started as a service automatically or as a scheduled task or at startup using the registry. We will take a look at all of these possibilities but concentrate on MSCONFIG / Startup as that is the most likely place for the malicious program.
Services
In order to start up as a service a program must be registered as a service. It can be disabled or manual or automatic. See Control Panel/Administrative Tools/Services. Go through each of the services that are set to automatic and ensure that they are not malicious. Be careful here as some services are essential for your operating system. Do not disable any services unless you know what you are doing.
Adding A Service - you must register the service
MSDN Register Service
To Create A Service in Windows XP
Start | Run and type cmd in the Open: line. Click OK.
Type: sc create service_name
Restart the system
To Delete A Service
Start | Run and type cmd in the Open: line. Click OK.
Type: sc delete service_name
Restart the system
Example of How To Register a Service
Scheduled Tasks
Scheduled Tasks can be viewed by Start / Settings / Control Panel / Scheduled Tasks
MSConfig Registry Entries
Most malicious software will be placed in one of the registry entries to start when you log on. These can be easily removed using MSCONFIG. Check each entry in the Startup tab of MSCONFIG and ensure that you require it for your computer. Remember, everything that runs at startup will slow your computer down significantly. There are only a few required programs for startup. You can always run the programs manually through a desktop icon or your start menu.
In order to use the registry, a program just creates an entry in the Local Machine entry:
[HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]
OR in the Current User entry:
[HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]
Name: Synchronization Manager
Type: REG_SZ
DATA: mobsync.exe /logon
The enabled (checked) items can be present in any of the following registry entries:
[HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]
[HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]
-and-
[HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows]
In the right window pane, the value named Run
(REG_SZ Run can be set to launch an application at startup e.g. "notepad.exe")
This is not present by default, unless you've added the value manually.
Expand the "Location" column in the Startup tab to determine the exact location of the command.
The disabled (unchecked) entries are present in any of the following locations:
[HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Shared Tools\MSConfig\startupreg]
[HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\SharedTools\MSConfig\startupfolder]
Get MSConfig.exe
Using System Configuration
MSCONFIG
- From your start menu use the run command to invoke MSCONFIG. Start / Run and then type MSCONFIG and hit OK.
- Click on the Startup tab at the top
- Before you disable any program you should do research on it to determine if you require the program. Just go onto Google or some other search engine and type in MSCONFIG followed by the name of the program. Check the descriptions of the programs to determine if you can safely remove it.
- Everything with a check is enabled and is running at startup. To disable each program just uncheck it with left mouse click. After you are finished then hit Apply and then OK and then restart your computer.
- The only startup items that are required are:
- ScanRegistry
- TaskMonitor
- SystemTray
- LoadPowerProfile
- Antivirus software
- After the computer restarts, you will receive a message about the changes. Just check the DO NOT SHOW box at the bottom.
How To Use MSCONFIG with pictures - NetSquirrel.com
How To Use MSCONFIG - About.com
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