How can you troubleshoot startup program issues in Windows?

1 Task Manager

The Task Manager is a powerful tool for troubleshooting startup programs. To access it, right-click the taskbar and select "Task Manager" or press Ctrl+Shift+Esc . Navigate to the "Startup" tab to see a list of all programs that start with Windows. Here, you can enable or disable programs by selecting them and clicking "Enable" or "Disable". If your computer is slow to start, consider disabling non-essential programs to improve boot time. Be cautious not to disable any crucial system components.

2 Clean Boot

Performing a clean boot can help you identify if third-party software is causing startup issues. To do a clean boot, type "System Configuration" in the search bar and select it from the results. In the System Configuration window, go to the "Services" tab, check "Hide all Microsoft services", and then click "Disable all". Next, switch to the "Startup" tab and click "Open Task Manager" to disable all startup items. Restart your computer to see if the issue persists with minimal drivers and programs running.

3 Safe Mode

Safe Mode is a diagnostic mode that starts Windows with a minimal set of drivers and startup programs. It's useful for isolating and fixing problems. To enter Safe Mode, hold down the "Shift" key while choosing "Restart" from the power menu. Navigate to "Troubleshoot" > "Advanced options" > "Startup Settings" and click "Restart". Upon reboot, press the appropriate key (usually F4) to enter Safe Mode. In Safe Mode, you can uninstall programs, update drivers, and more without interference from other software.

4 System Configuration

System Configuration, also known as msconfig, is another tool for managing startup programs. To open it, type "msconfig" in the search bar and press Enter. Under the "General" tab, you can choose selective startup to load only essential services and programs. The "Services" tab allows you to disable services that may be causing startup issues. Remember to hide Microsoft services before proceeding to ensure you don't accidentally disable something important for Windows to run properly.

6 Registry Editor

The Windows Registry is a database that stores low-level settings for the operating system and installed applications. Editing the registry can resolve startup issues but should be done with caution as incorrect changes can cause system instability. To open Registry Editor, type "regedit" in the search bar and press Enter. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run to see programs set to run at startup. You can delete entries here, but ensure you know what you're removing and consider backing up the registry first.

7 Here’s what else to consider

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