Pesky Startup App

I have a application that starts with my computer, it is called S3 vmanager and has something to do with my VGA card. I started geting it since I put in the CD for my card and installed some stuff.

I have throuraly checked my win.ini, system.ini
startup folders,
C:/Windows/Start Menu/startup/
C:\WINDOWS\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\StartUp
HKCU/Software/Microsoft/Windows/Curent Version/......

I used a program called regrun http://www.greatis.com/regrun3startuporder.htm

Reg run looks everywhere for startup applications, and can't find it
I tryed un-installing the software I put in,
I can not find how it is starting with my computer,

Nothing seems to have it, I have even tryed useing regedit's search utility and can't find it,

It is becomeing a nusance and I would like to get rid of it, but I can't find the method it is useing to start.

Ideas?

Try looking under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\program you are looking for. And under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\microsoft\windows\currentversion\run and runonce.
Good luck

You might want to try

Windows9x- Start-->run-->Type msconfig. And from the menu, go to the startup tab and uncheck any services you do not want autostarted.

WindowsNT and cousins- If you like msconfig for Win9x, you can still use it for WinNT and 2k. I know there is an ms config for WinXP. You can download the file here: http://www.onecomputerguy.com/windows2000_tips.htm if you have Win2k. Go to the startup tab and uncheck any programs you do not want auto-started.

hope this helps.

What version of Windows are you using? Two options.

#1) If you're not using Windows NT or 2000, try "msconfig" (can be found from the run menu)
#2) Since it's for your video card, there's probably a setting to enable/disable the icon within your Display properties. Check under the Settings tab for the Advanced button. Click that and see if you can disable the icon from there. With most video cards which have programs which run in the taskbar, that works.

Most likely, since you can't find it installed anywhere, when installed something from the CD, it installed newer drivers which included the program. Many video manufacturers (ATI being the most notorious) do that. As I said above, though, ATI has the option to get rid of the icon, so I would assume that your video card does as well. If neither of the above options help, maybe you can check the manufacturer of the video card, try downloading new drivers to see if they remove the program.

AJ

I have tryed the msconfig as well, which basicaly displays what is in HKLM/software/microsoft/windows/currentversion/..

I checked all those keys includeing the HKCU

as adven sugested I tryed useing the display properties in controll pannel, and then chooseing the advanced settings button at the botom of the settings tab. I checked all tabs and did not see anything enabled other then advanced power suport

My OS is Windows 98 SE,

I did another search in the registry, this time for the string vmanager

again checking all the keys for startup applications and services in both local machine and current user. The reg run utility will let me look at all those keys, as well as win.ini, system.ini and more. Again can't find it,

useing advens sugestion I am going to check the web site for the manufacture.

The reason I tryed installing the drivers was because my front screen did not apear to be useing full colors yet when I search the web all pictures have 24 bit depth

but my desktop image seems to be missing a fair amount of colors which became anoying. But other then that my card was working so I problably should have left good enough alone.

If you'd like a great program to help get rid of applications that don't provide uninstall links, etc., try RegCleaner by Jouni Vuirio. Latest version is 4.3.0.780 and it is free. It has different menus showing software, startup, uninstall, file types, etc. You can configure it to show all files including hidden (best) and it won't mess up your registry like a lot of other programs I've tried will. Check the software and startup tabs for the application you're looking for. If it isn't there, it will show up under the uninstall tab. I use 98se as well, so it is fully compatible.

V.

That would be on form of a Savage chip, www.s3graphics.com should be the manufacturer's site. We would need the os to be able to tell you where to find the startup file. You may be able to shut it off by run the video config card program or simply using the options one can get by right clicking on the systray icon. It may be that you find you want to run it for optimum performance. Just a thought and some info on the manufacturer

just to let everybody know, i went to the link that alittlebitnumb posted above, downloaded the XP version onto my 2k box and it works great. it appears to scan the reg for start-up files and allows you to disable them without editing the reg manually.

thanks alittlebitnumb!

Thank you everyone for all your help, I download regclean as mentioned above, I did have it once before and it was great, I just never bothered downloading it again after I did my format,

Problem has been solved, it was something I had overlooked, though still unable to find an entery for it anywhere in my register, startup folders or configuration files, I was able to find where it was installed and un, install it. Something realy simple.

It still anoys me not being able to find it in the registry though. Thanks once again everyone.

Hi aj

One can explore/tweak/troubleshoot by self if a little bit of commonsense is applied. Thats all Windows about. Try to locate the files that works for a particular application.

Once you install an application, look out for its entry in startup. Lesser the applications at Startup, more the pie of system resources (you can check out by right-clicking My Computer>Properties>Performance).

Have fun.