Frequently Asked Questions
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Q: How to use MSCONFIG to clear Startup items?

A: Clearing Startup items in MSCONFIG can be used to:
  • Help identify spyware, adware, or viruses being initiated upon startup of Windows®.
  • identify possible problems causing the computer to run unusually slow or halting.
  • If errors are appearing upon startup of Windows.

  1. From the Start menu, click Run.

  2. In the Run dialog box, type: MSCONFIG, and then press the ENTER key.

  3. In the System Configuration Utility dialog box, click the Startup tab.

  4. Click to clear all check boxes in the startup list except those needed for proper functionality of the computer.

    Note: Leave the following items checked if they appear in the Startup items list.

    Item Description
    BigFix Keeps software and drivers up to date
    Tabtip Tablet stylus
    Snippingtool Tablet stylus
    readericon45g multimedia Card Reader
    mHotKey Multimedia Keyboard driver
    zHotKey Multimedia Keyboard driver
    ccApp Norton Antivirus
    ccRegVfy Norton Antivirus
    VShield32 Norton Antivirus
    SynTPLpr Notebook Touchpad driver
    SynTPEnh Notebook Touchpad driver
    Atray Broadcom Wireless driver (Notebooks)
    BCMltry Broadcom Wireless driver (Notebooks)
    Pronomgr Intel Wireless driver (Notebooks)
    SpySweeper Spyseeper, eliminates spyware/adware
    SNDmon Sound driver
    UrlLstCk Norton Internet Security Suite
    Remind_XP SoftThinks Medialess reminder
    rec_guard SoftThinks Hidden Partition
    showwnd Media card reader
    shwicon2k Media card reader
    shwiconem Media card reader
    msscli McAfee Anti-sypware
    mcagent McAfee tray icon
    mcupdate McAfee automatic update
    cfgwiz Norton Anti-virus configuration Wizard
    qfui Pre-Empt
    AtiCwd32 ATI video card or Chipset
    Atikey ATI video card or Chipset
    cli ATI video card or Chipset
    atiptaxx ATI video card or Chipset
    ati2mdxx ATI video card or Chipset
    Nwiz nVidia video card or Chipset
    NvMediaCenter (NvMcTray) nVidia video card or Chipset
    NvCplDaemon nVidia video card or Chipset
    NvCpl nVidia video card or Chipset
    Rthdcpl RealTek Audio Chipset
    ifrmewrk Intel Wireless driver
    EOUWiz Intel Wireless driver

    Note: If you change any startup setting through MSCONfig, the following message may appear the next time you log on to the computer:
    "You have used the System Configuration Utility to change the way Windows starts. The System Configuration Utility is currently in Diagnostic or Selective Startup mode, causing this message to be displayed and the utility to run every time Windows starts. Choose the Normal Startup mode on the General tab to start Windows normally and undo the changes you made using the System Configuration Utility."

  5. Make sure the Do not show this message again is checked, and then click OK.

  6. When the error does not appear anymore, select a check box to test if that is the item that is causing the problem. Repeat until the error reappears to validate the problem startup item.

    Note: If you are doing this because the computer is running slow, remember that the higher the number of items being initiated upon startup, the slower the computer performs.