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General discussion

Msconfig - duplicate listings

by drno Jun 4, 2005 8:44PM PDT

After several reinstalls, the program list in the startup tab of msconfig contains several duplicate listings. Is there anyway to eliminate the duplicates.

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7 Posts
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Reinstalls (overinstalls?) W98SE?, of programs?
by reefurbb Jun 4, 2005 9:34PM PDT

Programs:msconfig
1.have all boxes checked. Restart. If dupes are the exact same entry for the exact same location, Windows will delete them. You should have an entry for "scanregistry"...autorun, and it's the one that will do this, as well as the very helpful daily (5) registry backups for successful starts.
2. if this is somehow not there, do start-run-scanregw, and it will do the same, scan registry for errors, fix them, and report whether registry has been backed up today.
3. Or you can manually edit registry, IF IT HAS BEEN BACKED UP. start-run-regedit...hkey_local_machine,software,microsoft,windows,current version,run, and you will see your listings.
Right click, delete, as long as you are sure it's the right one to delete.
4. overall, it doesn't hurt anything to leave dupes in, uncheck entries for wrong ones, restart.
Overinstall of W98SE usually doesn't leave dupes.

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Use regedit as indicated.
by Kees Bakker Jun 4, 2005 11:55PM PDT

Note that if you use msconfig to disable an item, it's copied to the Run- 'folder' (right below the Run 'folder' in regedit). Then if you reinstall the program it occurs twice.

It seems that the Starter programs (download from http://www.wayne.hardy.com/ page down to Free Software) can manage this more user friendly, but I've never used it.

Hope this helps.


Kees

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Proceed with care.
by r. proffitt Former Forum moderator Jun 5, 2005 12:04AM PDT

Sadly you didn't name the duplicate. One of them was powerprof or similar and why its there twice has been explained far too many times.

Given the age of this OS, can I ask why you haven't noticed this before?

Bob

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Msconfig - duplicate entries.
by drno Jun 5, 2005 12:53PM PDT

Bob, Thanks for asking. I have noticed the duplicate entries for some time. I have unchecked one of the duplicates and have, in fact, unchecked most of the programs I don't need running in the background. The duplicates aren't hurting the system since only one or none is checked. I just wondered if there's any way to remove the second listing to clean up the list.

I just hung on to Win98SE on this computer even though I've upgraded the hardware significantly. Someday I'll switch to a newer operating system.

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What is the duplicate?
by r. proffitt Former Forum moderator Jun 5, 2005 9:00PM PDT

You didn't take the hint so I'll ask it one more time.

Bob

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The answer - I think
by drno Jun 6, 2005 1:03AM PDT

The duplicate is SpamPal. The duplicate appeared after an update to the program.

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And the gurus are at ...
by r. proffitt Former Forum moderator Jun 6, 2005 1:16AM PDT
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