Manage startup (autorun) programs via code in Windows 8

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Hello.
I'm writting a startup manager (C#) that allows to enable/disable startup items (programs that are launching with windows logon). For OS versions before Win8 I can enable and disable startup items both in the registry and in the special folders with ease. (For example, these programs can be found (for example) in "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run",
in folder "C:\Users\\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup" and etc.)

But I've faced a problem with using it on Win8. This OS uses different approach (smth in Task Manager) to manage the startup elements and I can't find what is it and how to operate programmatically. Does anyone know how to do it in Win8?..

I think, I can remove entries by the old way from "./Run" regkey and then store them in msconfig regkey. But in this case the Task Manager loses data about these startup elements at all. I don't need this way out.

Looks like the Task Manager goes through different ",/Run" regkeys and startup folders, loads data but operates with startup elements without changing registry entries and values and without moving files to the Disabled Startup Items folder... (as were in previous OS versions)

Any help appreciated. Thank you.

Posted 16-Sep-13 3:15am

Member 9281884

Updated 16-Sep-13 3:38am

v3

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Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 16-Sep-13 9:24am

First of all, you need to explain, what phase of OS operation do you call "Startup"...
There is a number of different places where an application can be started.
—SA

Member 9281884 16-Sep-13 9:33am

I meant autorun programs after windows logon.
They can be found (for example) in "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run",
in folder "C:\Users\<user name="">\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup"

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 16-Sep-13 9:35am

That's more clear...
Anyway, there are available products doing such work, such as Sysinternals Autoruns. Do you know them? Why do you think anyone would need one more?
—SA

Member 9281884 16-Sep-13 9:50am

I know about Sysinternals. Do you suggest me to ask them? The main thing I hate in a places such as CodeProject that some people won't help but very love to ask the questions like this. There is no matter how many such applications were made. The developers develop programs.

Вам должно быть это знакомо:
"Ведь, если звезды зажигают -
значит - это кому-нибудь нужно?"..

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 16-Sep-13 9:59am

What, you hate that people ask you questions? You think that you can ask any question and other should not? Don't you think you need to be more realistic and not so aggressive? Otherwise, who would like to help you?

To me, "the developers develop programs" is insufficient excuse for development (yes, I do think developing a project needs and "excuse", do you think this opinion is weird). However, you might have some good reasons for the development, such as the desire to do a better job as Sysinternals (of course it may be possible), or learn the technology, or something else.

What's wrong with my question? If it irritates you, maybe you should not ask yours, because other people are normal people, they will comment and ask the questions they like to ask, without regards to your hatred.

Your question itself is interesting; if I knew the what's going on I would gladly help you, as I do in many other cases.
But please better don't tell me that I should keep silence if I don't know the answer. Here, we have free discussions and no one tries to limit the freedom of others (except some especially rude people).

—SA

P.S.: Thank you for nice quotation of Mayakovsky :-)

Member 9281884 16-Sep-13 10:13am

Well, that's my job to develop this manager and everything was fine before I launched Win8. Of course, it's also a technology learning cause the learning never ends.

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 16-Sep-13 10:19am

I see, thank you.
—SA

Member 9281884 17-Sep-13 9:52am

The issue still unresolved

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