Helping people with computers... one answer at a time.
Lots of software starts when you login to Windows, but you have very little control over timing and order. There are free solutions available.
I have several programs at startup that access the internet before my firewall and anti-virus programs are loaded and read someplace that you can change the startup sequence for programs that load when you boot your P.C.
I would like my firewall and anti-virus to load first before anything else accesses the internet.
I forgot where I read it and don't remember how it's done so maybe if you get the time you can answer explain how this is done.
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I have the same problem - in some cases some of the packages that start up try to access my VPN before the VPN has actually been established.
While Windows has no built-in support for this, there are third party tools available.
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As you probably know by now, when you login to Windows a number of programs are run automatically. Exactly which, and how many depends on your specific situation; it depends on your hardware and what specific software you have installed. Looking at my own, I see my screen capture utility, my VPN, RoboForm, TrueCrypt, a video card utility, an FTP client, and more.
Windows doesn't really give you an option to control the order in which those programs are started, or any way to delay their start up. So, for example, if one of my startup programs wants to access something over my VPN, but the VPN hasn't started yet, then that access will fail. If that access could be delayed some, giving the VPN time to complete, then of course it could work.
In researching this problem I came up with two free solutions that look promising.
Jockersoft's Startup Delayer, which I'm currently evaluating is the first solution. So far it seems quite powerful and flexible giving you a almost complete control of what starts, and in what order. It's designed so that it can be run independently of startup as well: have three programs that you always start together? Create a startup list in Startup Delayer, and then just double click on that.
Of particular interest is that Startup Delayer will import your current startup settings, and simply allow you to choose which to bring under its management. Full backup of the existing settings is also included.
The only downside I've seen so far is that the interface to managing your startup sequence might be a little technical and off-putting to some.
The identically named Startup Delayer from r2 Studios which appears to be somewhat simpler, focuses on simply delaying startup tasks. I've not had a chance to try this yet.
I'd be interested to hear of any experiences that readers might have with these, or other solutions.
Article C3393 - May 23, 2008
Leo A. Notenboom has been playing with computers since he
was required to take a programming class in 1976. An 18 year career as a programmer at Microsoft soon followed.
After "retiring" in 2001, Leo started Ask Leo! in 2003 as a place for answers
to common computer and technical questions. More about Leo.
The guy who said to write your own .bat file is a genius.
Posted by: chang at February 22, 2010 11:48 AMFred, you are a life saver. Writing a small batch file is pretty lame but also genius. Thanks a million times....
Posted by: Andrew at March 17, 2010 6:51 AMFred, don't know why but it does not work for me, issue the command "ping -n 30 localhost > nul" jsut sits there forever. I'm on XP and 7.
17-Feb-2011
Posted by: Mike at February 17, 2011 9:28 AM
Fred,
This is simple and brilliant! Thanks for sharing such an easy and complete solution.
Mile
Posted by: Mile at September 22, 2011 7:52 PMI did try WinPatrol first but it errored, stating that "It couldn't find the file". It was right there where it said it wasn't??!
Uninstalled WP and just used Fred's batch file.
Fred, you're pure genius! Thanks, that worked great! Simple always works best....
Thanks!
Tom T
Posted by: tom at November 14, 2011 3:46 PM