Automatically Start

Click on the gear icon in the upper right corner of the main GE screen. The autostart option is the first checkbox at the top of the screen.

I thought of that, but it doesn't mention starting with Windows. It says: "Automatically launch GE when a Garmin device is connected"

Am I missing something in the translation?

I missed installing most of the versions of GE and don't have it on my PC now, but I don't think there ever was a Don't start GE upon Windows boot option in the past.

For folks who didn't want GE running in background all the time, they used Windows msconfig or some other program to manually stop the couple/few Garmin services used by GE.

PS--deferron, if I could make a suggestion: try to make the Subject of a new thread include words or phrases that explain more fully what's to be discussed. Rather than Automatically Start, maybe something along the lines of Garmin Express - Can I stop its autolaunch? It will help direct folks to potentially read the thread that they may otherwise skip over.

Run MSCONFIG from the start bar (or Win+R)

Click on the Startup tab and uncheck "Express Tray" then click OK.

It may ask if you want to restart, but you don't need to. The next time you start Garmin Express won't automatically start. If you install a new version (it will automatically start again), just repeat the above procedure.

I tried the Garmin Express on last Map Update and it was a mess.But you could select settings and disable on start up. It is posted some where on one of these forums.Not sure after that because never re-installed after that.

I started another thread titled with the above at http://www.poi-factory.com/node/39456. It told you how to use "Autoruns" to keep packages from slowing down your computer specifically Express

It was quickly hijacked with negative comments about Garmin.

However it is still the best way to make sure that GE is quickly available but does not - in any way - run on your computer till you want it to.

There are still those that cling to MSCONFIG but the fact is that Microsoft bought Autoruns because it is better. The fact that it can be downloaded from http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb963902.aspx ought to tell those lovers of MSCONFIG that it is, at least, worth a try.

Why would you want to install another program ? When the setting is there to stop it. Many programs if you look in the settings allows you to stop loading at start up.Not all but lots of them. Then use MSCONFIG. Not one for installing extra programs when the feature is there.

Windows 8 has made so simple using Task Manager to stop a program from start up. Not sure why you would need anything more then that.

Some people like using another software to stop (or uninstall) other software. I do it the nerdy way, check all possible location for automatic startup to kick in. That is, within the software settings, startup folder, multiple locations in the registry, msconfig, services. I've used Autoruns. It's a good utility but I can achieve the same thing without Autoruns.

One of the things that I love about a number of packages like Autoruns, CCleaner and Revo Uninstaller is that they do not require an "install" as they are "portable".

I respect the fact that a number of people consider themselves to be computer literate (and I myself have been in systems since the early 60's). However, there are a number of people who might appreciate having programs that require no install (in fact will run from a flash drive) and give lots of extra information.

If you are saying that MSCONFIG is "better" than Autoruns, then I will have to ask you to detail why. In fact, have you ever tried it?

Now I would submit that Revo Uninstaller is significantly better than the uninstalls from Control Panel Programs and Features. As I have mentioned elsewhere, Revo Uninstaller first runs the same uninstaller that Programs and Features does. Then it scans for all those things that mess up and load down your computer that are left over from a MS uninstall.

Finally, after running Revo, I usually run CCleaner to make sure that the registry was totally cleaned.

None of these programs are "installed". They will run from the directory where they reside (like sox.exe).

And that is why "[I] would want to"

Get rid of Garmin Express (uninstall) and hope you don't have to use it the next tme a map update comes out. But if you do, just reinstall until the map update is complete, then uninstall it again until next time. Works for me.

Mine don't start unless I start it

Windwalker, are you on a Mac or Windows? If Windows, it is running all the time ... not sure on a Mac. On WIndows, just look in your system tray, or task manager or services. IMO, Garmin Express is the very definition of unneeded bloatware. Garmin needs to get rid of it or add the configuration options so the user can control it.

I too am a fan of having programs that are portable and don't install themselves on your PC. No matter what program you install on your PC, it will ALWAYS leave remnants in your registry. Over time, installing and uninstalling programs will slow down your PC.

Now my question to you regarding Revo uninstaller.
Since the program is portable, it will only start when you activate it. It is NOT monitoring your PC when you install a program. How does it then know what registry entries were made so it can remove them?

I use CCleaner and it's a great program but does have limitations when cleaning the registry. Having used it for several years it does clean the registry safely (never had a problem), but it is NOT thorough.
Doing a regedit.exe search after using CCcleaner does reveal entries that the program missed.

There are better registry cleaners available but unless you are very careful in what you delete you can screw up your operating system. Like everything else, always have a backup of your registry before deleting anything. I personally don't back up the registry. Rather I use an imaging program (Acronis) and back up my entire drive before making any registry deletions. I can't count the times the backed up image has saved my butt.

How many times do you run the registry scan on CCleaner? I usually run it repeatedly until CCleaner can't find anything else.

I run it as many times as needed to remove everything, then do a regedit.exe check and it finds more entries. Like I said it is very safe to use but not thorough enough in my opinion.

I've always treated registry cleaner as snake oil software. If I want a clean registry, I'd start over from scratch (format and install Windows).

You are correct that Revo runs only when I invoke it from the Portable Freeware\Revo Uninstaller folder. I do not know how Revo determines leftover registry entries, folders and files. I will try to find out. I suspect it is proprietary since there is a paid version.

I use Revo because a number of computer gurus I follow think it is a good package.

Note that the first thing that Revo does is a System Restore point. As you probably know, I take image backups with Macrium Reflect (and I used to use Acronis, so I still have rescue disks if I ever wanted something from an Acronis image)

Give me some more info on a regedit.exe search, please.

of Revo Uninstaller.

.

As far as Revo doing a Restore Point, I would never use the program since every PC I've owned I've disabled System Restore. I found it quite uaeless. If you have a virus when doing a restore it will include the virus.

I find having many mirror images I can safely restore my computer to an earlier date that I know is virus free. I ALWAYS do an image backup before installing any software. If I don't like the program or something goes wrong, I just restore the image and there is no trace of the program.

I use regedit.exe with caution, making absolutely sure the entry is for the program I'm trying to clean up. When in doubt I don't delete the entry.

As an example if I wanted to check any registry entries to remove CCleaner I would do the following:

In a Windows Run box type in regedit.
Make sure "My Computer is highlighted, this will check all Hot Key entries.
Under the edit tab on top, select find.
Under Find What - type in CCleaner
This will bring you to the first entry
You can then decide to keep or delete it
Then hit edit again, then find next, this brings you to the next entry.
Continue with this procedure until the message appears "finished searching through the registry".

This can be a lengthy process depending on how much debris was left after the uninstall.

earlier you said

just now you replied

When you first mentioned regedit.exe search, I thought that you were doing extra clean-up after having let CCleaner scan the registry repeatedly until no errors were present.

As I now understand it, you use a regedit search whenever you let Windows do an uninstall. You were only using "CCleaner" as an example program.

Yes, I agree that this could be a lengthy process. Had I done this when I recently uninstalled BaseCamp, I would have looked at 1,341 entries the original Revo uninstall deleted (along with 2,568 folders/files).

Since these numbers of "leftovers" was so large, I decided that immediately after re-installing BaseCamp, I would do another uninstall to see what would happen to these super large (for leftovers) numbers. This time there were 999 leftover registry entries and "only" 265 folders/files.

You can see why I swear by Revo Uninstaller.

So, I see how one might go about finding the majority of leftover registry, but how would you personally clean up the leftover folders/files?

By the way, CCleaner is not only "portable" but labeled at portablefreeware.com as "stealth" meaning that

see http://www.portablefreeware.com/index.php?q=ccleaner&m=

As such, I did not expect if I followed your example that I would find anything.

Well, I did find entries but the entries were references from IZArc when I "unzipped" the last download. No entries from activity by CCleaner was found (as should be the case)

As an aside, I have rarely used System Restore to roll back anything AND WOULD NEVER DO SO IF I THOUGHT I WAS INFECTED. We agree that an image is the way to solve that problem.

Thanks CraigW .. Point well taken. Will try to do better in the future.

EDIT: I had forgotten about MSCONFIG. GE is now unchecked.