Dear Computer Lady,
I have been receiving your e-mail newsletter for a few years now. I think I followed a suggestion a few weeks back that has gotten me in a pickle (something to do with typing “msconfig”). Anyway, every time I start up my computer, I get a message that it is in the “selective start-up mode for troubleshooting”. Any hints as to how I can return to the regular start up mode? I am running Windows ME.
thank you, Mary
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Dear Mary,
The message that you are starting up your computer in selective start up mode is only a warning that you have turned off some of the items that were automatically loading when you turned on the computer. It is not a special mode like safe mode.
It is easy to get rid of the message, next time it comes up, just click to place a check mark in front of: “Don’t show this message or launch the System Configuration Utility When Windows Starts” and then click OK.
Here are the rest of the MSCONFIG instructions for those of you who missed them.
To see all the items that are loading when your computer starts, click on “Start” then “Run” and type MSCONFIG in the Run dialog box. Click the “OK” button, or just hit the enter key to display the “System Configuration Utility” window.
Click on the “Startup” tab, and you will see a long list of items. Every item with a check mark in front of it is running. To stop items from running the next time you start your computer, just remove the check mark and click “OK” when you are done. You will be prompted to restart your computer.
You can turn off any items you wish, but some you will want to keep running, especially, things like your antivirus.
For the rest of the entries, you can try researching them in this huge online database:
http://www.sysinfo.org/startuplist.php
It might take a little time, but it will be worth it to know exactly what is running on your computer.
Elizabeth
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