SOLVED Windows startup

[Guido Paridaens]

After startup of Windows10 notepad is started with an error 'Access denied'.
I searched for startup items with ccleaner, autoruns, iobit uninstaller.. I don't find an item with notepad startup.
What can I do to find out where notepa is started?

Thanks

 

[Trouble]

I'm very surprised that autoruns didn't find it.
When I'm desperate I generally check these two registry locations.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
AND
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

Using the Windows Registry Editor can cause serious, system-wide problems that may require you to re-install Windows to correct them. It cannot be guaranteed that any problems resulting from the use of the Windows Registry Editor can be solved. If you choose to edit the Windows Registry please understand that you do so at your own risk so unless you feel fairly comfortable and confident you should probably not use the Editor. Changes made to the Windows Registry can take effect immediately and those that do not will take effect following the next reboot of your computer, and a current backup is not automatically made for you....So manually create a system restore point, backup the registry and export the key you are editing for safe keeping before doing so.

 

[Guido Paridaens]

Notepad is started AFTER windows startup, that is probably the reason why I find nothing with autoruns or in the registry.
Could be a leftover from a not completed program install?

 

[Trouble]

Notepad is an integrated application, native to default Windows OS installs for a very long time and not something that you generally install or uninstall as far as I know.
A couple other places you might look....
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\StartUp
AND
C:\Users\YourUserName\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

If you still can't find it, I think I would commence some serious scanning

These are the programs I use to generally delouse a computer with virus and or malware issues.
ADWcleaner from here http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/adwcleaner/dl/125/
JRT (Junkware Removal Tool) from here http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/junkware-removal-tool/dl/131/
RogueKiller from here http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/roguekiller/
Norton Power Eraser from here https://security.symantec.com/nbrt/npe.aspx
Malwarebytes from here http://www.malwarebytes.org/mwb-download/confirm/
SuperAntiSpyware from here http://www.superantispyware.com/downloadfile.html?productid=SUPERANTISPYWAREFREE
Ccleaner from here http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/download/standard
TFC.exe (Temporary Files Cleaner) from here http://www.geekstogo.com/forum/files/file/187-tfc-temp-file-cleaner-by-oldtimer/
ESET Online Scanner from here http://www.eset.com/us/online-scanner/

Eset online scanner is a bit different than the others in that you need to either use
IE or download and run their smart installer if you're using another browser. Then tick
the radio button that says "Enable detection of potentiall unwanted application"
Then click the link that says "Advanced settings", then check all the boxes except the
one that mentions "Use custom proxy settings", unless of course you're using a Proxy
Server. Then just click "Start", it will do a thorough system scan so it takes a long
time.

I don't check the links above everyday, so if you have any problem with any one of them then just Google for the program name but use the site names that I have recommended since I'm relatively certain they are free of extraneous garbage.

 

[Guido Paridaens]

Thanks for the quick response, I will try it tomorrow.
One further clarification. The leftover I mentioned is not from the notepad installation, but from the installation of some other program.
Some programs open notepad at the end of the installation process to show the version changes for example.

 

[Guido Paridaens]

I scanned and cleaned the computer with all of the programs suggested abive. Notepad keeps still comming up.
What I need is a tool that monitors (and registers) windows activity so I can locate the process that starts notepad.
Does such tool exist? Where can I find it?

 

[Guido Paridaens]

I close the, not 1 step further

 

[Trouble]

Did you have a look in Task Scheduler -> Task Scheduler Library to see if there is anything being triggered by a Scheduled Task?

 

[Guido Paridaens]

I can't find anything in Task scheduler. I checked that from the beginning via autoruns.

 

[Alan Sh]

So what was the answer since this is marked as solved?

 

[Guido Paridaens]

The answer is that there is no answer. No solution, no valuable hints. That's why I closed the thread.

 

[Guido Paridaens]

Finally found the solution.

In one (or both) of the folders below there is a file dektop.ini that causes notepad to run.

C: - Users – Your_Username - AppData – Roaming – Microsoft – Windows - Start Menu – Startup

en/of

C: - Program Data - Microsoft -Windows -Start Menu -Programs – Startup

Deleting the file(s) Desktop.ini will solve the problem.

See also doscussion below:

http://www.tenforums.com/software-apps/9015-notepad-opens-boot-2.html