The Windows 7 operating system allows you to manage the boot parameters of the installed OS, manipulate services and startup. The "System Configuration" utility called by the msconfig command is intended for this.
How to enter the msconfig.exe configurator?
There are several ways to run the utility. We will give you 3 of the simplest ones.
Search line
To run the utility, enter the word msconfig, and then select the found utility in the search results.
Run command
Open the Run submenu located in the Start menu and type in the text box msconfig and then press Enter or the "OK" button.
Command line
Open Start - All Programs and then in the Accessories folder select Command Prompt.
In the window that opens with a black background, enter msconfig and press Enter.
In addition to the listed methods, it is possible to open the utility directly from the folder where it is located. To do this, go to the C: \ Windows \ System32 directory and run msconfig.exe.
Correct configuration of msconfig for current needs
The System Configuration Utility (MSCONFIG) window has several tabs: General, Boot, Services, Startup, and Service.
Are common
The "General" section is designed to select one of three options for loading the operating system. By default, Normal Startup is selected, which loads all required drivers, services, and programs at startup.
The user can install "Diagnostic Startup" to load only the drivers and services necessary for the system to function. This mode is used to identify the causes of errors in the operation of Windows 7. For example, when you boot you start to see an error unknown to you, or after a while the computer simply restarts or displays a blue screen of "death". This could be due to errors in drivers or system files, or an installed application could be causing the error. If in the diagnostic mode there are no problems in the system, then the user program is to blame.
"Selective startup" serves for further diagnostics and identification of the causes of problems in the system. You can sequentially enable additional services and startup programs. It is recommended to start the system by first enabling the system services, then enable the startup items and reboot. At the last stage, enable "Use original boot configuration", which will correspond to the usual way of starting the OS. Thus, you will be able to localize the cause and identify the group of programs or services that are causing the errors.
The "Boot" section allows you to manage the booting of installed operating systems. If you have multiple systems installed, you can configure which one will boot first. To do this, select one of the systems from the list and click on the "Use by default" button. Additionally, you can set the waiting time for the user to select a particular system by changing the time interval in the "Timeout" field.
Here you can also configure additional boot parameters. Enabling the Safe Mode feature will allow the operating system to run with a limited functionality. In this case, only the most necessary drivers and devices are loaded. This mode is used to diagnose software faults.
There are several options for working in safe mode:
- "Minimum Load" essentially allows you to load a minimal set of drivers and use only the required number of devices, and without supporting network services and devices.
- Another shell allows you to additionally use the command line in safe mode, but Windows Explorer will not be available, as well as the network.
- "Restore Active Directory" - allows you to start Windows Explorer in safe mode with support for Active Directory directories.
- "Network" - loads network services and devices.
- "No GUI" - disables the animation of loading the operating system.
- "Boot log" - enables the ability to save information about the system load to a file (keep a boot log). The log is saved in the "Ntbtlog.txt" file, which is located in the% SystemRoot% system folder.
- "Basic video" - allows you to replace the video card drivers. That is, instead of the installed video drivers, the standard VGA drivers will be used.
- "OS Information" - allows you to display information about loaded drivers during system boot.
You can also set other additional boot parameters for Windows 7 by clicking on the corresponding button under the OS list. The purpose of this section is to set limits on the use of physical resources at startup.
- "Number of processors" - limits the use of multi-core processor cores by specifying their number.
- "Maximum memory" - sets the limit of the used RAM.
- PCI Blocking - allows you to restrict the use of I / O devices connected to the PCI bus.
- "Debug" - activates the debug mode. It is used primarily by driver and software developers.
Services
Section "Services" - used to enable and disable all services of the operating system. During the process of diagnosing the system, you can disable some services to identify the causes of malfunctions. To hide system services, select the "Hide Microsoft services" checkbox. After that, on the "General" tab, set the "Selective startup" mode and enable the "Load system services" item. On the Services tab, disable all other custom services, restart your computer. If there are no problems after that, then the user services are the cause. Now by turning on the services one by one, you can easily identify the source of the problem. If the problem persists, then the reason lies in system services. Disable all services and then re-enable them sequentially to identify the source of the system failure.
Section "Startup" - allows you to enable or disable the automatic launch of certain programs at the start of the OS. To disable the automatic loading of a program, uncheck the box next to the selected program and click the "OK" button. You can manage the startup parameters in order to diagnose problems or to increase the system boot speed. Often, during the operation of the computer, the user has up to 20 applications at startup, most of which he does not even suspect. Naturally, such a number of programs significantly slows down Windows loading. If you are carrying out system diagnostics, you can disable all startup programs, and then enable them sequentially to determine the source of the error.
Service
The "Service" section is used to launch additional system utilities. Here the user can run additional diagnostics, administration and operating system management tools. It is enough to select the utility you are interested in (there is a short description of each of them next to it) and click on the "Run" button to open it.
As you can see, the "MSCONFIG" utility is quite easy to use and allows you to diagnose software malfunctions when booting the Windows system. But still, chaotic changes in this application can lead to undesirable consequences, so write down the changes you make so that in case of problems it is easy to return everything to its original position.
Good day, dear readers of my blog.
Each PC or laptop, in addition to the software installed by the user, also has built-in software. There are often situations when, for some reason, the client needs to configure the operation of the device. For this, the developers at Microsoft have provided a useful and convenient utility MSConfig Windows 7.
The program is a powerful tool that allows you to debug autorun in detail and remove some errors that interfere with the correct operation of the system.
The "" application has ample opportunities in the segment of customizing a personal computer or laptop. For convenient use, the developer has divided the working window into several key tabs.
Important! Do not disable / enable options if you are not sure of what you are doing.
This tool is intended for detailed system configuration. In most cases, this is done to speed up its work.
Tabs( )
As mentioned above, the window is divided into several segments:
After you change something, you need to confirm your actions with the button " Ok". And for the changes to take effect, you need to reboot, which immediately after the shutdown and the system itself will notify. For convenience, the restart can be postponed.
Launching System Configuration( )
So how do we enter the tool we need? There are several different options to see the desired menu.
We go to " Start"And enter" "in the search bar. We are waiting for the results to appear and choose the appropriate application. It usually occurs alone. How do I open the program? Just click on the icon with the left mouse button.
We also go to the menu " Start"And then select" All programs". We go to the catalog " Service" and " Standard". We need " Command line».
A new window will open where you need to enter "", and then confirm by clicking " Enter».
We go all in the same " Start"To the command" Execute". To do this, you can also press the combination " Win + R».
A small window will appear where we enter "", and then confirm our actions.
It must be said right away that this method is the longest. Almost nobody uses it. But in any case, you should know about it. So where is the required program located? We need to open “ Computer", System drive, go to" Windows"And then go to" ". Here we are looking for the application "". It starts with a simple double click of the mouse.
Sometimes one of the nodes of the path can be hidden and simply not visible. To restore you need to click " View», « Parameters"And on the second tab, uncheck the necessary checkboxes at the end of the list.
The program does not work( )
Some users may encounter a situation when the required utility does not start. In this case, a message appears stating that the required file is simply missing at the specified address.
In most cases, this happens as a result of a virus entering the computer, which simply removes the application. What to do?
First, we check the system with good antiviruses with new databases. Otherwise, the rest simply can not be done.
Next, we see if a suitable file even exists in its usual place. If it is not there, we try to copy the item from the same operating system installed on another PC. It is also extracted from the disk that contains the OS image.
To do this, run " Execute" via " Win + R"Or in any other way. In the window that opens, write the following:
Expand "image location" \ i386 \ MSCONFIG.EX_C: \ Windows \ system32 \ msconfig.exe, and confirm our intentions. Wherein " image location"- the letter of the drive where the system files are located or the path to them (if located directly on the computer).
There is also an option to simply download “ msconfing.exe»From the Internet and place this file in a folder along the path I mentioned earlier.
Of course, a complete reinstallation of Windows is more efficient and definitely effective. It will also speed up your computer as a whole. But not everyone can do it on their own, or they just don’t want to.
Sometimes, for some reason, the required system component does not start due to restriction of access rights. To check, we try to open the program with Administrator rights. This usually helps.
In addition, we try to run the application in "". To do this, reboot and press " F8". Then we select the appropriate item.
Further, it is advisable to check “ Registry editor". To do this, go to " Execute"And write" regedit". Then we go to “ HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE", Folder" ". Then we go to " Microsoft», « Windows», « CurrentVersion" and " AppPaths". We are interested in the msconfig file with the extension * .exe... Or rather, just its presence. In addition, the REG_SZ value should be as follows: C: \ Windows \ system32 \ msconfig.exe... If there is no this line or even a corresponding mark, all this needs to be created.
You also need to see if the corresponding service is running. To do this, through " Start"We get into" Control Panel"And then to" Administration". There we go to " Services", Where we are interested in the string" ". If it doesn't work, you need to start it.
In addition, there is a mechanism for checking the system files of the operating system. To do this, go to " Execute"(We already know how this can be done). In the window that opens, write " sfc / scannow". We confirm our intentions. Should open " Windows file protection", Which will be accompanied by the message" Checking in progress ...". If the tool is able to determine that the files have changed, it will inform you about this and offer to restore everything to the original version using the installation disc.
Customization( )
If the system component is working correctly or you have corrected possible errors, you can start using it directly. How to properly configure the operation of the operating system using this tool? It all depends on what components a particular user uses.
If we talk about what can be disabled in msconfig in general, you can find out from what I wrote earlier. In particular, it says about the tab “ Services».
At the same time, if you turn off all the components that are described above, and also clean the "" section as much as possible, you can even reach the maximum performance of your equipment. At the same time, it is imperative to remember that any systemic changes usually lead to consequences. So, if you are not sure of the correctness of your actions, you should not change something.
Well, it turns out the MSConfig tool is a useful element of the system. If you use it correctly, you can significantly increase the speed of your device. In this case, incorrect handling can damage the system.
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Any, even the most modern computing system without control programs is a useless set of electronic elements: transistors, capacitors, microcircuits, etc. Between living beings and computers, you can even draw some analogy, comparing the soul with software, and the body with hardware components. It's no secret that in order to achieve maximum efficiency in work, a person needs to be tuned in a certain way. The same is true for computing systems: adjusting the parameters of the operating system makes it possible to expand functionality to a certain extent.
Out of the box performance
Windows systems are the most common. They are used by at least 80% of owners of computers and laptops. And the "killer" of windows - the famous "Linux", is content with the remnants of the market. That is why more users are interested in how the Windows system is configured.
Developers from Microsoft, promoting their operating systems, proceed from the assumption that no special training is required to work with it (compare with Linux), and all functions are available immediately after installation. How can one fail to recall Vladimir Ilyich with his famous statement about the state controlled by a cook. It should be admitted that Windows managed to bring this idea to life. So, with just a mouse, even a schoolboy can control the system.
Disadvantages of versatility
However, if after installation the operating system was not configured, then you should not expect anything special from the computer. It will work "like everyone else." Stable, reliable, but, most often, not in the most optimal way. Something like the speed of which is artificially limited for security reasons.
Each user uses a computer to solve only his inherent tasks. The speed of the system is important for one thing, for the sake of which a person is ready to sacrifice the beauty of the interface; another - energy efficiency; well, and the third is to unleash the potential of the installed hardware components. A properly configured system will satisfy everyone's needs.
Provided opportunity
The developers, realizing all the disadvantages of universality, have implemented a software mechanism that allows you to make adjustments to the operation of the system. To do this, you can use two ways: install a specialized application and use it to configure the operating system, or to make changes using standard tools. The first option is more effective and allows you to implement some hidden features. The second, from the point of view of use, is completely safe. For beginners, we recommend choosing it. Next, we will look at how the system is configured in Windows 7.
Reducing the consumption of RAM and the load on the processor
Each program in RAM takes up a portion of the hardware resources. If the user really needs the application, then this behavior is justified. Otherwise, you need to disable it.
After installing the operating system and all auxiliary applications, the system must be configured 7. To do this, press the Win + R combination and type msconfig (Enter) in the line that appears. Next, in the header, use the mouse to indicate the "Startup" section. Here, the entries in the first column indicate programs that are launched without user intervention at system startup. An installed checkbox allows launching, and its absence prohibits it. For example, you can safely turn off the startup of Microsoft Office 2010, which is responsible for synchronization, if, of course, this feature is not needed. The same applies to the absolutely useless ACDInToch service, which is part of a well-known program
Please note that the system configuration in Windows 7, performed by cleaning the startup, should not be thoughtless. Some of the programs from the list are required. For example, Punto Switcher is needed to automatically switch languages; WheelMouse for mouse support; wmagent for the correct operation of the WebMoney client, etc. The solution is as follows: after finding information on each line, you can conclude that a particular program is needed in the autorun section.
At a hundred nannies ... Disable the defender
The change via msconfig does not end the system configuration. The setup is more complex. For example, not everyone knows that a number of useful adjustments can be made to the operation of the operating system through the standard window. To do this, press the "Start" button and select the "Control Panel" item. Here you can also free up some of the resources by turning off some functions and applications. For example, on most modern computers with a third-party anti-virus installed, the system configuration necessarily requires turning off Windows Defender. Going into the settings, you need to select the "Programs" item, then "Parameters", where you want to uncheck the checkbox. There is "Administrator" in the menu list. Here it remains to uncheck "Use this program" and click "Save". You should not make cabbage out of the computer system from the protective antivirus modules, because each of them, working in real time, takes some of the power for itself. Algorithms overlap, loading the arbiter with extra work. Obviously, of course, as we have already indicated, this is true if you have a reliable comprehensive antivirus installed.
A loophole for malware
Correct configuration of the system should include deactivation of the mechanism for autorun applications from media. Many works have been written about this, but, alas, not everyone has time to read them, becoming victims of virus programs. Here, in you need to select "Autostart". In the settings window that appears, uncheck the box, disallowing the use of this feature. After that, when changing media (for example, inserting a CD into the drive), automatic start will not occur. The user must open "My Computer" and independently browse the desired media. It's not difficult at all.
In general, in the Control Panel, many items allow for customization. It is useful to look into the "Keyboard" by increasing the repeat rate; in "Mouse" you can change the visual display of cursors, as well as the speed of movement.
Beauty or practicality
System configuration is impossible without making changes to the operating system parameters. To do this, call the properties of the "Computer" shortcut (usually on the desktop). After that, a window will open where you need to specify in the list on the left "Additional system parameters". Adjusting the parameters of the "Performance" item makes it possible to disable all visual decorations, bringing the operating system closer to the classic (Win 2000). We cannot advise anything in this regard: it all depends on the requirements and preferences of the user himself.
Returning to the usual
In new versions of the Windows operating system, developers have abandoned storing the Temp folder in the Windows directory. At first glance, this did not affect anything. However, it is not. During the installation process, applications are necessarily created. In theory, they should be automatically destroyed in the process, freeing up precious disk space, but this is often not done. As a result, on some computers it reaches an impressive size of several gigabytes. You can remove all this garbage yourself, but the temporary files directory must be available. Its location is specified in the "Environment Variables", called TEMP and TMP.
"Thin" system configuration. Configuring Services
In Windows operating systems, in addition to the usual programs, the concept of "services" is used. These are applications that run in the background, but not through startup. Many of them ensure the performance of the entire software package. With a skillful approach to adjustments, experienced users can significantly affect the final functionality. Let's consider how this system configuration is carried out. Services can be stopped and started. It also provides the ability to activate their automatic launch, which is sometimes impossible to do without.
There are several ways to access the window with a list of services. In operating systems with extended menus, it is enough to press the right mouse button on the “Computer” shortcut and select “Control”. In the window that appears, you can see the "Services and Applications" item. By opening the corresponding entry, you can select the required line. Here "Status" indicates whether the service is running or not.
For example, if you pay per megabyte for the Internet, it is recommended to disable the automatic download of new versions of files. In the "Name" column, select "Windows Update", double-click and select "Disabled" in the "Startup Type" menu.
I wondered if it makes sense to use the System Configuration utility on a new system.
Having assured him that the utility is still suitable for diagnostics and now even has advanced functionality, I thought it would be nice to write an article about it - after all, this question probably arises from many users.
Launching the System Configuration Utility
As in Windows XP, the System Configuration utility in Windows 7 can be launched from the Run window: press + [R], enter a command in the Open field and click OK. But it's much easier to type msconfig.exe in the Start menu search bar and click.
The utility window (Figure A), as you can see, has changed significantly since Windows XP. In particular, the number of tabs has decreased. Let's take a closer look at the updated System Configuration. And do not forget that detailed information on all options can be obtained by clicking the Help button.
Figure A. The set of tabs in the System Configuration window has changed from Windows XP.
General Tab
The General tab (General, Figure A) still has three startup options, just like in Windows XP. By default, Normal Startup is selected, which loads all services and device drivers. The Diagnostic Startup loads only the most essential drivers and services, and the Selective Startup option allows you to select the services and programs to load. However, the Use Original Boot Configuration option is checked by default if the default settings on the Boot tab have not been changed.
On the Boot tab (Figure B), you can enable Safe Boot Mode and configure other startup options that may be useful in diagnosing startup problems. For example, if you select the Boot Log option, the entire startup process is documented in detail in the file C: \ Windows \ Ntbtlog.txt", And the" OS Boot Information "option displays the names of the drivers to run as it boots.
If you select the Safe Boot option, you can configure the Safe Mode settings to be used the next time you start the system. If the Alternate Shell option is selected, only the command line and critical system services are loaded, and the graphical interface and network access are disabled.
Figure B. The options on the Boot tab can be used to diagnose problems.
In the lower right corner of the window there is an option "Make All Boot Settings Permanent". Use it with great care, because when you select this option, the utility does not provide an opportunity to automatically undo the changes made by selecting the "Normal start" option on the "General" tab. You will have to manually restore the default settings from memory.
Clicking the Advanced Options button will bring up the Boot Advanced Options window, shown in Fig. C. In most cases these parameters are unnecessary, but sometimes they can come in handy. For example, if you encounter problems with multiple processors during boot, you can limit the number by specifying the desired number in the Number of Processors field.
Figure C. In most cases, no additional boot options are needed.
Services Tab
The Services tab (Figure D) lists all the services that are started at system boot and their current state is Stopped or Running. As with Windows XP, individual services can be excluded from startup to diagnose startup problems. In addition, the new version of the utility indicates when a particular service was disabled.
Figure D. The Services tab now indicates when a service was disabled.
The Startup tab (Fig. E) lists all applications that start when Windows 7 starts. The new version of the utility specifies the Manufacturer (Manufacturer), which helps to identify the application, as well as the date the program was disabled (Date Disabled).
Figure E. The Startup tab lists all applications that start when Windows 7 starts.
Service Tab
The Tools tab (Figures F and G) contains all the tools you need for diagnostics. A detailed description is provided for each utility, and to launch a particular tool, just select it in the list and click the Launch button.
You know what it is msconfig and what is it used for? Yes, according to statistics, many users do not even know about the presence of such a utility in the operating system. Of course, you might say that this is some kind of system program that a common user does not need to know about. But here, I disagree with you.
msconfig is just a very useful utility for a simple user. I will give a couple of simple examples of computer problems that can be solved using the system configuration window.
- One of the most popular problems is the incorrect installation of Windows. That is: when, without formatting the hard disk or the partition on which the old system is located, I start a new installation, and as a result, every time the computer is turned on, a request appears which system to boot from. True, the msconfig utility will not remove the old system, but it will help to find a temporary solution disabling this request, if you suddenly do not want to, reinstall everything with a full formatting of the hard disk.
- The next thing this utility can help us with is cleaning up the startup. Every day you visit various sites, install applications and programs. But you don’t even suspect that under the “easy installation” button, additional software may be hidden, which does not always benefit our computer. For me, such software is the recently appeared Amigo browser, which is installed without our agreement and then loaded into the tray (tray is the lower right corner of the screen where the date, time, network connection, etc. are displayed) using a computer resource. And it also happens that the computer cannot boot at all, but simply freezes when starting some program from the startup list.
- And the last example is (Let me remind you that in Windows 8, when you press F8, nothing happens and the system boots as usual)
How MSCONFIG Works
To run this utility, we need to press the "Windows + R" button combination. A window with the name "Run" will open in front of us, where you need to write the following command: msconfig, and click "OK"
The “System Configurations” window will open, where on the very first “General” tab we see several options for starting the system.
- Normal start- the name speaks for itself, this option is the default after installing Windows.
- Diagnostic launch- this is a download of only basic drivers and services, it is used for diagnostics in case of a system malfunction. But, if after starting in this option, the problems did not disappear, then it is most likely that the system files are damaged.
- Selective launch- also used for system diagnostics. But, in this option it is possible to check separately the download with a set of services and separately with the autoloading of third-party applications. This will help you easily determine the cause of the problem. Use original boot configuration - resets all default settings if changes have been made on the “Boot” tab.
The next tab is Download. As you can see, I have two operating systems. If you have a similar situation, we can simply remove the display of the OS we do not need, for the convenience of loading. To do this, mark which system you want to remove and click “Remove”. Also, you can boot into Safe Mode by checking the box next to "Safe Mode". But do not forget to change everything back, because every time you reboot the computer will turn on in “Safe Mode”.
Also, there are “Advanced parameters” where you can change the number of cores or the size of RAM that will be used when the system boots, but I recommend not changing anything for inexperienced users.
"Services" - a tab where we can see the entire list of services in the system. It is also used to diagnose the operating system and find the cause of problems, by disabling and enabling certain services.
By checking the box “Do not display Microsoft services”, we can see the services that are used by third-party applications and they should be checked first.
Here is the most interesting part of the msconfig utility, the Startup tab. As a rule, a lot of garbage gets into startup, which is installed along with various applications. Now I have only one СCleaner program in startup. In order to disable it, we just need to uncheck the box and click on the "Apply" button.
Let's take a closer look at the content of the string. The first column indicates the name of the program, then the manufacturer, the next location of the file that is launched and the registry key that is responsible for the startup of this application. Disabled date, shows when the autoload of a program we do not need was disabled.
You can safely remove from startup various browsers you do not need or utilities that appeared on their own, as well as those elements that do not display "Manufacturer".
This tab will allow you to quickly launch some settings, diagnostics and administration of our system.
If you do not know how to view the system properties in the usual way, you can do this here simply by highlighting the desired item and clicking "Start".
Personally, I constantly use msconfig in my work and I hope that this article will help you get to know this wonderful system utility for setting up the system configuration. Also here you can learn about and
