Autostartup locations for Windows XP:

My source for this list was DiamondCS site (the well-known company anti-trojan, anti-worm programs and other security/detection technologies) and this particular page: http://www.diamondcs.com.au/index.php?page=autostarts, which is related to their Autostart Viewer (a 77 KB in-lenght "non-setup" program): http://www.diamondcs.com.au/downloads/asviewer.zip, which enables you to add new entries, display additional locations like drivers etc. However, I could list them also by myself by extracting them with Autoruns program from Sysinternals (241 KB in-lenght, also a "non-setup" program): http://www.sysinternals.com/utilities/autoruns.html. Please note that the locations are not listed in any particular order, except that they are separated by gruops, i.e. File, Folder and Registry startup locations.


Folder Autostart Locations


1. windir\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\

2. User\Startup\

3. All Users\Startup\

4. windir\system\iosubsys\

5. windir\system\vmm32\

6. windir\Tasks\


File Autostart Locations


1. c:\explorer.exe

2. c:\autoexec.bat

3. c:\config.sys

4. windir\wininit.ini

5. windir\winstart.bat

6. windir\win.ini - [windows] "load"

7. windir\win.ini - [windows] "run"

8. windir\system.ini - [boot] "shell"

9. windir\system.ini - [boot] "scrnsave.exe"

10. windir\dosstart.bat

11. windir\system\autoexec.nt

12. windir\system\config.nt


Registry Autostart Locations


1. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\

All values in this key are executed.


2. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce\

All values in this key are executed, and then their autostart reference is deleted.


3. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServices\

All values in this key are executed as services.


4. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServicesOnce\

All values in this key are executed as services, and then their autostart reference is deleted.


5. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\

All values in this key are executed.


6. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce\

All values in this key are executed, and then their autostart reference is deleted.


7. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce\Setup\

Used only by Setup. Displays a progress dialog box as the keys are run one at a time.


8. HKEY_USERS\.Default\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\

Similar to the Run key from HKEY_CURRENT_USER.


9. HKEY_USERS\.Default\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce\

Similar to the RunOnce key from HKEY_CURRENT_USER.


10. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\

The "Shell" value is monitored. This value is executed after you log in.


11. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed Components\

All subkeys are monitored, with special attention paid to the "StubPath" value in each subkey.


12. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\VxD\

All subkeys are monitored, with special attention paid to the "StaticVXD" value in each subkey.


13. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\

The "SCRNSAVE.EXE" value is monitored. This value is launched when your screen saver activates.


14. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\

The "BootExecute" value is monitored. Files listed here are Native Applications that are executed before Windows starts.


15. HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\vbsfile\shell\open\command\

Executed whenever a .VBS file (Visual Basic Script) is run.


16. HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\vbefile\shell\open\command\

Executed whenever a .VBE file (Encoded Visual Basic Script) is run.


17. HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\jsfile\shell\open\command\

Executed whenever a .JS file (Javascript) is run.


18. HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\jsefile\shell\open\command\

Executed whenever a .JSE file (Encoded Javascript) is run.


19. HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\wshfile\shell\open\command\

Executed whenever a .WSH file (Windows Scripting Host) is run.


20. HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\wsffile\shell\open\command\

Executed whenever a .WSF file (Windows Scripting File) is run.


21. HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\open\command\

Executed whenever a .EXE file (Executable) is run.


22. HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\comfile\shell\open\command\

Executed whenever a .COM file (Command) is run.


23. HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\batfile\shell\open\command\

Executed whenever a .BAT file (Batch Command) is run.


24. HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\scrfile\shell\open\command\

Executed whenever a .SCR file (Screen Saver) is run.


25. HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\piffile\shell\open\command\

Executed whenever a .PIF file (Portable Interchange Format) is run.


26. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\

Services marked to startup automatically are executed before user login.


27. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Winsock2\Parameters\Protocol_Catalog\Catalog_Entries\

Layered Service Providers, executed before user login.


28. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\Control\WOW\cmdline\

Executed when a 16-bit Windows executable is executed.


29. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\Control\WOW\wowcmdline\

Executed when a 16-bit DOS application is executed.


30. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Userinit\

Executed when a user logs in.


31. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ShellServiceObjectDelayLoad\

Executed by explorer.exe as soon as it has loaded.


32. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows\run\

Executed when the user logs in.


33. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows\load\

Executed when the user logs in.


34. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\run\

Subvalues are executed when Explorer initialises.


35. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\run\

Subvalues are executed when Explorer initialises.