Links in the user's start menu are not executed

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  1. Posts : 98
    windows
       #1

    Links in the user's start menu are not executed


    Hi there,

    The title says it all: The two links in %APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup are not executed at startup as they should be.

    But I have no issue navigating to the folder and 2-clicking on each link.

    TIA
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 31,459
    10 Home x64 (22H2) (10 Pro on 2nd pc)
       #2

    Mine do.

    What are your two links? We'd need to know what they are supposed to do before we can try and see why they're not working.
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 17,838
    Windows 10
       #3

    mQ573 said:
    Hi there,

    The title says it all: The two links in %APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup are not executed at startup as they should be.

    But I have no issue navigating to the folder and 2-clicking on each link.

    TIA
    Perhaps they're disabled in Task Manager/Startup
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 98
    windows
    Thread Starter
       #4

    Edwin said:
    Perhaps they're disabled in Task Manager/Startup
    No, they aren't.
    @Bree: Would you care explaining why you need to know what the programs are doing when I explicitely said that both links are working?
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 31,459
    10 Home x64 (22H2) (10 Pro on 2nd pc)
       #5

    mQ573 said:
    @Bree: Would you care explaining why you need to know what the programs are doing when I explicitely said that both links are working?
    @mQ573 - because the word 'link' could mean almost anything, it's usually used to refer to an Internet shortcut.

    I don't know what you mean by the word 'link', it's not one usually applied to startup items. It could be a shortcut to an executable, a batch file actually in the startup folder, or even that internet shortcut. Each could have its own different problem. Without more details anything we say would just be a stab in the dark.

    Precisely what it is trying to open may give a clue too, it may be something that depends on services or an executable that haven't started up yet.
      My Computers


  6. Posts : 17,838
    Windows 10
       #6

    - Are they portable apps?
    - Has the executable path been broken or corrupted?
    - Have you tried creating the same links in Program Data/Startup folder?
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 98
    windows
    Thread Starter
       #7

    Edwin said:
    - Are they portable apps?
    - Has the executable path been broken or corrupted?
    - Have you tried creating the same links in Program Data/Startup folder?
    @Bree: O.K., shortcuts to stand-alone executable s would have been a better description.

    Paths aren't broken since clicking on the shortcuts executes the programs.

    Creating shortcuts directly in C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup is not allowed, but copying the shortcuts works. I mean the copying works but the links are still not executed at startup.

    And things were working alright before I had the laptop accidentally set in Tablet mode.
      My Computer


  8. Posts : 31,459
    10 Home x64 (22H2) (10 Pro on 2nd pc)
       #8

    mQ573 said:
    Creating shortcuts directly in C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup is not allowed, but copying the shortcuts works. I mean the copying works but the links are still not executed at startup.

    And things were working alright before I had the laptop accidentally set in Tablet mode.
    OK, now we have something to work on (particularly that 'Tablet' bit). I can now try to reproduce the problem.

    No, you can't create shortcuts in C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup. That's the 'All Users' start-up folder and windows only expects setup packages to copy their shortcuts to it. Creating 'links' there (well, anywhere in Start Menu\Programs actually) is presumably blocked to prevent malware writing their own there. You're allowed to create folders - that's all, anything else must be copied there.

    There is another Start-up folder, the 'per User' one. That's the %APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup that you mentioned in the first post. You CAN create shortcuts directly in that one, it is after all 'your' folder to do with as you wish.

    Which one are you actually having this problem with? Have you tried them both?
      My Computers


  9. Posts : 98
    windows
    Thread Starter
       #9

    Bree said:
    Which one are you actually having this problem with? Have you tried them both?
    None worked.

    I just tried the All Users' startup menu at Edwin's suggestion.

    My original setup was involving the user's one (And that's the one I want).

    This tablet mode setting seems to have brought up a lot of changes....
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 31,459
    10 Home x64 (22H2) (10 Pro on 2nd pc)
       #10

    mQ573 said:
    This tablet mode setting seems to have brought up a lot of changes....
    I have now tried creating a shortcut in my start-up folder, and copied a different shortcut into the All Users one. Both worked when I logged out and back in again. Then I switched to Tablet mode and logged out then in, both worked. Switched Tablet mode off and they still work.

    All changes when you switch to Tablet mode should be reversed when you switch it off again. Try switching Tablet mode on, then turn it off again. Perhaps it will properly undo the changes on a second attempt.

    If you have fast start up turned on, this could be preserving an error that crept into the system configuration. Try a Restart, this will perform a full start up of Windows from cold, it doesn't use fast start up.

    What version of windows does Winver say you have? My tests were done on the Creators Update, version 1703, OS build 15063.138.
      My Computers


 

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