To prevent installers from adding their application to the Windows startup, you can follow these steps:
-
Create a registry key:
- Open Registry Editor by typing
regeditin the Start menu search box and pressing Enter. - Navigate to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run - Right-click on the right pane and select
New > String Value. Name the new key as{installer-name}. - Double-click on the newly created key and set its value to
%windir%\system32\cmd.exe /c nothing(replace{installer-name}with the name of the installer).
- Open Registry Editor by typing
-
Use a third-party tool:
- Tools like Autoruns (https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/autoruns) can help you manage startup programs.
Remember, modifying the registry can potentially harm your system if not done correctly. Always backup your registry before making changes.
As for freezing credit, you might be referring to a security freeze. In the United States, consumers can request a security freeze on their credit report, which prevents potential creditors from accessing the report. However, this is a separate process from managing Windows startup programs and typically requires contacting the credit reporting agencies directly.
References:
- Windows Registry: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/sysinfo/registry-keys-and-values
- Autoruns: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/autoruns