Prevent App From Loading with Shortcut keys

I don't know which shortcut keys, if any, but usually what I do is 'Start' 'Run' type Msconfig. Tick 'Diagnostic Startup' which only loads basic devices and services at the next boot. Or you can select 'Selective Startup' open the 'Startup' tab and un-tic the offending program and reboot. Also, you can repeatedly poke F8 during POST and select Safe Mode. Then uninstall the offending program.

To add to what Jim said, in msconfig/Startup tab and uncheck the program you do not want to run at Windows startup The best way is to open the program up on the tool bar go to Preferences or Options and uncheck Start With Windows.

Thanks for your input. Unfortunately, this is not what I am seeking. I am very familiar with using the msconfig approach. The keyboard shortcuts I am seeking would be used for as follows:
1. PC is running an Application such as POS software. In this case, the user is unable to get to a Windows desktop. When the pc boots it automatically loads this app.

2. Using Alt-Ctrl-Del, the pc is rebooted. As soon as the POST messages appear, these two shortcut keys (ctrl+shft?) are held down continuously. This action prevents the POS app from loading resulting in the Windows desktop.

I have encountered this in two cases. In both cases, these POS's were configured using WinPE. Is this possibly a WinPE feature?

Thanks for any help you can provide.

Ah, POS=Point of Sale. That's not what I thought you meant when I read your first post.

There may be another way to do this but the way I'm familiar with is installed by the POS software. It drops some code into the MBR (Master Boot Record) that looks for a sequence of keys and allows either the desktop or invokes the POS software at boot.

Assuming that it does not display a graphic right after POST telling you to press certain keys, then I think the only way to know would be to install that POS software on another computer and the install routine may tell you which keys, or the manual that came with it would, or the software vendors web site may have tech support.

Last time I ran into this the POS software had to have the UPC wand connected or all you'd get was a black screen...wouldn't go any further then a bit past the post.

Maybe someone else has a better take on this. What's the brand or who is the vendor of the POS software?

You could try holding the shift key down. I have done this before. Here is a link from Microsoft that talks about it.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-CA/windows-xp/help/setup/how-to-fix-computer-that-will-not-start#

Hope this helps.

So did that help for what you were looking for?

If so please mark this thread as solved.

Thanks


Shekka

Shekka. Thanks for your suggestion. The issue is not that the pc won't start (which your link was addressing) but that I want to prevent an application (e.g. POS app) from loading. I want to system to boot to the normal Windows desktop (and load anti-virus and other "basic" apps. I want to have interactive control; a boot (restart) time decision. I can't use msconfig to do this as others have suggested as I would have to change it each time which is not conducive to making changes on the fly.

I have a demo disk coming from a POS SW provider. Once I get it, I will read the documentation and experiment and let the group know what I found (if that is ok with the Moderators of this subject).

I know in the link that it mostly talks about a system that won't startup, however in the first link it tells you that by pressing the shift key just before the login screen you can stop the startup apps from loading.

On a side note, If you which program you want to stop from loading ( for test purposes) what about taking the link out of the startup and then just have a desktop icon that you can drag into the windows startup folder in the start menu?
Or make a bat file that loads the program with a delay so that it loads up after everything else is up still giving you time to stop the program from running?