ID:71841
 
Since the search results for how to do this were crap -- I came up with a simple way of doing this. I don't like messing with msconfig if I don't have to. msconfig is there for debugging windows, not for managing startup features, and this is what most of the search results I found were suggesting. But this is a topic for another time.

To keep things short, here's the steps I used:

*NOTE, this does not work with UAC turned off. Your guess is as good as mine as to why this is.
(Insert vista sucks comment here).

1.) Go to C:\Windows\System32

2.) Create a folder as a sub-directory (the folder can be anywhere, but a sub directory is the easiest to make and keep track of (I called mine 'mobsynccrap').

3.) Find mobsync.exe in the current directory.

4.) Right-click it. Select properties, find the security tab, click the advanced button. Find the Owner tab on this new window.

5.) Change the owner by clicking edit. Now another window will pop up. Under "Change owner to:", highlight the current user and click okay. A prompt may appear saying it will have to do this or that, if it does just say okay.

5.2) (An addendum here, I forgot to mention this step!)
Go to the permissions tab. Highlight the user again and click edit. Now highlight the user on this page and click edit, now click the checkbox next to full control and click okay.

Finally, click okay on the remaining window, this will warn that you are about to change permissions. Click okay...again.
6.) Cut and paste mobsync.exe into new directory.

7.) You're done! No more idiotic automatic transfers of files you never wanted on your portable devices.

"msconfig is there for debugging windows, not for managing startup features"

Uh, what? That is exactly what msconfig is for.
Airjoe wrote:
"msconfig is there for debugging windows, not for managing startup features"

Uh, what? That is exactly what msconfig is for.

It's probably used by developers to figure out what program etc. may be causing crashes, etc.; that must be what he means.
Airjoe wrote:
"msconfig is there for debugging windows, not for managing startup features"

Uh, what? That is exactly what msconfig is for.

I believe this is a fairly common misconception:

http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/ all/proddocs/en-us/msconfig_usage.mspx?mfr=true

*Edit:
http://www.articlesbase.com/computers-articles/ msconfig-in-windows-xp-is-misused-and-abused-728898.html

I think that article best explains the problems with misusing msconfig. It was a colossal pain in the ass in XP, but to be perfectly honest I don't know if vist a and XP have the same issues with it.
"You can use this tool to modify the system configuration through a process of elimination with check boxes, reducing the risk of typing errors."

It can be used as a diagnostics tool. But that's not it's only function.
If it works, who cares what it was intended for? I disable all sorts of crap with msconfig so my computer doesn't have to waste time loading up a bunch of junk that I didn't want it to load in the first place. It doesn't hurt anything.
Foomer wrote:
If it works, who cares what it was intended for? I disable all sorts of crap with msconfig so my computer doesn't have to waste time loading up a bunch of junk that I didn't want it to load in the first place. It doesn't hurt anything.

Likewise.
Tiberath wrote:
Foomer wrote:
If it works, who cares what it was intended for? I disable all sorts of crap with msconfig so my computer doesn't have to waste time loading up a bunch of junk that I didn't want it to load in the first place. It doesn't hurt anything.

And if one service depends on another and someone unwittingly canters about with it, disabling this and that, or just anything he doesn't quite know or remember? Suddenly we have a problem.


Being careless with any tool can cause problems. Just make sure you're careful with what you do and it won't be an issue. Its not hard to find out what things do and to whether or not its safe to disable them.

I should mention though that if you want to disable windows services, THOSE should be disabled through the Administrative Tools -> Services program.
Rockinawsome wrote:
Tiberath wrote:
Foomer wrote:
If it works, who cares what it was intended for? I disable all sorts of crap with msconfig so my computer doesn't have to waste time loading up a bunch of junk that I didn't want it to load in the first place. It doesn't hurt anything.

And if one service depends on another and someone unwittingly canters about with it, disabling this and that, or just anything he doesn't quite know or remember? Suddenly we have a problem.

Or you could use the services tool in Administrative Tools.

But you also have to remember Start Up and Services are separated in msconfig. Anything under the startup tab in msconfig is definitely not essential to the operation of your computer.