RunOnce tasks in Vista must be completed before desktop is available?

kennyzx · Jul 7, 2009

Hi guys,

Recently I have noticed if I add a task (like C:\Windows\notepad.exe) to the RunOnce registry key,
which is "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce\",
then after system reboots, the Vista destop does not show up (totally black) until the task completes (in the notepad case, until you close notepad).

while I can see the explorer.exe process in the taskmanager, it seems to be blocked. However, if I kill explorer.exe and start it again in task manager, the desktop shows up immediatly.

I found this behaviour on all Vista editions,
does vista behaves in this way? if it does, is it documented?

Brink · Jul 7, 2009

Hello Kenny, and welcome to Vista Forums.

If you wanted Notepad to open at startup, then you would need to place it in the RUN key or in the Startup folder in the Start Menu instead. The RunOnce key is usually only used for actions, like Windows Updates, that need to finish running something only at the next startup.

Hope this helps some,
Shawn

kennyzx · Jul 7, 2009

Thanks Brink,

I do need an application to be run only once at the next startup, and I placed this application in the RUN key. Problem is, the application is blocked by Windows Defender, if I placed it in the RunOnce key instead, it is not blocked.

The other problem with Run Key is, every time I have to delete the task in Run key by my self (by the application code), if the application fails to do this, it will be run again next time. So I think RunOnce is much preferable.

So my questions are:
1. Are the RunOnce tasks exempt from Windows Defender? I am not sure, but my application is not blocked, although it needs admin privilege to run (UAC prompt).
2. If there a better way to Run an application Only once, and it is not blocked by Windows Defender?

Brink · Jul 7, 2009

Kenny,

I'm not sure why you may need it to run only at that next startup, but could creating a shortcut of the application and using it instead at the next startup work since it will only be for that one time?

RunOnce tasks in Vista must be completed before desktop is available?

kennyzx

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Brink

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