Disable startup items, services

Some applications or services cause system errors or freezes when running concurrently with Adobe applications. Services are specialized programs that perform functions to support other programs. Before starting your Adobe application, disable other applications, including startup items (items that start automatically with Windows), and services using Selective Startup.

Important: When you deselect Load System Services in Selective or Diagnostic Startup, you permanently delete all restore points for the System Restore utility. If you are concerned about deleting your restore points, keep this option selected, and then test the problem. It's sometimes necessary to turn off System Services eventually to fully test the issue.

Note: The commands in these steps can vary slightly depending on your system configuration.

Quit all applications.

Choose Start > Run, and type msconfig in the Open box. Click OK.

Write down all deselected items under the Startup and Services tabs.

Click the General tab, and choose Selective startup.

Click the Startup tab and select Disable All.

Select any startup items that are essential for testing the problem. If you are unsure whether an item is essential, leave it deselected (disabled).

Click the Services Tab, and select Hide All Microsoft Services

Click Disable All.

Enable any services required to troubleshoot your issue.

Important: Reenable the FLEXnet Licensing Service if you are troubleshooting an Adobe CS2, CS3, or CS4 product. The FlexNET Licensing Service is required for most Adobe products. When it is not enabled, your Adobe product doesn't launch. Adobe CS5 products and later do not use the FLEXnet Licensing Service.

Click OK, and restart Windows.

Upon restart, you see a message saying that the System Configuration utility has changed the way Windows starts up. Click OK. When the System Configuration utility appears, click Cancel.

Right-click icons in the Notification Area (called the System Tray in earlier versions of Windows) to close or disable any startup items that are still active.

Note: When you restart are notified that the System Configuration Utility has changed the way that Windows starts up. Click OK, and when the System Configuration Utility appears click Cancel.

Quit all applications

Choose Start > Run, and type msconfig in the Open box. Click OK.

Choose the General tab, and select Normal Startup.

Deselect any items that you wrote down in Step 3 above.

Click OK, and restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

For details, search for these topics in the Microsoft Windows Help system:

(Windows XP) “How to troubleshoot configuration errors by using the System Configuration utility in Windows XP” (Article ID: 310560)
(Windows Vista) “How to use the System Configuration utility to troubleshoot configuration errors in Windows Vista” (Article ID: 950093)
(Windows 7) “Run Selective Startup using System Configuration"

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Disable startup items, services | Windows

Disable startup items and non-Microsoft services

Restore startup items and services

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