The entries we are referring to here correspond to the full path for the executable files linked to appropriate Startup apps.īasically, if you see a String value that reads the correct path for the executable file of an application you already uninstalled, then that String value must be deleted. They contain the entries for various Startup programs. If you went through the correct directories, then you will end up in a location where your system displays some String values on the right-pane area of the Registry Editor program window.
Starting from the items you see on the left-pane area of the window, you must navigate through this path: HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Run.The Registry Editor app window will be displayed now.
Input regedit into the text field present on the application window, and then click on the OK button below it to get Windows to execute the code (or you can give the Enter key a tap). The small Run program window will be displayed now. Press the Windows logo button on your device’s keyboard (and hold that button), and then give the letter R key a tab. It is the program through which users get to access the contents of the Windows registry and make changes to the items stored there (when they have to).
Try running a dedicated PC optimization tool to check the health of your PC and apply the necessary fixes.īefore you move on to carry out the necessary tasks through the Registry Editor app, we have to warn you of the risks and complications associated with work performed on the registry.įor one, mistakes might prove quite costly. Is your computer running slow or suffering system glitches? If so, it may need maintenance. If you want to stop seeing the “Program” entry in the list of Startup items in Task Manager, you have to delete the entry (that corresponds to it) from the Windows registry.
How to get rid of the “Program” entry or invalid characters entry from the Startup programs list on Windows 10 Some unauthorized operations might have been executed (most likely without your knowledge) to replace genuine apps with those strange items. However, for the applications whose names consist of invalid characters or rarely used symbols, there is a good chance that a rogue or malicious program worked to place those items there. Now, you surely understand where those Program entries come from or why they appear in your list of Startup applications. Well, since the program’s executable file is gone (and Windows cannot find it), your system is forced to display the title “Program” (in place of the application’s real name). Even poorly-coded installers manage to do the business with them.
Executable files for programs are hardly ever left behind after the uninstallation operations have reached completion. Now, you must understand that Windows is programmed to load up Startup apps through their executable files, but since you uninstalled the application in view, its executable file is likely to have been deleted. The program’s entries were supposed to have been deleted, but some of them ended up remaining in their default locations – especially the entries that define the program as a Startup app. You probably uninstalled the app, but its uninstaller (or uninstallation wizard) failed to perform the required data-removal tasks correctly. The strange or abnormal program entry you saw once belonged to a regular application on your computer.
Why are there invalid items or weird programs in the list of Startup programs on my system? Some users even reported seeing rectangles (and similar shape images) or weird objects as their application icon. Or you might have seen other strange entries in the Startup program list – especially those that contain invalid or rarely used characters. About Outbyte, uninstall instructions, EULA, Privacy Policy.