Not auto-starting on Windows bootup

[Peter_Hucker]

On all my 5 machines I definitely set "run on startup" when I installed Folding, but if a machine reboots, Folding is not starting by itself. I also can't see a setting for this in the interface. Of course I can stick it in the startup group in the start menu, but shouldn't this be automatically done?

[calxalot]

On Windows, the client is launched when you log on.

[calxalot]

The default install adds a link in Startup for you.

[Peter_Hucker]

Edit: This appears to be a Windows 11 bug. I've seen this before with another program. In the all-users startup group, things get ignored. I think it works better in the user's own startup group. For the moment I'm placing it in both! The relevant paths are:

All users: C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
A specific user: C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

[calxalot]

My understanding is that the Windows v8 installer only adds links in the all users locations.

[Peter_Hucker]

Yes, that's where it put it on all mine. But it was ignored by all the machines. Strangely, the link I put in there to start Chrome to show the interface did start up. A google search shows this is a widespread problem but there are multiple solutions - things to do with the link not having admin privileges and all sorts. There's nothing special about most of my machines, I just installed Windows 11, a few little utilities, Boinc, and Folding. Perhaps some installers don't set something quite right? I've only had a problem with links installers put there, but never with a shortcut I placed there myself.

[calxalot]

I think the installer will also remove links in current user, as those are typically cruft from old installs, particularly v7.

Whenever you upgrade, you may want to move the created link from all-users.

[calxalot]

I pinged an expert. I’m sorry I can’t be more helpful.

[spinney]

I ran into this same issue months later. For anyone else that may still need a solution, this is what worked for me:

I ensured that a shortcut existed at both `C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup` and `C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup` then edited the permissions of both shortcuts to ensure that every group had full control. After that, it seems to be executing just fine at startup.

[Peter_Hucker]

For me, part of your solution is enough. My systems (about 3/4 of them) ignore anything (not just folding) in the all users startup, so I only use the per user startup. My login is an admin account, but it's auto-logged in (I don't type the password), maybe that messes things up?

[spinney]

For me, part of your solution is enough. My systems (about 3/4 of them) ignore anything (not just folding) in the all users startup, so I only use the per user startup. My login is an admin account, but it's auto-logged in (I don't type the password), maybe that messes things up?

Interesting, I originally tried just copying the shortcut over but that alone did not seem to do the trick. At the time, the computer was also set with no password for the admin account so that may be a requisite factor. I haven't noticed any issues with other startup items but then again I tend not to use the computer much after setting it up.