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How do I stop AIM automatically launching on Windows startup?

It drives me crazy: ever since I installed AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) it automatically starts up and logs me in every time I start up my Microsoft Windows XP computer. How do I make it behave like a regular program, where it starts when I start it, and doesn't do its own thing??

Dave's Answer:

Oh I know exactly what you're talking about. One of the most annoying things about Windows is how many applications presumptuously launch themselves after installation without asking if you want to have them start when your computer starts up. The march of tiny icons on the Windows Taskbar is a sure sign that you've lost control over your own computer!

Fortunately, AIM makes it only a bit tricky to shut off this feature, unlike many applications that make it well-neigh impossible to disable. If you already have the pesky little AIM icon on your Taskbar, right-click on it to get the menu:

Choose "Settings" (which you can also access from the AIM application itself, if that's easier) then jump to the "Sign In / Sign Out" tab:

You can see the option highlighted here: make sure you have unchecked the "Start AIM when Windows starts" option, click "Apply" or "Save" and you're done. Next time you start up your Windows machine you'll still have that parade of annoying apps along the bottom, but at least AIM won't be one of them! :-)

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Categorized: Windows Help (Article 7388)
Tagged: aim, america online, aol instant messenger
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Comments

Just in case you also want to disable other programs from starting with windows. Microsoft has a great free tool called windows defender. It can be downloaded from the microsoft site. It will show you a list of all programs that are loading when windows starts, simply check the box to allow or disallow the program to start.

Dave
Digital City Hosting

Posted by: Dave at May 29, 2007 6:23 AM

My problem is somewhat different. Aim 6.0 continues to load on startup even though I uncheck that option in preferences. When I go back into preferences, the option is checked again, so I have to uncheck it, apply>save...but when I start up again, there's the buddy list window loaded up again. How to stop this? I've tried everything.

Posted by: A. Lathrop at June 7, 2007 2:36 AM

Also, you can go to run>msconficg>Startup Tab--- and then check and uncheck what you need or dont need to start upon startup. really easy.

Posted by: Gray at July 5, 2007 3:13 PM

sorry, in my comment above....

it should be "MSCONFIG"

Posted by: Gray at July 5, 2007 3:20 PM

Thanks Dave, I just found this info while doing a Google search on how to disable AIM at startup.

Posted by: Randy at March 1, 2008 7:33 AM

Thanks had same problem , now solved.

Posted by: jack at March 26, 2008 6:13 PM

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I do have a comment, now that you mention it!