Fix MSCONFIG Won’t Save Changes on Windows 10. Make sure to create a restore point just in case something goes wrong. Method 1: Make sure all the services are checked in Selective Startup. 1.Press Windows Key + R then type msconfig and hit Enter to open System Configuration. Why won’t msconfig return to normal startup? W January 1, 2013. Copy the same program from another windows 7 ultimate and replace it in C: Windows System32 msconfig.exe. Type in CMD in the Search programs and files box, right-click on the CMD icon and select Run as administrator.
How-To Geek Forums / Windows Vista
(Solved) - Problem with Normal startup in msconfig
(21 posts)
I cannot set msconfig to Normal startup. I used msconfig to boot and reboot in Safe Mode by clicking Boot>Safe boot>Minimal. Now if I try to set Normal startup it reverts to Selective startup and checks Safe boot. I have had to uncheck Safe boot and check Selective startup to prevent Windows booting into Safe Mode each time. Is there a way to reset Normal startup and, if not, will Selective startup impair the operation of Windows in any way?
davisj hi. Make sure the box for 'Make all boot settings permanent' is unchecked.
Hi LH
'Make all boot settings permanent' is unchecked. If I click on Normal startup it sets Boot to Safe boot . If I uncheck Safe boot it reverts to Selective startup.
OK. uncheck Safe boot check 'Make all boot settings permanent' Reboot uncheck 'Make all boot settings permanent'
It takes some playing around with the sequence to get it right
OK - this is what happens now. Safe boot is unchecked and 'Make all boot settings permanent' is unchecked, If I click on Normal startup and Apply it reverts to Selective startup. If f I click on Normal startup and OK it reverts to Selective startup.
It's all out of synch. Reboot from Safe Mode, and keep tapping the F8 key as it starts up. Select Normal.
hi davisj, This can happen if you have one or more boxes unchecked in your startup menu. Click on the startup tab and make sure all boxes are checked. Somehow Windows thinks if a box is unchecked you are in a selective or debug mode. No the selective mode will not effect windows.
g-x
Hi germ-x
Windows Live Messenger is unchecked and shown as disabled. If I check it to enable it, or Enable All, and click Apply it remains disabled. However, if I check Windows Live Messenger the start up selection does revert to Normal startup; but if I click Apply it reverts to Selective startup. There doesn't seem to be a way of enabling Windows Live Messenger. I haven't yet tried LH's suggestion above.
Do you have any other software that is disabling Windows live Messanger? Lile a windows tweaking app or something similar.
The option to sign in to Windows Live Messenger was unchecked. I have checked that Windows Live Messenger now installs at start up. But it is still shown as disabled in msconfig! How can that be? I have also tried booting in Normal mode from Safe Mode as suggested by LH but to no avail. Why do we put up with this c**p from M$?
I never have probs with Vista (SP1). So don't knock MS. It's more than likely how you manage your system :) There is a reg hack for your problem, but I can't remember it at the moment :(
Hi LH
I'm running Vista P2 and have started to experience a number of niggling problems which don't seem to have a straightforward resolution. I carry out all the recommended maintenance activities including daily scanning for malware. And I don't hack around. So I'm not sure what it is that I could be doing wrong.
Anyway, the latest position is that I have managed to enable Windows Live Messenger in msconfig>Startup. If I click on the Startup menu in msconfig first, Normal startup is shown as checked under the General tab. However when I open msconfig after a reboot Selective startup is shown as checked under the General tab even if I choose Normal startup from Safe Boot. Is there a way to check what start up mode Windows has used to reboot? Germ-x said that Selective startup doesn't affect the operation of Windows so perhaps I shouldn't worry unduly.
Ah. Those niggling (and some major) problems with SP2. We have had several threads on that. I would suggest you uninstall SP2.
davisj, With all those nigglings I hope you have a good backup image of your system before they turn into some big worms. You never mentioned if laptop / desktop. The reason for that is most laptops have a recovery partition that stores the original O/S. When you reboot and see the mode as selective check the startup tab again and see if something is unchecked. It sounds like something is resetting to a previous setting on bootup. If all these strange things started to happen after you updated to SP2 I would uninstall it as LH recommended. Then see if things get better
The machine I have a problem with is a Dell Inspiron 530 desktop. It has a backup partition for an incremental of the C: drive and a recovery partition for restoring the factory version. I take a weekly incremental of the C; drive and backup files daily both on-line and remotely. I am a wee bit paranoid about backups as you can see. The only things I may not be backing up fully are MS Outlook data. I'm reluctant to uninstall SP2 unless I absolutely have to - I've read somewhere that M$ is withdrawing support for Vista unless it has all SPs installed.
MS are a bit ambiguous on this, but my reading of it is they are withdrawing support for systems with NO SP installed. I certainly will be sticking with SP1 for as long as possible. I have tried SP2 twice, and had problems. It is a good idea to keep your backups on an external drive too. If your internal drive dies, you lose the lot. Also I would suggest, https://www.howtogeek.com/howto/7363/macrium-reflect-is-a-free-and-easy-to-use-backup-utility/
Hi LH, germ-x
Here is the link re support for Vista - http://support.microsoft.com/kb/931712
Here is some further info I've found - http://news.softpedia.com/news.....3201.shtml
As I read it it suggests the boot screen indicates the startup mode even if msconfig shows Selective startup. My boot screen is what it describes as Normal startup. So I guess I'll just leave it at that. After all, life is too short to stuff mushrooms!
Thanks for all your help and advice
Hi guys
FIXED IT AT LAST!! What worked for me was as follows. Select Normal startup> select Startup. Uncheck any startup item click Apply. Check the same startup item click Apply. General tab now shows Normal startup. Reboot.
Not very intuitive. I hope this isn't what you've been trying to tell me along and I've been too STOOPID to understand!
Best to both of you.
Wouldn't tell you if you were STOOPID anyway :) As I said before, it takes some playing with to get the sequence right.
Joined this forum just to express my gratitude. THANK YOU LH for providing a solution to the safe mode/selective startup issue. I experienced this recently and it did my head in. I simply unchecked safe mode on the boot tab, checked 'Make all boot settings permanent', clicked Apply and accepted the warning message, and noticed Normal startup had become the default selection once more :) I then clicked OK and rebooted... and VWOHLA! Robert's your father's brother. Thanks again. PS sorry if my inability to spell in French offends anyone.
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I think I used to have it as 'selective startup'. I reinstalled Windows 10 (keeping all apps and documents) and I think it reverted back to 'normal startup'...but I am not sure on that, maybe Microsoft technician changed it. My disk usage has been staying idle/fluctuating at 100% for some reason (now its low and normal) so I was thinking of changing the 'startup', but not sure what one to do. Do I choose normal or selective? and if selective is better, what services do I choose? http://imgur.com/a/U2tHf All my services are ticked atm, but just under half are 'running' and the rest are 'stopped'. Not sure what to do.