Error message when you start a Windows Vista-based computer: "Windows has blocked some startup programs"

This article is intended for a beginning to intermediate computer user.You may find it easier to follow the steps if you print this article first.
When you start a Windows Vista-based computer, you receive a warning message that some startup programs have been blocked. This article contains several step-by-step methods that you can use to try to resolve this problem.

When you start a Windows Vista-based computer, you receive the following Windows warning message in the notification area at the far right of the taskbar:

This issue occurs because a program or a service that has User Account Control (UAC) restrictions tries to start during the Windows Vista startup process or logon process. User Account Control is a set of infrastructure technologies that helps prevent malicious programs, sometimes called "malware," from damaging your computer. Software Explorer blocks programs or services that require User Account Control confirmation.

Before we begin, you have to know which programs and services are being blocked. You can see a list of blocked programs and services by following these steps:

1. Click the Blocked startup programs icon that is in the notification area.
2. Point to the Run blocked program menu list. The programs and services that have been blocked from starting are located here.

To know which method you should try to solve your problem, decide which of the following actions you want to take:

• Run the blocked program or the blocked service
• Disable the blocked program or the blocked service
• Remove the blocked program or blocked service from the startup process

Method 1: Run the blocked program or the blocked service

After Windows Vista starts, you can run any blocked programs or blocked services by following these steps:

1. Click the Blocked startup programs icon that is in the notification area.
2. Point to Run blocked program, and then click the program or the service in the list that you want to start.
   
   
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   If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password, or click Continue.

Method 2: Disable the blocked program or the blocked service

To disable a program or a service during the Windows Vista startup process, follow these steps:

1. Click the Blocked startup programs icon that is in the notification area.
2. Click Show or remove blocked startup programs. This starts Software Explorer in Windows Defender.
3. Locate, and then click to select the startup program or the startup service that is in Software Explorer.
4. Click Disable, and then click Yes in the confirmation dialog box.

Method 3: Remove the blocked program or the blocked service from the startup process

To remove a program or a service from the startup process completely, try to use the Programs and Features item in Control Panel. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Click Start
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   , type appwiz.cpl in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.
2. Click the program in the Programs and Features list, and then click Uninstall/Change.

If you cannot remove the program by using the Programs and Features item in Control Panel, you can remove the program from the startup process by using Software Explorer. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Click the Blocked startup programs icon that is in the notification area.
2. Click Show or remove blocked startup programs. This starts Software Explorer in Windows Defender.
3. Locate, and then click to select the startup program or the startup service that is in Software Explorer.
4. Click Remove, and then click Yes in the confirmation dialog box.

For more information about Software Explorer, follow these steps:

1. Click Start
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   , and then click Help and Support.
2. Type Software Explorer, and then click Search.
3. Click the Using Software Explorer in Windows Defender link.

For help with common system maintenance tasks in Windows Vista, visit the following Microsoft Web page:
For more information about User Account Control (UAC), click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: