Adding a different program to startup

There are several ways to add a startup program.

Firstly what OS are you using? By the looks of it a version of Windows?

And what programming language are you wanting to use? C Sharp?

Assuming you have privileges to write to the registry then what you have written looks mostly correct. Have you tried testing it? There is also a RunOnce subkey to allow the program to only run on the next occasion of startup. I have actually done what you are trying to do before, however I am on a computer with limited privileges at the moment so I can't check that what you have written is perfectly correct. Although the idea should be fine :)

You may also like to write a shortcut to the Windows Start menu "Startup" folder. You could write a short piece of code to create a shortcut file to the application you wish to run and then attempt to write the shortcut file to the correct startup directory? If not a shortcut file, write a script file which is much easier. Perhaps something like:

@echo off
echo Running a startup program!
pause 
::load program
start /b "" "C:\APPLICATIONSPATH.fileextension"

and programmatically write this to a file with a .vbs extension. This way if a user who is not computer savvy wants to remove the startup item manually they can easily see it. (I think this may be a way which will work without the requirement for administrative rights. Could be a useful alternative to writing to the registry?)

If you use Windows 8, this startup folder no longer exists under the start menu. Instead it can be found here: C:\Users\YOURUSER\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

or with the Windows Run prompt: Win+R and by running shell:startup

Have a look here for Windows 8

I'd developed this module which facilitates the way to add or remove an external application to Windows startup trhough registry methodology.

It covers the startup scope (Run/RunOnce), the user scope (Current User/All Users), the registry scope (x86/x64) and also is capable to add a bypass for "Secure mode" windows logon.

An example usage:

WinStartupUtil.Add(UserScope.CurrentUser, StartupScope.Run, RegistryScope.System32,
                   title:="Application Title",
                   filePath:="C:\Application.exe",
                   arguments:="/Arg1",
                   secureModeByPass:=True)

WinStartupUtil.Remove(UserScope.CurrentUser, StartupScope.Run, RegistryScope.System32,
                      title:="Application Title",
                      throwOnMissingValue:=True)

The source-code:

' ***********************************************************************
' Author   : Elektro
' Modified : 12-October-2015
' ***********************************************************************
' <copyright file="WinStartupUtil.vb" company="Elektro Studios">
'     Copyright (c) Elektro Studios. All rights reserved.
' </copyright>
' ***********************************************************************

#Region " Option Statements "

Option Explicit On
Option Strict On
Option Infer Off

#End Region

#Region " Imports "

Imports System
Imports Microsoft.Win32

#End Region

#Region " WinStartup Util "

''' ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
''' <summary>
''' Adds or removes an application from Windows Startup.
''' </summary>
''' ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Public Module WinStartupUtil

#Region " Constants "

    ''' ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    ''' <summary>
    ''' The 'Run' registry subkey path.
    ''' </summary>
    ''' ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Public Const RunSubKeyPath As String = "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run"

    ''' ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    ''' <summary>
    ''' The 'Run' registry subkey path for x86 appications on x64 operating system.
    ''' </summary>
    ''' ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Public Const RunSubKeyPathSysWow64 As String = "Software\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run"

    ''' ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    ''' <summary>
    ''' The 'RunOnce' registry subkey path.
    ''' </summary>
    ''' ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Public Const RunOnceSubKeyPath As String = "Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce"

    ''' ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    ''' <summary>
    ''' The 'RunOnce' registry subkey path for x86 appications on x64 operating system.
    ''' </summary>
    ''' ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Public Const RunOnceSubKeyPathSysWow64 As String = "Software\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce"

#End Region

#Region " Enumerations "

    ''' ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    ''' <summary>
    ''' Specifies an user scope.
    ''' </summary>
    ''' ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Public Enum UserScope As Integer

        ''' <summary>
        ''' 'HKEY_CURRENT_USER' root key.
        ''' </summary>
        CurrentUser = &H1

        ''' <summary>
        ''' 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE' root key.
        ''' </summary>
        AllUsers = &H2

    End Enum

    ''' ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    ''' <summary>
    ''' Specifies a Startup scope.
    ''' </summary>
    ''' ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Public Enum StartupScope As Integer

        ''' <summary>
        ''' 'Run' registry subkey.
        ''' </summary>
        Run = &H1

        ''' <summary>
        ''' 'RunOnce' registry subkey.
        ''' </summary>
        RunOnce = &H2

    End Enum

    ''' ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    ''' <summary>
    ''' Specifies a registry scope.
    ''' </summary>
    ''' ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Public Enum RegistryScope As Integer

        ''' <summary>
        ''' 'System32' registry subkey.
        ''' </summary>
        System32 = &H1

        ''' <summary>
        ''' 'SysWow64' registry subkey.
        ''' </summary>
        SysWow64 = &H2

    End Enum

#End Region

#Region " Public Methods "

    ''' ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    ''' <summary>
    ''' Adds an application to Windows Startup.
    ''' </summary>
    ''' ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    ''' <param name="userScope">
    ''' The user scope.
    ''' </param>
    ''' 
    ''' <param name="startupScope">
    ''' The startup scope.
    ''' </param>
    ''' 
    ''' <param name="registryScope">
    ''' The registry key scope.
    ''' </param>
    ''' 
    ''' <param name="title">
    ''' The registry entry title.
    ''' </param>
    ''' 
    ''' <param name="filePath">
    ''' The application file path.
    ''' </param>
    ''' 
    ''' <param name="secureModeByPass">
    ''' If set to <see langword="True"/>, the file is ran even when the user logs into 'Secure Mode' on Windows.
    ''' </param>
    ''' ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    ''' <exception cref="System.ArgumentNullException">
    ''' title or filePath
    ''' </exception>
    ''' ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    <DebuggerHidden>
    <DebuggerStepThrough>
    Public Sub Add(ByVal userScope As UserScope,
                   ByVal startupScope As StartupScope,
                   ByVal registryScope As RegistryScope,
                   ByVal title As String,
                   ByVal filePath As String,
                   Optional ByVal arguments As String = "",
                   Optional secureModeByPass As Boolean = False)

        If String.IsNullOrEmpty(title) Then
            Throw New ArgumentNullException(paramName:="title")

        ElseIf String.IsNullOrEmpty(filePath) Then
            Throw New ArgumentNullException(paramName:="filePath")

        Else
            If secureModeByPass Then
                title = title.TrimStart("*"c).Insert(0, "*")
            End If

            Dim regKey As RegistryKey = Nothing
            Try
                regKey = WinStartupUtil.GetRootKey(userScope).OpenSubKey(GetSubKeyPath(startupScope, registryScope), writable:=True)
                regKey.SetValue(title, String.Format("""{0}"" {1}", filePath, arguments), RegistryValueKind.String)

            Catch ex As Exception
                Throw

            Finally
                If regKey IsNot Nothing Then
                    regKey.Close()
                End If

            End Try

        End If

    End Sub

    ''' ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    ''' <summary>
    ''' Removes an application from Windows Startup.
    ''' </summary>
    ''' ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    ''' <param name="userScope">
    ''' The user scope.
    ''' </param>
    ''' 
    ''' <param name="startupScope">
    ''' The startup scope.
    ''' </param>
    ''' 
    ''' <param name="registryScope">
    ''' The registry scope.
    ''' </param>
    ''' 
    ''' <param name="title">
    ''' The registry entry to find.
    ''' </param>
    ''' 
    ''' <param name="throwOnMissingValue">
    ''' if set to <see langword="true"/>, throws an exception on missing value.
    ''' </param>
    ''' ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    ''' <exception cref="System.ArgumentNullException">
    ''' title
    ''' </exception>
    ''' 
    ''' <exception cref="System.ArgumentException">
    ''' Registry value not found.;title
    ''' </exception>
    ''' ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    <DebuggerHidden>
    <DebuggerStepThrough>
    Friend Sub Remove(ByVal userScope As UserScope,
                      ByVal startupScope As StartupScope,
                      ByVal registryScope As RegistryScope,
                      ByVal title As String,
                      Optional ByVal throwOnMissingValue As Boolean = False)

        If String.IsNullOrEmpty(title) Then
            Throw New ArgumentNullException(paramName:="title")

        Else
            Dim valueName As String = String.Empty
            Dim regKey As RegistryKey = Nothing

            Try
                regKey = WinStartupUtil.GetRootKey(userScope).OpenSubKey(GetSubKeyPath(startupScope, registryScope), writable:=True)

                If (regKey.GetValue(title, defaultValue:=Nothing) IsNot Nothing) Then
                    valueName = title

                ElseIf (regKey.GetValue(title.TrimStart("*"c).Insert(0, "*"), defaultValue:=Nothing) IsNot Nothing) Then
                    valueName = title.TrimStart("*"c).Insert(0, "*")

                ElseIf throwOnMissingValue Then
                    Throw New ArgumentException(paramName:="title", message:="Registry value not found.")

                End If

                regKey.DeleteValue(valueName, throwOnMissingValue)

            Catch ex As Exception
                Throw

            Finally
                If regKey IsNot Nothing Then
                    regKey.Close()
                End If

            End Try

        End If

    End Sub

#End Region

#Region " Private Methods "

    ''' ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    ''' <summary>
    ''' Gets a <see cref="RegistryKey"/> instance of the specified root key.
    ''' </summary>
    ''' ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    ''' <param name="userScope">
    ''' The user scope.
    ''' </param>
    ''' ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    ''' <returns>
    ''' A <see cref="RegistryKey"/> instance of the specified root key.
    ''' </returns>
    ''' ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    ''' <exception cref="System.ArgumentException">
    ''' Invalid enumeration value.;userScope
    ''' </exception>
    ''' ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    <DebuggerHidden>
    <DebuggerStepThrough>
    Private Function GetRootKey(ByVal userScope As UserScope) As RegistryKey

        Select Case userScope

            Case WinStartupUtil.UserScope.CurrentUser
                Return Registry.CurrentUser

            Case WinStartupUtil.UserScope.AllUsers
                Return Registry.LocalMachine

            Case Else
                Throw New ArgumentException("Invalid enumeration value.", "userScope")

        End Select ' userScope

    End Function

    ''' ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    ''' <summary>
    ''' Gets the proper registry subkey path from the parameters criteria.
    ''' </summary>
    ''' ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    ''' <param name="startupScope">
    ''' The startup scope.
    ''' </param>
    ''' 
    ''' <param name="registryScope">
    ''' The registry key scope.
    ''' </param>
    ''' ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    ''' <returns>
    ''' The registry subkey path.
    ''' </returns>
    ''' ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    ''' <exception cref="System.ArgumentException">
    ''' Invalid enumeration value.;startupScope or 
    ''' Invalid enumeration value.;registryScope
    ''' </exception>
    ''' ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    <DebuggerHidden>
    <DebuggerStepThrough>
    Private Function GetSubKeyPath(ByVal startupScope As StartupScope,
                                   ByVal registryScope As RegistryScope) As String

        Select Case registryScope

            Case WinStartupUtil.RegistryScope.System32

                Select Case startupScope

                    Case WinStartupUtil.StartupScope.Run
                        Return WinStartupUtil.RunSubKeyPath

                    Case WinStartupUtil.StartupScope.RunOnce
                        Return WinStartupUtil.RunOnceSubKeyPath

                    Case Else
                        Throw New ArgumentException("Invalid enumeration value.", "startupScope")

                End Select ' startupScope

            Case WinStartupUtil.RegistryScope.SysWow64

                Select Case startupScope

                    Case WinStartupUtil.StartupScope.Run
                        Return WinStartupUtil.RunSubKeyPathSysWow64

                    Case WinStartupUtil.StartupScope.RunOnce
                        Return WinStartupUtil.RunOnceSubKeyPathSysWow64

                    Case Else
                        Throw New ArgumentException("Invalid enumeration value.", "startupScope")

                End Select ' startupScope

            Case Else
                Throw New ArgumentException("Invalid enumeration value.", "registryScope")

        End Select ' registryScope

    End Function

#End Region

End Module

#End Region