What is the Program program showing up in Windows 8 Task Manager Startup tab?

Anonymous
2013-01-08T19:16:06+00:00

I just purchased a new HP desktop.  Windows 8 is installed.  I've had it for about three weeks.  I haven't installed much so far...printer drivers, Acrobat Reader, Google Chrome, VLC Media Player, Open Office, and Quicken 2012 are all I can think of.

About two weeks ago I noticed that in the Startup tab of Task Manager there is an application listed named "Program."  The publisher column is blank.  The Status column shows "Enabled."  The Startup impact column shows "Not measured."  When I right click on the listing I have the options to "Disable" and "Search online"; the "Properties" and "Open file location" options are grayed out.  So, I disabled the "Program" program.  Since then I've not noticed any lack of functionality, but Norton Internet Security did crash once; otherwise I seem to have a stable system and everything seems to work.

Still, I want to know what this "Program" program is.  I've searched my system to the best of my ability using all utilities that came installed.  I've also searched the Registry using regedit; nothing.  Finally, today, I downloaded Sysinternals' (a wholly owned subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation) Autoruns.  Nothing again.

I'd appreciate any help to track this down.  What is it?  And, if I don't need it how can I get rid of it?  Thanks!

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Performance and system failures

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  1. Anonymous
    2015-07-18T11:41:57+00:00

    Please check the Command Line before disabling anything.  In my case I found that "program" is the TiVo Desktop which I certainly never want to disable or delete.

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  2. Anonymous
    2015-08-07T02:23:30+00:00

    I know this question has been up for quite some time but I figured out a way to fix it, I had the same problem and it took me a bit to find the error. The problem being that there was a program named "Program" in the startup tab of my task manager and the "open file location" and "properties" options were grayed out.

    The problem is that there was probably a program that you installed and then deleted but the installer left some values in the registry.

    Search your computer for regedit and open up the following path:

    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

    After you click on Run a list of programs will be in the right window. These programs should all be within your startup tab in task manager, find the program that no longer exists on your computer (in my case it was Apowersoft Screen Capture Pro), right click and select delete. This should remove "Program" from your startup tab.

     Make sure not to delete anything other than the program you know no longer exists, if you're not sure then either google the programs one by one to check what they are or search for them on your computer to see if they are still there.

    i went to the location you specified but nothing is listed at all... I also have a "Program" in my startup tab as well that wasn't there until I had hp remote connect and install Nanoheal "HPSmartFriend"

    i tried this and the program "Program" does not show up in this, but this did help me with another issue that doesnt show up in the other startup menu... so thanks :D

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  3. Anonymous
    2018-06-22T06:29:13+00:00

    How did you remove it from there?

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  4. Anonymous
    2015-11-21T05:38:20+00:00

    Hi, I have tried deleting the entry in the registry but the "Program" don't show up in the list.

    In my case the "Program" program refers to One Note, maybe because I reinstall Office two o three times because of some problems. Or I don't know if this One Note is the version that came with Windows 10.

    And here is the registry. There is no entry for "Program".

    I have also tried to clean the registry with CCleaner but after using it the "Program" is still in the list.

    I hope that someone could help me. Thanks.

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  5. Anonymous
    2018-03-25T13:28:57+00:00

    yep thanks friend, that fixed it for me, in my situation it was McAfee..

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