Which registry path stores per-user startup programs on Windows?

Which registry path stores per-user startup programs on Windows?

• A. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
• B. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
• C. HKEY_USERS\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
• D. HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Run

Answer: (B)

Per-user startup programs are stored in the registry under the current user hive, because that hive contains settings for the one logged-in user. The Run key at HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run lists programs that should start automatically when that user signs in. This is the correct location for per-user startup items. For system-wide startup, which applies to all users, the items live under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run. The other path (under the classes root) is not used for startup programs. So the per-user path is HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run.

Per-user startup programs are stored in the registry under the current user hive, because that hive contains settings for the one logged-in user. The Run key at HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run lists programs that should start automatically when that user signs in. This is the correct location for per-user startup items. For system-wide startup, which applies to all users, the items live under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run. The other path (under the classes root) is not used for startup programs. So the per-user path is HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run.