Removing startup programs

[ssfc72]

It is a good idea to check what programs are being automatically loaded/started, when your Distro has booted up.
Then you can disable them, if you don't need them starting up automatically, when your Distro boots, which would otherwise slow down your boot time.

With Mint 17/18 you can just type in the search field of the Menu window,  startup,  and it shows the startup program.  Just click on this link and it will start the Mint startup program.
The program will list the other programs that are being started when the Distro boots up.
There is a slider switch icon, which you can set to , Off,  to stop an individual program from staring up, automatically.

Of course, you don't want to disable any Distro programs that are core to the operation of the Distro.

I recently installed a VPN program, PIA (Private Internet Access) to my Mint 17 Distro , on my Acer 11" notebook (Intel i3 cpu) and started to have issues on boot up, where the Desktop came up with no icons being displayed, upon boot up.
I had to log out and then log back in to get the desktop icons to appear.

When I went into the startup program, I saw that the PIA VPN was being started at boot up, even though I had quit the program when last used.
There was no PIA icon shown on the bottom right toolbar, of the Desktop, showing that the program was being started.
The PIA icon in the toolbar only appears when I click on the PIA program icon, on the desktop, when I want to use the PIA program.

So I disabled PIA from starting at bootup of the Distro.
I so far have not had any further issue of the Desktop coming up with no icons, when the Distro has booted up.

Bill

[Jason]

Just curious. How come you're using PIA? I use it, too, but it's mainly so that I can download torrents without getting copyright emails about it. Are you using it for a similar reason?

[bobf]

Nice catch, Bill! It would've never occurred to me, but then, I'd've gone out on the 'Net looking for a solution, and gravitated toward something command-line'ish, and got it done that way, and accessing it your way would undoubtedly be less time-consuming and possibly better and easier, so thanks! <^8#

So Jason, I assume the e-mails you were getting about all your torrenting/streaming have ceased?! <^8# I'm actually kind-of amazed, 'cuz I torrent-download (usually) 3 shows a week for myself, as well as a couple for my mom, and I've never yet gotten an e-mail of that sort. Weird... Is it likely it was targeted more toward streaming stuff, maybe? I don't do much of any of that beyond MAJOR YouTube, and my wife's Netflix...?!

[Jason]

So Jason, I assume the e-mails you were getting about all your torrenting/streaming have ceased?!

Yep. Probably depends on what shows you download, Bob. Most of the time, I received from representatives for HBO.

[ssfc72]

A VPN is useful for websites that geo-block you access, because you are not in located physically in their country.

Just curious. How come you're using PIA? I use it, too, but it's mainly so that I can download torrents without getting copyright emails about it. Are you using it for a similar reason?