Windows auto-runs things from your Startup folder (see Start/All Programs/Startup) when you login to Windows. It also runs things via the registry.

  • HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run*
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run*
  • HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run* (Note: This one is relevant for running 32-bit programs on 64-bit Windows.)

There are others, but these are the common ones.