# How can I get Hotmail to open upon Windows startup?



## Lord Vader (Sep 20, 2004)

On my previous PC, I set it up so that when I turned it on, Firefox would automatically open to full size and my Hotmail in-box would open along with it, thereby precluding me from having to go to Hotmail.com and log in. On my new PC, I don't have this setup because, frankly, I forgot how I did this. I remember how to get a program to begin at start-up, but Hotmail isn't a program or app, so the process doesn't seem to work the same way.

Any suggestions? Note: No references to Outlook please. I don't use that and do not desire to.


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## SayWhat? (Jun 7, 2009)

What OS?


In Win 7, anything in the StartUp folder opens with Windows; Start Button >> All Programs >> Start Up

Once you get a program listed there, you can Right-Click on it, choose Properties and set it to Run Maximized.

FF may have a another way internally to Open with Windows


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## Lord Vader (Sep 20, 2004)

Oh, forgot to include that--Windows 7.


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## Lord Vader (Sep 20, 2004)

SayWhat? said:


> What OS?
> 
> In Win 7, anything in the StartUp folder opens with Windows; Start Button >> All Programs >> Start Up
> 
> ...


Therein lies the issue--just how do I get it in there and get Hotmail to open in FF upon PC startup, especially because it's not a _program _per se?


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## SayWhat? (Jun 7, 2009)

Well, there may be other ways, but I usually just create a Shortcut and move it to C: Users > Owner > AppData > Roaming > Microsoft > Windows > Start Menu > Programs > Startup

Putting both FF and HM in there may do what you want or there may be some setting in FF to launch HM.


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## Lord Vader (Sep 20, 2004)

I couldn't find any such settings in FF, unfortunately.


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## Lord Vader (Sep 20, 2004)

SayWhat? said:


> Well, there may be other ways, but I usually just create a Shortcut and move it to C: Users > Owner > AppData > Roaming > Microsoft > Windows > Start Menu > Programs > Startup


That isn't present in my Windows 7. I have C: Users > My name >

But nothing close to what you mentioned as subfolders--no AppData or anything close to that.


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## SayWhat? (Jun 7, 2009)

You should have something like this:










The AppData > Roaming tree should be under each user. That's where all of the local settings are for each program like FF's bookmarks, cookies, addons and such.



> That isn't present in my Windows 7. I have C: Users > My name >


It should be under your name then;

C: Users > My name > AppData > Roaming > Microsoft > Windows > Start Menu > Programs > Startup


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## Lord Vader (Sep 20, 2004)

It's not. Nothing even similar to that is present under my named folder.


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## njblackberry (Dec 29, 2007)

AppData is a hidden folder; you can either view the hidden folders via Control Panel / Folders or, in Explorer, type c:\users\<userid>\appdata and it should go to it.


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## R0am3r (Sep 20, 2008)

Lord Vader said:


> It's not. Nothing even similar to that is present under my named folder.


Try this again - Start Button >> All Programs >> Right click on the Start Up folder and open with 'Explore'.

This should open the folder. Now add a shortcut to the Firefox program. Right click in the folder, select New, then select Shortcut. Navigate to the Firefox directory and select the Firefox executable. Mine is located here: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe"

That should do it. Make sure that Firefox remembers to open saved tabs so your URL will always open.

The other alternative is to add the URL (Hotmail) to the properties in the shortcut. This will force the browser application to open a specific URL.


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## SayWhat? (Jun 7, 2009)

It isn't Hidden on mine, but I may have changed that setting early on.

When in Explorer, click Tools at the top menu bar, then Folder Options, then View. Under Files and Folders > Hidden File and Folders, Check the radio button for Show Hidden Files, Folders and Drives.


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## Mark Holtz (Mar 23, 2002)

Lord Vader said:


> On my previous PC, I set it up so that when I turned it on, Firefox would automatically open to full size and my Hotmail in-box would open along with it, thereby precluding me from having to go to Hotmail.com and log in.


Let me go in and rephrase the question to what Lord Vader is actually saying....


Lord Vader said:


> On my previous PC, I set it up so that when I turned it on, Firefox would automatically open to full size and *go to a specific web page*.


Aha! That's better!

IE, Firefox, and Chrome allow you to go to specific web pages from the command line parameter by the following (hit Windows-R for the Run prompt and type the following):
iexplore.exe www.dbstalk.com
firefox.exe www.dbstalk.com
chrome.exe www.dbstalk.com
Now,what we to do is create a shortcut on the desktop so that you can "one-click" to the page. So, right click on the Desktop and Select New -> Shortcut, and create a shortcut to Firefox and name it "Start Hotmail". Then, right click on that shortcut and select "Properties", then edit the "Target:" so that it says something like *"C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe" www.dbstalk.com*. You can also set it to "Maximized"Then, drag it to the Startup folder.

If you are interested in command line arguments, see these:
Internet Explorer
Mozilla
Chrome (unofficial)


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## TBlazer07 (Feb 5, 2009)

Mark Holtz said:


> Let me go in and rephrase the question to what Lord Vader is actually saying....Aha! That's better!
> 
> IE, Firefox, and Chrome allow you to go to specific web pages from the command line parameter by the following (hit Windows-R for the Run prompt and type the following):
> 
> ...


In Firefox and IE there is a MUCH easier way to create the shortcut directly to the webpage you want.

Just load the page you want then DRAG the URL from where the red arrow is pointing onto your desktop.

Instant shortcut. Just drop that in STARTUP folder. Works for IE and FF.


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## Mark Holtz (Mar 23, 2002)

Yes, that would work. But, if you look at the properties of that bookmark, you just set it up as a "web document" which will open in whatever you define in Windows as your "Default Web Browser".


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## Lord Vader (Sep 20, 2004)

Mark Holtz said:


> Now,what we to do is create a shortcut on the desktop so that you can "one-click" to the page. So, right click on the Desktop and Select New -> Shortcut, and create a shortcut to Firefox and name it "Start Hotmail". Then, right click on that shortcut and select "Properties", then edit the "Target:" so that it says something like *"C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe" www.dbstalk.com*. You can also set it to "Maximized"Then, drag it to the Startup folder.


FYI, there is no such "Target" for me to be able to edit.

So far, still no luck here.


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## SayWhat? (Jun 7, 2009)

Lord Vader said:


> FYI, there is no such "Target" for me to be able to edit.


There will be if you right-click the Desktop Icon for FF:


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## Lord Vader (Sep 20, 2004)

So far I can create a shortcut to my Hotmail in-box on the desktop, but I'm still unable to get FF to open to it upon booting up the PC. So, I'm halfway there, so to speak.


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## Lord Vader (Sep 20, 2004)

That's the main reason I didn't want to set it as my home page, along with the fact that every time I open a new FF window, my Hotmail in-box would pop up.

Anyway, an update--it does now appear that what I originally wanted to do works. However, there is one snag--FF opens with my Hotmail in-box, but two other FF windows open as well: my stupid "myAOL" page (I use AIM to communicate with nieces and nephew) and a window that's blank except for the word "null."


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## dennisj00 (Sep 27, 2007)

I'm not a power FF user but I think it has a setting to remember the last open pages upon restart. So unless you turn that off, you'll get various configurations on startup depending on the number of tabs you last closed.

It may be simpler to put the Hotmail link / shortcut in your favorites bar or on the desktop and just start it manually in an open browser.

Did you find your startup folder?


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## Davenlr (Sep 16, 2006)

Lord Vader said:


> I couldn't find any such settings in FF, unfortunately.


If you open the page you want in Firefox, and then right click on the windows tab, one of the options is PIN AS APP. Click that, and that window will open every time Firefox starts.


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## Lord Vader (Sep 20, 2004)

I think I've finally gotten this thing figured out.


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## TBlazer07 (Feb 5, 2009)

Lord Vader said:


> On my previous PC, I set it up so that *when I turned it on, Firefox would automatically open to full size and my Hotmail in-box would open along with it, *thereby precluding me from having to go to Hotmail.com and log in.





TBlazer07 said:


> In Firefox and IE there is a MUCH easier way to create the shortcut directly to the webpage you want.
> 
> Just load the page you want then DRAG the URL from where the red arrow is pointing onto your desktop.
> 
> Instant shortcut. Just drop that in STARTUP folder. Works for IE and FF.





Mark Holtz said:


> Yes, that would work. But, if you look at the properties of that bookmark, you just set it up as a "web document" which will open in whatever you define in Windows as your "Default Web Browser".


Isn't that what he wanted to do?


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## TBlazer07 (Feb 5, 2009)

Davenlr said:


> If you open the page you want in Firefox, and then right click on the windows tab, one of the options is PIN AS APP. Click that, and that window will open every time Firefox starts.


 Or you could set the desired page as your "home page" in OPTIONS.

I tried your method (since I never knew of it) but it didn't work for me. If I simply set my desired page as my home page under tools/options it did.


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