Sometimes you want an application to start when you log into a machine.  In most new versions of Windows you can manage this within the Task Manager, there is a Startup tab.  However, in Windows 2012 R2 there is no such tab in the Task Manager.  Yet you may still wish for one.

Fear not; there is a solution.

If you want to add a startup item for the currently logged-on user only, use this command:

shell:Startup

If you’d like something to start for any user which logs in, then use this version instead:

shell:Common Startup

Now normally you can simply drag while holding the Alt key and when you drop you drop a shortcut in that location.  This is true even for the first version of this command above; if you drop into that folder while holding the Alt key, you drop a shortcut into that Startup folder.

However, the Common Startup folder is a dangerous and protected system folder.  You will not be able to create a shortcut in that folder.

So I said Yes and then moved that into the Common Startup folder.  I had to confirm I wanted to do it, but it allowed the shortcut to be placed.

World’s smallest hack?  Go MS!