I like to always have the windows task manager running minimized. I like the little green tray icon so I can easily tell how busy my CPU is. (I set the hide when minimized option).

Is there any way to configure windows to automatically start this up whenever I log in?

Install Knofabulator and use the CPU monitor widget. :)

Er, Konfabulator. Damnable keyboard!

Try creating a shortcut in the startup folder with this command line:

%windir%\system32\cmd.exe /c "start /min taskmgr"

Doug - does the command prompt window kill itself though?

"does the command prompt window kill itself though?"

Yeah, the /c tells it to. This is on XP. I don't recall if it works on any other version.

In your startup folder, put a shortcut to the program and then modify the properties of the shortcut to specify that it is to Run Minimized. There is a drop down to specify this.

What "Crazy Old Guy" said. Remember to check "Hide when Minimized" under Options so the act of minimizing sends it to the tray.

Thanks! I did what Crazy and Alex said. I've wanted this for years. I don't know why I needed to ask for help. The only part I didn't know was the executable name. I guess I thought the task manager was some special part of the OS, rather than just another executable.

But asking was good. Now I get to go explore Konfabulator that Mat recommended.

I wouldn't say I recommended it. :)

It looks very pretty, but apart from the various flavours of system monitor (CPU, network, battery, disk space, etc.) it's of limited usefulness and eats resources like there's no tomorrow. However if your PC can spare the horsepower it does make for some nice eye candy, and now Yahoo! have bought the company it's all free-as-in-beer -- when you had to pay for it it was totally ridiculous, but for free it's worth a fiddle...