checking and unchecking things to load on startup is easy:

start:
run:
type: msconfig
in the 'startup' tab, you can select which programs to run on startup
under 'services', you can do the same. the wary thing about this though, be careful what things you disable, generally, if it says it's manufactured by Microsoft, you'll want to check up on it before you disable it on startup. most everything else will live.

but, you say there are multiple entries on this list? could you please be more specific here? and are these programs that you installed? if they aren't it's about time to do a full system scan

I know how to go to msconfig and uncheck things. i want to erase the instance that is in that start up tab.

Yes. they are programs that i have installed but dont want them to start up. I just wanted to know if there was an easy way to erase just that instance in the start up tab without affecting the programs themselves.

thanks