If you problem relates to directX not being ready (probably does) then the autostart settings inside mp config will never work even with delay. The startup delay happens after mp has already started to load, which is apparently already too late for this issue.
I am not sure if start -> all prog -> startup, works or not. Apparently this has been around a while, but some changes in MP1.4 make it more likely to occur. If you want more info then search the forums there is a thread on it. I don't have this problem, but others have had it.
Set WshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
WshShell.Run chr(34) & "C:\Program Files (x86)\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\runMP.bat" & Chr(34), 0
Set WshShell = Nothing
TIMEOUT /T 2
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\MediaPortal.exe"