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Mele20
Premium Member
join:2001-06-05
Hilo, HI

Mele20

Premium Member

WinPatrol says all Automatic Startup programs have had this feature removed!

I got on the computer for the first time today and saw a popup from WinPatrol about HostsMan. It said HostsMan no longer had an automatic startup feature and that I might need to reinstall HostsMan. That sounded weird but I needed to use the calculator right then and figured I would deal with it later.

But when I opened Calculator, up popped WinPatrol telling me another automatic startup program no longer has the feature. Then I got 23 more popups from WinPatrol telling me that each program no longer had automatic startup feature. So, WinPatrol was saying that ALL Startup programs were now unable to start at Startup! Oh, and WinPatrol included itself in the list!

I went to WinPatrol's site and saw there is a new version so I installed it. I have not gotten anymore weird popups but I have NOT rebooted either.

In the new version of WinPatrol, it says WindowBlinds, which is an automatic startup program, NO LONGER EXISTS! That is puzzling since all it files are there where they should be on the C drive. WinPatrol has no Automatc startup for Start8 either. It is not anywhere in the list. That is also weird because all its files are in the correct location as far as I can see.

I'm scared to reboot because, of all my programs, the two I cannot do without are WindowBlinds and Start8. I particularly cannot do without WindowBlinds because that is the program that lets me change the Windows font and bold fonts for Windows and all browsers. Without bolding I can't read (without dfficulty that causes headaches, burning eyes, etc) even on my new 24inch Dell Ultrasharp monitor....that is how bad fonts are in Windows 8.

What could have happened while I was asleep that caused this? The computer appears to be perfectly fine except for those popups from WinPatrol and now, with the latest WinPatrol installed, it saying WindowBlinds folder doesn't exist and doesn't see Start8 at all.

Event Viewer shows nothing unusual.

Ken1943
join:2001-12-30
Brighton, CO

Ken1943

Member

WP web site has great direct support, go there. Let us know the results. May be a Win 8 problem.
Ken1943

Ken1943 to Mele20

Member

to Mele20
There is a new version of WP out.
Mele20
Premium Member
join:2001-06-05
Hilo, HI

Mele20

Premium Member

Yes, I saw there was a new version just out on the 24th so I installed it on top of the one that had produced the popups.

I have no popups now but WinPatrol says WindowBlinds file is missing (as far as I can see the file is not missing) and does not list Start8 to run at at Startup. So, something is not right.

WinPatrol has been installed on this Win 8 Pro computer since December 2012 and has worked fine until this weird incident with the popups and then saying WindowBlinds is missing.

Name Game
Premium Member
join:2002-07-07
Grand Rapids, MI

Name Game to Mele20

Premium Member

to Mele20
Did you reboot PC and is it ok now?

»www.malwareremoval.com/f ··· &t=62522

»www.winpatrol.com/upgrade.html
Mele20
Premium Member
join:2001-06-05
Hilo, HI

Mele20

Premium Member

No, I have not rebooted the computer.

It looks like Win Patrol is correct that the "fast64.dll" file is missing from WindowBlinds. It's listed in the Windows Registry HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Notify\WB and shows the .dll file to be in WindowBlinds directory but it is not there. I think this means WindowBlinds will not start at boot and may be completely gone with all my settings gone forever if I reboot. I had this happen once before a few months ago. I have to contact StarDock support which is slow to respond in my experience. I don't want to reboot until I hear from them. My other alternative would be to use System Restore and see if the missing file shows up. That would give me the old Win Patrol too. Task Manager is also missing WindowBlinds in services.

This new WinPatrol seems to not like Windows 8 Pro, as it does not minimize correctly to the taskbar and opens a strange little thingy (I don't know what to call it) right above the far left side of the taskbar. WinPatrol tries to minimize to the taskbar but then it won't open back up when I click on it and I can't open it or close it from its taskbar icon. I can't maximize the thingy which apparently is also WinPatrol. All I can do is close it. That also closes the WinPatrol icon on the taskbar.

If I reboot maybe this problem with WinPatrol and the taskbar will fix itself but I want to talk to Stardock support first.

GuruGuy
Premium Member
join:2002-12-16
Atlanta, GA

1 recommendation

GuruGuy

Premium Member

said by Mele20:

No, I have not rebooted the computer.

It looks like Win Patrol is correct that the "fast64.dll" file is missing from WindowBlinds. It's listed in the Windows Registry HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Notify\WB and shows the .dll file to be in WindowBlinds directory but it is not there. I think this means WindowBlinds will not start at boot and may be completely gone with all my settings gone forever if I reboot. I had this happen once before a few months ago. I have to contact StarDock support which is slow to respond in my experience. I don't want to reboot until I hear from them. My other alternative would be to use System Restore and see if the missing file shows up. That would give me the old Win Patrol too. Task Manager is also missing WindowBlinds in services.

This new WinPatrol seems to not like Windows 8 Pro, as it does not minimize correctly to the taskbar and opens a strange little thingy (I don't know what to call it) right above the far left side of the taskbar. WinPatrol tries to minimize to the taskbar but then it won't open back up when I click on it and I can't open it or close it from its taskbar icon. I can't maximize the thingy which apparently is also WinPatrol. All I can do is close it. That also closes the WinPatrol icon on the taskbar.

If I reboot maybe this problem with WinPatrol and the taskbar will fix itself but I want to talk to Stardock support first.

I don't think I would reboot at this point. If it was me, I'd do a system restore then run some malware scans and do a thorough check. Something happened overnight to cause this...
GuruGuy

GuruGuy to Mele20

Premium Member

to Mele20
Do you have any type of cleaner that runs automatically that may have caused this?
HarryH3
Premium Member
join:2005-02-21

HarryH3 to Mele20

Premium Member

to Mele20
From the WinPatrol website:

"Windows Update Handling

WinPatrol notifications include information on the removal of any programs which are currently on the list of auto running files and control panel entries for installed programs. We've found that during normal Microsoft Windows updates these entries are replaced and are expected changes that won't need notifications. As with previous notifications WinPatrol wants you to know when a change occurs but not overwhelm you with messages. "

Looks like Windows Update is the source of the torrent of "change" alerts.
Mele20
Premium Member
join:2001-06-05
Hilo, HI

Mele20 to GuruGuy

Premium Member

to GuruGuy
No, I don't use any cleaners automatic or manual.

Last reboot was at 4:55AM on Feb 24. Last system restore point (made by Restore Point Creator) was 1:21AM on Feb 24 so I can try restoring to that. (I only have the program make restore points on Mon and Fri nights. This is because something is wrong with Microsoft restore program on Windows 8. It won't keep more than about 6-7 restore points. It deletes them (or maybe they just disappear from view) when I get more than 6-7 listed in Restore Point Creator yet I have a lot of free space dedicated to restore points).
Mele20

Mele20 to HarryH3

Premium Member

to HarryH3
Not for these notifications about the programs no longer having the ability to autostart because I keep Windows Update disabled in Services. I usually only enable it on Microsoft Tuesdays after I have manually downloaded to disk all applicable patches using Microsoft download center. Then when I am ready to install them, I start Windows Update service from Services because Windows Installer will not run if Windows Update is disabled. Then after rebooting to finish installing the patches, I again disable WU in Services. It is possible though that Microsoft has recently devised a way to start WU even when the user has it disabled in Services. Task Manager runs a lot of Microsoft scheduled tasks around 5AM and 6AM most days so maybe one of those somehow started WU but unlikely.

dandelion
MVM
join:2003-04-29
Germantown, TN

dandelion to Mele20

MVM

to Mele20
Hopefully that is Jan unless your computer time is out?
Last reboot was at 4:55AM on Feb 24.....
Mele20
Premium Member
join:2001-06-05
Hilo, HI

Mele20

Premium Member

LOL I'm tired and sleepy!

I meant JAN 24. My computer's clock is a little fast but NOTHING like over a month fast.

dandelion
MVM
join:2003-04-29
Germantown, TN

dandelion

MVM

Glad the problem is not connected to a computer clock out of sync then
Velnias
join:2004-07-06
233322

Velnias to Mele20

Member

to Mele20
No idea about WindowsBlinds, but why not find and backup its configuration file/s? Later, if needed, you can restore them.
Mele20
Premium Member
join:2001-06-05
Hilo, HI

Mele20

Premium Member

That's a good idea. Thanks.
Mele20

Mele20

Premium Member

I now see WindowBlinds in Task Manager (tired, guess that is why I missed seeing it earlier). I still think if I reboot that it will not start automatically because of the missing .dll file but I should be able to start it manually and that is better than what I feared that it would just be completely gone.

I just emailed Stardock support. I'm going to hold off on either rebooting or using System Restore until I have had sleep and maybe Stardock will reply by the time I am up again.

DownTheShore
Pray for Ukraine
Premium Member
join:2003-12-02
Beautiful NJ

DownTheShore to Mele20

Premium Member

to Mele20
Check this out re the missing .dll file:

»forums.wincustomize.com/412433
Mele20
Premium Member
join:2001-06-05
Hilo, HI

Mele20

Premium Member

Ahh...why can't Stardock remove a useless file instead of leaving it for programs like WinPatrol and Autoruns to barf on?

Thanks for the link. When I hear from Stardock support, I will ask them why they don't just get rid of it.
Mele20

Mele20

Premium Member

I rebooted and everything seems ok except WinPatrol will only open FULL SCREEN. Ugh.

GuruGuy
Premium Member
join:2002-12-16
Atlanta, GA

GuruGuy to Mele20

Premium Member

to Mele20
Mele,
I'm still wondering why you got all the pop-ups to begin with. It wasn't just the one file that had the issue. As far as the missing .dll goes, how long have you had Win Patrol on the computer and why was it just now detected?
redwolfe_98
Premium Member
join:2001-06-11

1 edit

redwolfe_98 to Mele20

Premium Member

to Mele20
guruguy, my guess is that a new version of "winpatrol" was released, which uses new databases, and, in mele's case, while she was using an old version of "winpatrol", the new databases were downloaded and things went haywire..

the problem was resolved once mele installed the new version of "winpatrol"..

i have seen that happen before, where a new version of a program used new databases and, when a person was using an old version of the program, and the new databases were downloaded, things went haywire..

if someone says that winpatrol doesn't use databases that are updated, then my theory is out the window..

GuruGuy
Premium Member
join:2002-12-16
Atlanta, GA

GuruGuy

Premium Member

said by redwolfe_98:

guruguy, my guess is that a new version of "winpatrol" was released, which uses new databases, and, in mele's case, while she was using an old version of "winpatrol", the new databases were downloaded and things went haywire..

the problem was resolved once mele installed the new version of "winpatrol"..

i have seen that happen before, where a new version of a program used new databases and, when a person was using an old version of the program, and the new databases were downloaded, things went haywire..

if someone says that winpatrol doesn't use databases that are updated, then my theory is out the window..

Makes sense, but it's hard to believe all of those things were just added to the db. Unless of course Mele didn't have updated definitions.....highly unlikely though as conscious as she is about security.
Mele20
Premium Member
join:2001-06-05
Hilo, HI

Mele20 to GuruGuy

Premium Member

to GuruGuy
said by GuruGuy:

Mele,
I'm still wondering why you got all the pop-ups to begin with. It wasn't just the one file that had the issue. As far as the missing .dll goes, how long have you had Win Patrol on the computer and why was it just now detected?

The file that was missing was not related to the popups. WinPatrol may have flagged that file as "missing" for quite some time and I just didn't notice until I got all those popups and opened WinPatrol to try to see what was wrong. I don't open WinPatrol often. WiinPatrol has been on this computer since shortly after I got it (Dec 2012). The file is a Windowblinds file and I did not install WindowBlinds until 2-3 months after I got the computer as the Windows 8 version was in beta then and I was reluctant to install a beta program. (Stardock should remove a useless file that applies only to XP 64 bit).

The first popup said HostsMan no longer had auto start ability. It was the only popup for a bit and I thought maybe there was something wrong with HostsMan but I got a stack of popups from WinPatrol having to do with every single program that has autostartup and the popups said each program no longer had the ability to autostart and I do have checked in WinPatrol for it to notify me if any program has autostart ability removed.

But all programs having autostart removed while I was sleeping? That is very weird and I'd like to know why that happened.
Mele20

Mele20 to GuruGuy

Premium Member

to GuruGuy
said by GuruGuy:

Makes sense, but it's hard to believe all of those things were just added to the db. Unless of course Mele didn't have updated definitions.....highly unlikely though as conscious as she is about security.

What databases? WinPatrol is similar to an HIPS. Plus, it doesn't auto update (at least the free version doesn't). I knew there was new version because I look at our Security Vendors forum and someone always posts when there is a new WinPatrol version. When I see a new version is there, I can fetch it from the link in the thread in our forum or go to WinPatrol website and fetch it. It is always recommended to install the new version on top of the old one.

GuruGuy
Premium Member
join:2002-12-16
Atlanta, GA

1 recommendation

GuruGuy

Premium Member

said by Mele20:

said by GuruGuy:

Makes sense, but it's hard to believe all of those things were just added to the db. Unless of course Mele didn't have updated definitions.....highly unlikely though as conscious as she is about security.

What databases? WinPatrol is similar to an HIPS. Plus, it doesn't auto update (at least the free version doesn't). I knew there was new version because I look at our Security Vendors forum and someone always posts when there is a new WinPatrol version. When I see a new version is there, I can fetch it from the link in the thread in our forum or go to WinPatrol website and fetch it. It is always recommended to install the new version on top of the old one.

I was basing my response off of Redwolfe_98's reply; databases were mentioned. In his defense, he wasn't sure if they were used either as was I.

Just throwing some things out there.