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plencnerb
Premium Member
join:2000-09-25
53403-1242

1 edit

plencnerb

Premium Member

[WIN8] Why is the Windows Journal.lnk so special???

Everyone,

The title really says it all. What is so special about this link?




By the way, get ready for a long post. This is something that has bugged me for a while now!

On a default install of Windows 8.1, that link is located here

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\Tablet PC\Windows Journal.lnk

My understanding of shortcuts was that they were created so that the end user could move them around to any location on the system that was convenient to them. This way, the actual location of what the shortcut pointed to (EXE, Drive, folder, music files, pictures, etc) could be left alone. Not to mention, a user may not have the needed rights to move EXE's or specific folders, and it also helps keep things like Program EXE's from being modified by normal users (non admins).

Shortcuts could also be renamed to fit your needs better, or change the icon if one does not like the default one.

However, in Microsoft's eyes, there apparently is something special with the "Windows Journal" shortcut.

Let me explain why.

I'm one who does a lot of customizations to the Start Screen directory structure to fit my needs and work habits. The two directories I modify are

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

and

C:\Users\xxx\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

(btw, xxx = user profiles)

One of the many things I do is to move the location of the Windows Journal shortcut from its default location to C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Windows Accessories\Windows Journal.lnk.

I have installed every patch that has come out for Windows 8.1, and have had no problems with the changes that I have made, EXCEPT for the following Patches:

Microsoft Security Bulletin MS13-054 -Vulnerability in GDI+ Could Allow Remote Code Execution (2848295)

»technet.microsoft.com/li ··· MS13-054

Microsoft Security Bulletin MS14-038 - Vulnerability in Windows Journal Could Allow Remote Code Execution (2975689)

»technet.microsoft.com/li ··· MS14-038

With my changes in place, if I try to install either of these two, the update will fail with either error code:
0x80070003
0x80070002

However, if I go and put the Windows Journal shortcut back in its default location, the patches will install without any problems.

I do want to point out that never in any of the logs does it come right out and say that it cannot find the Windows Journal Shortcut. I figured this out by looking at what components were effected by the two patches, and made a guess that the system was looking for Windows Journal. I also want to add that at no time do I ever move, rename, modify, or change the location of the actual Windows Journal EXE, which is located at

C:\Program Files\Windows Journal\Journal.exe

When I was first having issues with MS13-064), I started a thread on this site. That thread is here

»Issue installing MS13-054

I never did fully test putting the Windows Journal shortcut back in its default location, but the research that was done by others members that posted to that thread lead me to believe that if I undid all of my changes, the patch would install. So, I did a reinstall of the OS, made zero changes, and installed the patches. Since the Windows Journal Shortcut was in its default location, the patch installed.

Then, when MS14-038 came out, I had the same issues. I started a new thread, which is below

»[WIN8] Another MS Patch that won't install: MS14-038 -- SOLVED

In that one, I noticed right away that MS14-038 superseded MS13-064, so it was probably the same reason for failure. It was then that I did the research to find out that both patches effected Windows Journal, and it was Frodo See Profile that helped me remember where that default install location was at. Once I put the Windows Journal shortcut back to its default location, I was able to install MS14-038.

And now today I can add this one

Microsoft 8.1 August 2014 Update (aka Windows 8.1 Update 2)
»support.microsoft.com/kb/2975719

It, like the other two, failed with the same error code(0x80070003). I then created the default directories, and put the shortcut back to where it was on a default install. Re-ran the update, and bingo! No more issues.

So, the bottom line here is this. Why does Microsoft find it necessary to check for the location of, and existence of, a Shortcut instead of the actual EXE that the shortcut is pointing at, to determine if a given patch should be applied? Not to mention, whatever checking is done by Windows Update to offer me the patch WORKS with my modifications in place (meaning, the Windows Journal shortcut is not in its default location). Yet, Windows Update will tell me, if the patch has not already been applied, that I need to install MS13-054 or MS14-038.

The issue comes up during the actual install of the patch itself (either from Windows Update, or if I manually download the patch files). There is some check or verification that the actual patch does that apparently requires or is looking for, the Windows Journal shortcut to be in its default location. If its not there, the patch will fail to install.

Thoughts? Any one have any reason why this is? Why do the patches need to verify a shortcut and not look for the EXE itself?

If possible, I would love to be able to contact Microsoft and ask them about this, and see what they come back with. Does anyone have a suggestion as to how I would go about doing that? This has been bugging me for a while now. Not to mention, since I've now came across 3 patches that have this same issue, I figured it was time to try to find some answers.

Thanks for reading.

--Brian
dave
Premium Member
join:2000-05-04
not in ohio

2 edits

dave

Premium Member

1. I thought shortcuts were so that you could create convenient links to things. Unlike you, I didn't think that moving OS-provided shortcuts was the primary motivation.

2. That's a lot of theorizing from you about something that may have just been a straightforward error in making the update. But some equally-unfounded theorizing from me says that since the location of Windows Journal is itself variable by %ProgramFiles%, maybe this was considered to be a convenient way to anchor it down. Not the best way, perhaps, but.

The above is not meant to be critical; but really, anything we say here is just guessing.

(FWIW, I don't think in terms of "Microsoft expects..." but in terms of "the guy who wrote that particular update expects...". I expect there's no corporate edict on whether or not .lnk files can be expected to be moved; at the very most, the UI team might have a policy, which may or may not have been overlooked in this case).

plencnerb
Premium Member
join:2000-09-25
53403-1242

plencnerb

Premium Member

Good points dave See Profile, as well as some good questions.

While it may not be normal or a good idea to move OS-provided shortcuts, they are still shortcuts like ones that you or I could create ourselves. Generally, most users probably would never make the changes that I have made, so the issue would never come up for the general population. But the fact that they are just shortcuts in folders, allows the end user to move them around if they wanted to, which is what I have done.

And yes, I agree that it is a lot of theorizing from myself on something that may just be a straightforward error with the coding of the update. So for Microsoft to make the same failure in two updates is really not that unusual, as the code from MS13-054 was probably re-used for the MS14-038 update as MS14-038 superseded MS13-054. Why re-invent the wheel so to speak, when most of the coding has already been done?

But, for the same code to be used as part of the Microsoft 8.1 August 2014 Update (aka Windows 8.1 Update 2) seems a bit strange to me, which is why I brought it up as I did.

So really, if there was a simple way to explain to Microsoft about the bug that I found in these three updates (using a lot less text of course LOL), I would like to do that. It seems like it would be easy enough for them to fix, I would think.

--Brian

therube
join:2004-11-11
Randallstown, MD

therube to plencnerb

Member

to plencnerb
Windows Journal is a notetaking application, created by Microsoft and included in Windows XP Tablet PC Edition as well as the Home Premium or superior editions of Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8.

Who would have ever known.
Odd one that is?
Looks to require elevation, so perhaps that has something to do with it (& the associated vulnerabilities) ...?

Could have sworn when I was looking, that even opening Properties on the .lnk failed, saying the source wasn't there. At one point I did open the program (not that I figured out what to do with it) & thinking some associations were set, as I now can't seem to duplicate the issue.

And (hard) links aside, it looks like I've two versions of Journal.exe in different /winsxs/ directories. (Win7)
Mele20
Premium Member
join:2001-06-05
Hilo, HI

Mele20

Premium Member

It's for Tablets and the Pen that comes with them. What is it doing in my Window 8 Pro DESKTOP???? Trying to use the mouse as a "pen" is ridiculous.

There was an XP 'tablet"?

plencnerb
Premium Member
join:2000-09-25
53403-1242

1 recommendation

plencnerb

Premium Member

said by Mele20:

There was an XP 'tablet"?

Yes there was. In fact, like Windows XP Media Edition, there was a Windows XP Tablet Edition.




It was designed to run on hardware like the Lenovo X41 Tablet.

Here are some pictures of that hardware. In laptop mode




and in tablet mode




Kind of the best of both words so to speak. You had a full functional (for the time, 2004-2005) Laptop, but it was also a full tablet with the ability to write on the screen with a stylus.

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

Mele20

Premium Member

Thanks! I had no idea that was available back then. Neat pics.

Pjr
Don't Panic
join:2005-12-11
UK

Pjr to plencnerb

Member

to plencnerb
said by plencnerb:

You had a full functional (for the time, 2004-2005) Laptop, but it was also a full tablet with the ability to write on the screen with a stylus.

Ye gods. And now the manufacturers are pushing similar items as if it's a brand new idea.

Thanks for the info because like Mele I never realised convertible laptops were such an "old" idea.

plencnerb
Premium Member
join:2000-09-25
53403-1242

plencnerb

Premium Member

No problem! Here is a link that does a review on the X31 Tablet by Lenovo. This was the model before the X41. Date of the review was July 9, 2005.

»www.notebookreview.com/n ··· s-specs/

The company I used to work for had ordered both of these for a specific group of people who worked a lot in the field (out of the office). This allowed them to take notes and have the customer sign things like invoices and receipts of inspection visits and keep it all electronic.

Sure, it was not perfect back then, but it was a good start.

I got to do some testing and playing around with both of these, as well as the 2 next releases (X60 Tablet and X61 Tablet). This was due to me being in the hardware deployment team. While things sure have changed in regards to the functions in a Galaxy Tab or iPad, looking back it was cool to use these Lenovo Products that may have paved the way for the newer devices.

--Brian

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

DownTheShore to plencnerb

Premium Member

to plencnerb

I'm one who does a lot of customizations to the Start Screen directory structure to fit my needs and work habits. The two directories I modify are

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

and

C:\Users\xxx\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

I fool around with both of those a lot, too, customizing my Start menu but I've never tried to change any of the Windows-specific ones.

plencnerb
Premium Member
join:2000-09-25
53403-1242

plencnerb

Premium Member

said by DownTheShore:

I fool around with both of those a lot, too, customizing my Start menu but I've never tried to change any of the Windows-specific ones.

I actually rename all three of the Windows Default folders.
Accessories = Windows Accessories
System Tools = Windows System
Accessibility = Windows Ease of Access

Not only that, if there is any sub-folders located in these areas (one of these of course being the sub-folder Tablet PC) I move the items in the sub-folders up to the main folder level. Since Windows 8 Start Screen does not display the sub-folders anyway, I figured why have them organized that way.

--Brian