Problem with Windows Repair (All in One) v2.8.3

[MarkW]

3rd attempt at posting this.  I think one of the attachments had been too big.
I don't see my initial message about this listed on the blog, so I will try again.  As it was my first post on the blog, I'm sure that I blew it somehow.  I'll do my best to recreate it.
I ran into a problem after installing Windows Repair (All in One) on one of my virtual Win7 Ultimate x64 workstations.  Luckily it was only a temporary test instance that had been around for about 2 weeks.  Other than seeing a lot of different windows fly by on the I saw extra errors fly by.  I do not see it reflected in the partial log file I have attached.  I have attached a screenshot and a window shot in an .rtf file showing a new 'Interactive Services Detection' screen and a shot of the bogus file structure created.  In the original Win7 instance the Oracle VirtualBox shortcut stopped working.  Following an attempt to reinstall the VirtualBox software in repair mode.  It still did not work.  I ran the Windows repair programs a couple more times to see if I could note errors during the running of the program.  I saw enough to make me suspicious.

As a control, I then created a new instance of Windows 7 Ultimate x64 from scratch.  Next, I applied the Microsoft updates, then installed FireFox, Opera, Chrome, Safari, Flashplayer, Shockwave, Java JRE, Malwarebytes v1.75, SpywareBlaster, Spybot Search & Destroy, Defraggler, VLC player, PeerBlock and then Windows Repair (All in One).  I checked the directory structure in question prior to running v2.8.3 and then checked on the directory on and off throughout the process.  I stopped the process after the problem re-appeared. 

Let me know if I can supply any additional information concerning this problem.  I did also notice that when I initially got
prompted to update the v2.8.0 installation on that first instance I notified me of a new version being available.  It informed me about v2.8.2, but took me to v2.8.3.  I already had v2.8.2 on my main workstation, so which seemed to be solid.  I did read through the update information for v2.8.3. 

I will create a additional new Win7 Ultimate instance on my server to continue assisting someone with troubleshooting their assignments in their HTML course.  I don't know HTML, CSS or Javascript well, but am great with analyzing computer logic troubleshooting.  But, that's why all of the different browsers were installed on the Windows 7 instance.

Thanks, Mark
- - - - -

also : As an old-schooler, starting in the hex and octal machine code, CPM and DOS days, I cringed a little bit at the recent removal of the command window from some sections of the Windows Repair (All in One).  My face fell when reading:  "Updated multiple repairs to no longer display everything in the cmd.exe window" in v2.8.3.  I agree that most users will not want to see those screens, but I would like an option added for displaying the command line executions. 
It was a selling point to me when I first reviewed your products.  It displayed to me the thoroughness of your coding.  It is also a progression tool, as an addition to the System Monitor displays.  You've got to admit during a large, and multiple, disk file permissions or registry permissions the status screen can be static for a very long time.  Given the option, I would like the ability to pause some of the command screens to see exactly what it is doing or saying, especially on some of the really quick screens.

I've also noticed, since v2.8.2 that I can no longer use the scroll bar for the repair checklist or expand the "+" sections during an active repair.  But, the sections do expand when reached during the repair process.

[Shane]

It informed me about v2.8.2, but took me to v2.8.3.  I already had v2.8.2 on my main workstation, so which seemed to be solid

Thanks for letting me know that, I forgot to update the file on the server that reports the current version, that is now fixed

I've also noticed, since v2.8.2 that I can no longer use the scroll bar for the repair checklist or expand the "+" sections during an active repair.  But, the sections do expand when reached during the repair process.

Yes, the treeview is disabled while the repairs are running. Mainly because it was easy to tick and untick the repairs as they where running. What had happened was while I was connected to a user I had the repairs running and I was typing in notepad talking to him (This was over teamviewer). Well everytime a new cmd.exe window popped up it took focus and made the keyboard focus on the windows repair screen, which happened while I was typing and I ended up unchecking multiple repairs because it picked up my key strokes. So since you shouldnt untick any repairs while they are running I decided to have it disabled during so they wouldnt get accidentally checked.

I could always put a check box in setting to allow a user to control that, it isnt a big deal and perhaps a user like yourslef would not like to have it disabled.

also : As an old-schooler, starting in the hex and octal machine code, CPM and DOS days, I cringed a little bit at the recent removal of the command window from some sections of the Windows Repair (All in One).  My face fell when reading:  "Updated multiple repairs to no longer display everything in the cmd.exe window" in v2.8.3.  I agree that most users will not want to see those screens, but I would like an option added for displaying the command line executions.
It was a selling point to me when I first reviewed your products.  It displayed to me the thoroughness of your coding.  It is also a progression tool, as an addition to the System Monitor displays.  You've got to admit during a large, and multiple, disk file permissions or registry permissions the status screen can be static for a very long time.  Given the option, I would like the ability to pause some of the command screens to see exactly what it is doing or saying, especially on some of the really quick screens.

Valid points. I did that because when the cmd.exe window is trying to show all the text going by that the cpu usage of conhost.exe would max out, because it is what is doing the drawing. And on slower machines this slowed down the repairs a ton.

However on newer machines with multiple cores and plenty of cpu speed it doesnt take to much cpu as in newer verion of Windows mS made that a lot better where as in xp it i horrible.

Perhaps like the treeview I could just make a option a user can set on weather or not to show the output or not. Normally the output goes by too quick to read BUT if a repair is on a command that is taking a while it would be good to see which command.

What do you think, add the new new options to the program and let the user control it?

I have attached a screenshot and a window shot in an .rtf file showing a new 'Interactive Services Detection' screen and a shot of the bogus file structure created

Yes, this is normal now. The reset file permissions now runs the repair as the trustedinstaller, which Windows doesnt allow the cmd.exe window to show on the desktop. Instead it is shown on the session 0 desktop and so you will see Interactive Services Detection pop up, which if you click to view the message you will see the cmd.exe window working. The program tries to auto swicth to that window and then back but doesnt always work.

As for the file structure that gets fixed at the end of the file permissions repair and is what the permissions cleanup does. It goes back and sets the denied permission on those areas, if you let the repair finish you will see that will be fixed
Windows has the old file structure locations to support old programs and when they try to access thos folders they get redirected. So normal permissions for thos folders is denied, otherwise you get an infinite loop. So since the file permissions repair gave permission to it you now see that. Thats why I have the cleanup run and fix those.

In the original Win7 instance the Oracle VirtualBox shortcut stopped working

Did that stop working after the Windows repair? I wonder if it might be permissions related and it doesnt like certain sections touched. If I could find those sections I could add them to the exclude list for the repairs

Shane

[MarkW]

Ok, Here are some quick screenshots with some text in an attached document.
I have also slammed a webpage together for you to be able to watch and/or download video captures of the before, during and after effects of what I am running into.  I used the record function from Teamviewer.  It worked out very well after I figured out what I needed to show.  I really don't want to display the URL link here.  If there is a way for me to send the link to you privately, please let me know.

Note: At this time the webpage coding is not perfect and both videos, without any audio, begin playing immediately, so the first step will be to stop the videos, then watch the first, followed by the second video.  And let me know if that helps in getting this overcome.  This is the third box I've had the same thing happen on.  A quick test on a Win7 Ultimate only, without any programs installed seemed to work okay.  It's very, confusing.

Let me know, Mark
(Sunday will have me in and out of the house.  As mentioned in the attached document I did a snapshot of the original state of the box and can revert back to it within moments.)

[Shane]

I will checkout the video once my internet starts working properly. Can you post the pictures as jpgs? Word docs are horrible with pictures and I can never view them at the full size without crap going all over lol

When you take a screen shot just open paint and paste it in and then save it as a jpg or png and then you can add it to the post

Hopefully my internet will be back up to speed tomorrow and I can look at the video you emailed me.

Shane

[MarkW]

Yes, I can do the separate jpgs; whatever works best for you.  Word does such a great job in compressing documents with pictures in them that I usually try that first.  A word doc also allow for commenting.  These screenshots will just be a clearer augmentation to the videos….when you can access them.

I hope this helps. Their resolution has degraded following being placed in a Word document.  I can go through the process again if clearer pictures can be helpful after you get access to the videos. 

(For mw1.jpg)   Virtual computer, Win 7 ultimate x64, running on ESXi server v5.1.  Set for 2 processors 4GB of ram, 100GB hard drive space (VDI).  For the recorded session I set it for 1 processor, 4GB of ram, in hoping to slow the screens down.

(For mw2.jpg)   I ran a VMware snapshot prior to running it this time.  Uninterrupted Windows Repair (All in One) set for automatic restart when complete.  This is a new screen to me, as of v2.8.3
It then went to the Win7 lockout screen, even though I do not have it set to use it, even through a power scheme shutdown.

(For mw3.jpg)

(For mw4.jpg) I can’t see that I’ve seen this ‘too long’ message in prior versions of Windows Repair.

(For mw5.jpg)  Following reboot, then trying to launch Oracle VM Virtual Box

(For mw6.jpg)  Expanding the error – according to Internet sites the error means that it cannot find the virtualbox.exe

(For mw7.jpg)  Shortcut properties for Oracle Virtual Box

(For mw8.jpg)  The recursive directory structure has returned.

Of course, Oracle VirtualBox acted properly and the directory structure returned to normal following VMware snapshot restore, and reboot.


Mark

[Shane]

Internet is finally working correctly

I am downloading the videos now. I am also downloading virtual box, I will load it up in Windows 7 64 but in vmware and see if I can trace down what it doesnt like touched on the permissions.

Also on the other screen shots.

The system going to the login screen, this happens after the file permissions repair. I dont know why windows is doing that, but I call the command to exit the session 0 screen and I think because it is being called by the trusted installer it is making it go to the login screen instead of back to the logged in user. I will see if I can fix that.

As for the folders having infinite loops. Is the file permissions repair completely all the way? Because at the end of that repair it is suppose to call a cleanup command to go and fix all those folders that are normally suppose to be denied. I will test that as well on my end to make sure something didnt change.

Shane

[MarkW]

Folder infinite loop - to me it looked as if the process failed when it hit the wall, and so did not have the chance to clean up properly. 
I did note the other user on your blog running across similar issues with v2.83.  I don't recall if his box was virtual or not.

The videos will allow you to see the programs I have installed on the computer and, plus I had mentioned in one of the initial emails that I also had the latest version of flash, shockwave and java jre installed.

[Shane]

Ok I installed virtualbox on my win 7 64bit in vmware that I had alreayd ran the repairs on. I get the same error.

So I looked up the error and found the fix.

The error happens when the program registers the oleaut32.dll file. It changes two registry keys and removed the path and just has the file name. Other programs work fine with it but for some reason virtual box excepts the full path. So once I put the full path back in then virtual box opened right up.

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{00020420-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}\InprocServer32
and
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{00020424-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}\InprocServer32

Changed it to C:\Windows\system32\oleaut32.dll

So I will double check a few things and then add that path into the repairs after the register system files is ran. I have to have the repair look at what the proper system32 path is on the system, for those people who have windows running on a different drive letter and that should do it.

Let me know how that works for you.

I am also going to double check the other repairs.

Shane

[Shane]

Tested and confirmed, run this in a cmd.exe window

regsvr32 oleaut32.dll

And those registry keys get changed by the dll file. Odd since SO many repairs MS recommends registering that dll.

Seems like it is a bug in virtualbox that they want the full path when all other programs work fine it with it. I think it is because virtualbox is one of the few programs that use that registry path directly instead of windows telling it which one to use like it normally does when you call an API.

But none the less, on a fresh install of windows, that path is in there. Odd that registering the file would change it like that. Makes me wonder how many other paths it updates.

Shane

[Shane]

Found a old post from a couple of months ago on it, I never got a reply back so I never added it to the repair
http://www.tweaking.com/forums/index.php/topic,2109.msg13568.html#msg13568

I am working on adding it to the next update

Shane

[MarkW]

I made the manual registry changes for the full path of the oleaut32.dll.  Yes, suddenly that allowed the VirtualBox to launch again successfully.
If oleaut32.dll had been unregistered then I could understand the issue.  I am surprised that the search path would not look for that file in the system32 directory.  I wonder if the search path is being affected.

Prior to the manual change to the registry keys I tried registering of oleaut32.dll in a cmd.exe box/window, but saw no difference.  I even tried a reboot.  I know that in the past, at times, I have had to register dll's while being in the directory that they exist.  Maybe I didn't do that this time. 
Nothing has changed the directory structure under all users yet. 

Would it be good or bad or no-effect if I ran the Windows Repair again?  Would it now clean up the folder loop it left behind previously?
The other user/customer that complained about the slowness after running v2.8.3 - I experienced that as well. 
Have the videos you downloaded from me, or the log files I sent later added any value to your troubleshooting?  By this point I would expect you to be able to notice any deviations in the standard processes on the screen in your sleep.  Of course, you have adjusted the screen processes as well.

Have you had insight on the mw2.jpg screenshot to this point?  At a couple other points it showed up as a task on the TaskBar, which I pointed out in the first video.  I had opened up the task to show you what it was reporting.

Thanks for your continued efforts,
Mark

[MarkW]

G-hot, the other user posting the message with 'Critical Bug' in the title got the same 'too long' command windows that I did.
I'm guessing that the non-English script in his other screen capture just had to do with the language he is running on his computer.

[Shane]

Just finished 2.8.4 and getting ready to put it out. The new version will now put that full path back in the registry. It isnt a bug of the program, that is just how the reg dll command works for that dll file. In XP that is how it is suppose to be, since vista and newer they never updated the register code in the dll to put the full path! Very odd.

As for slowness, I never seen any slowness after running the repairs. The commands are still the same and such, and now way for the program to actually slow down the computer. Only way I could think of is when it restored the default windows services. You get crap like the search index and such back on, which always has slowed down the machine since it is using the drive.

G-hot, the other user posting the message with 'Critical Bug' in the title got the same 'too long' command windows that I did.
I'm guessing that the non-English script in his other screen capture just had to do with the language he is running on his computer.

That is because of the folders having those infinite loops. The bat file is doing the looping and so when it hits those it just keeps going until it gets to long.

On my file permissions repair I did have the cleanup of the permissions run only as the system account. If for some reason the program couldnt get the file to run as system then it wouldnt work. I have updated it to also run it as the current user account as well.

I wonder if on your system the program is having trouble running as the system account or not, but from the looks of it, it shouldnt be since we see the commands running under system in the screen shots.

Shane

[MarkW]

The installation is standard, so it should not have any problems running the system account.  I have not had any such problems to this point.  I do not have it as part of any network domain, etc.  The account that I have auto logon is the account that was created during the O/S installation process and is part of the admin group, locally.  I did take the option of making it part of a home network during the O/s installation so that I could get to other computers on my LAN through shared-out directories.

I will revert to the clean snapshot and will attempt a clean run of v2.8.4, and let you know my results. 
I will also grab your v1.2.0 Envelope Printer. 

[Shane]

Only reason why I ask is I had a fresh install of Vista 64 bit service pack 2 installed, not a single other update past that. And when I was testing the repairs I noticed the ones set to run as system where failing.

Turns out that the tweaking_ras.exe was crashing because one of the APIs it calls in Windows was causing a crash in the msvb6 dll. But on another system with vista sp2 and all the updates it runs just fine. Looks like there is an update that fixes that, but I normally have the updates installed. But it was the first time I seen that happen.

I am off for the day, let me know how things go with the new versions

Shane

[MarkW]

Yikes! running Vista without the updates....sounds like a worst case scenario to me.     The "too long" window continued to appear, and the directory structure for All Users/Application Data was not cleaned up.  A note on that:  Before running Windows Repair the system tells me that I do not have access to that directory.  After running the Windows Repair I do have access to that directory.  The default rights to that directory are being changed.

Virtual Box did run correctly following the run of v2.8.4. 

The 'mystery' cmd boxes and login screen did not appear with v.2.8.4.  Many of the cmd boxes came and went so quickly that I didn't catch any other new issues, if there were any.

[Shane]

The file permissions repair should have taken a few and you should have seen the cmd windows for the cleanup after that repair.

If you open task manager watch for the cmd.exe and when it shows the user that it is running under you should see it come up as system for some of the repairs, such as the file permissions.

I will boot up vmware again real fast, so busy programming I forgot to double check the file permissions repair on my system and see if I can get the same thing to happen.

File permissions sets all the permissions, you now have access to those folders, after that is done it goes and does a bat file for the profiles and then goes and does the cleanup bat file.

I am running the file permissions now, will have an answer in a few.

Shane

[Shane]

Oh, and go double check the permissions on that folder and post a screen shot for me so i can compare

Shane

[Shane]

Done, as you can see the cleanup put the denied permissions so I cant get to those folders, just like it should do.

Something must be different on your system, we are missing a variable somewhere.

Lets continue tomorrow

Night!

Shane

[MarkW]

Here is my finish until tomorrow.
Before and after pictures of the rights to the All User/Application Data.
Capturing the set parameters before and after the v2.8.4 run showed no differences.
I did notice a difference between the virtual instance I have been working from when compared to another one. 
The one I have been working from is not blocked from seeing the rights applied to that directory, the other one is. 
I have posted 'OtherVirtual.jpg' to show the difference in directory rights.  This 2nd virtual has been around longer.  Also during the installation I used 'test' as the default login ID for it, where I used 'admin' for the main one I have been testing with.
I zipped up the log files for you, as well.

'til tomorrow,
Mark

[Shane]

The cleanup repair for the permissions is suppose to set everyone to deny, which is how you see it happen on the other machine you did it on.

But for some reason on this machine everyone is still given full access and that tells me that the cleanup isnt running or something else is going on.

The SID for Everyone is S-1-1-0

The command in the clean is
Setacl.exe -on "C:\Users\All Users\Application Data" -ot file -actn ace -ace n:S-1-1-0;p:list_folder;m:deny -ignoreerr -silent

The actuall code is
sProfilesLocation & "\All Users\Application Data"

where it pulls the profiles location on the system (Some people have the profiles stored on a different drive), in the log file I have it record what it pulls for that and it does point to the right path
Profiles Location: C:\Users

If you are up for it, send me an email and I will teamviewer in and see if I can find the variable that is doing this. If I can find the reason why it isnt getting changed back I can add code to handle it and that will make the program better in case someone else has this problem as well

Shane

[MarkW]

Shane,
I just ran v.2.8.5 on two machines, for confirmation after the first result was unexpected.  VirtualBox is working fine, but the infinite 'Application Data' directory has returned for All Users profile directory.  I had noticed the cmd window with the 'too long' message again, but thought it might get cleaned up at the end, like it had the other day.  (It was remained following the reboot.)
I ran Windows Repair with everything selected, but  with the 'Lock Repair List While Running Repairs' and 'Hide output To Cmd.exe Window' settings deselected.  I choose the automated system restart upon completion.

I replaced the exe with the test one from the other day, which I had set aside before installing v2.8.5 and re-ran the program using that beta exe.  That stopped me from being able to open the Application Data directory, as it should have.  I then ran it on the second box with the wrong results for the Application Data directory, so I am guessing that you had changed more than the .exe in the latest release.

Mark

[Shane]

I got an email that you posted while I was about to relax and head to bed. So I came out to my off ice real fast and double checked the code and even ran the file permissions repair in Windows7 and it all works fine.

The code for the cleanup didnt get changed in anyway since the beta build I gave you, the same code is still in there.

I am curious, if you have time, and I will respond tomorrow, do a test for me.

take the new version and run all the repairs, then if the folder is unblocked again run the same version again but this time ONLY the file permissions repair and let me know if it fixes it. The goal of this test is to see if there is some bug I am not aware off where something isnt running right when the other repairs are ran along with it, such as the registry permissions repair before hand and the repairs after.

So if running the single repair by itself fixes it and running it with other repairs keeping it from working then that would point me in the right direction.

It is still odd that I cant replicate it on my end, I WANT to know what this variable we are missing is lol.

Night!

Shane

[MarkW]

 
v2.8.6 has resolved these issues on the older / slower machines.   
I even gave it a shot on an old emergency laptop: Pentium III 1.20Ghz, 785mb RAM, XP Pro Sp3, 40GB IDE ATA/100 5400 rpm hard drive.

Thank you Shane.

Mark

[Shane]

Good to hear!

Shane