TDS3 is killing my windows XP system

[Steve In Michigan]

There is something seriously wrong with the TDS-3 software. It seems like anything that I execute from the windows <start><run> command line ends up as a zero byte file in the TDS3 installation directory, and then programs I was trying to run from the command line no longer work. Look at this directory listing below (taken from the TDS3 installation directory). All these zero byte files that you see are windows programs that used to work on my system and no longer do. Basic programs like the calculator or the helpfile system. The CMD prompt no longer works. THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM!!!!


Volume in drive E is DATA
Volume Serial Number is F45E-3612

Directory of E:\Program Files\TDS_3

02/20/2004 07:32 PM <DIR> .
02/20/2004 07:32 PM <DIR> ..
02/18/2004 12:16 PM 0 vsupdate.exe
02/16/2004 11:31 PM <DIR> Bars
02/20/2004 07:32 PM 0 tds3BUGS.txt
02/20/2004 05:37 PM 0 sysocmgr
02/17/2004 04:19 PM 0 sndvol32.exe
02/19/2004 12:52 PM 0 calc
02/18/2004 06:54 PM 0 cmd
02/20/2004 07:31 PM 0 command
02/16/2004 11:31 PM <DIR> Config
02/18/2004 10:49 AM 0 setup.exe
02/16/2004 11:31 PM <DIR> Scripts
02/17/2004 12:20 AM 0 rundll32.exe
02/20/2004 05:45 PM 0 regedit
02/16/2004 11:31 PM <DIR> PortLists
02/20/2004 06:52 PM 0 notepad.exe
02/16/2004 11:31 PM <DIR> DiamondCS Software!
02/18/2004 11:58 AM 0 msiexec.exe
02/17/2004 12:35 AM 0 msconfig
02/18/2004 10:55 PM 0 luall.exe
02/16/2004 11:44 PM <DIR> Logs
02/16/2004 11:31 PM <DIR> Ext.Adv
02/16/2004 11:31 PM <DIR> Ext.Plug
02/16/2004 11:31 PM <DIR> Ext.Sys
02/16/2004 11:31 PM <DIR> Ext.Unpk
02/19/2004 08:39 PM 0 gpedit.msc
02/17/2004 04:21 PM <DIR> Help
02/18/2004 03:42 PM 0 helpctr.exe
02/16/2004 11:31 PM <DIR> InfTest
02/16/2004 11:52 PM <DIR> xDynamic
06/11/2003 12:42 PM 9 target.txt
08/25/2000 05:54 PM 9 beep1.txt
08/28/2000 03:38 PM 19 beep2.txt
01/22/2001 03:52 PM 80 beep3.txt
06/11/2003 04:32 PM 102 Easy Shopping @ DiamondCS.url
02/04/2000 04:46 PM 152 TDS Website.url
02/04/2000 04:45 PM 152 DiamondCS Website.url
02/04/2000 04:46 PM 155 Email Support.url
06/11/2003 04:18 PM 165 DiamondCS Port Explorer.url
01/22/2004 02:11 PM 491 update.cfg
09/02/2002 11:36 AM 770 tds.cfg
02/20/2004 07:16 PM 1,352 imgarreg.tds
02/16/2004 11:25 PM 4,192 tds3.kf
06/11/2003 04:30 PM 6,705 register.txt
03/26/2002 02:58 PM 8,709 Whois.txt
09/27/2000 03:17 PM 9,216 DCSmem9x.dll
09/27/2000 03:10 PM 9,216 DCSmemnt.dll
02/16/2004 11:31 PM 10,359 unins000.dat
06/11/2003 02:09 PM 10,852 tips.txt
04/23/2001 08:48 PM 12,288 ntstream.dll
01/27/2004 01:39 PM 14,336 dcsres.exe
06/27/2001 04:15 PM 17,408 tds3smtp.exe
03/27/2002 02:32 PM 18,432 dcsfps.dll
06/19/2001 06:50 PM 20,480 execprot.dll
06/11/2003 02:22 PM 20,480 update.exe
02/19/2004 01:51 PM 23,123 DCSMUTEX.DLL
07/02/2001 12:52 PM 27,648 tds3ext.dll
01/22/2004 01:57 PM 31,232 register.exe
02/06/1999 09:18 PM 31,232 unrar.dll
06/10/2003 04:55 PM 75,679 portref.txt
11/28/2003 04:00 AM 75,922 unins000.exe
12/18/2003 02:55 PM 78,848 advscan.dll
12/02/1998 09:11 AM 84,480 unzip.dll
06/11/2003 12:00 PM 585,728 tds-3.exe
02/19/2004 10:40 AM 1,257,207 radius.bak
02/20/2004 02:29 PM 1,258,507 Radius.TD3
52 File(s) 3,695,735 bytes
15 Dir(s) 21,516,926,976 bytes free
>:(

[Rod S]

Have you got exec protection enabled? It may be the execution protection is causing that problem. Disable exec protection and try executing those files again, then work from there..

Not sure what could be causing the problem, but give that a go anyway :)

[Jooske]

Hi guys,
windows is creating those 0 bytes files in the directory from where you're trying to execute a program and which for some reason not succeeds at times. You might have more in other places on your system. Maybe because TDS goes rather deep it gets those 0 bytes files in the directory in the first place.
So what happens, when you tyry to execute a program windows looks in the path to the closest file in line with that name which is that niot working 0 bytes copy.
So hunt for those 0 bytes files on your system and delete them. You will notice everything is working again.
The one system seems to get them more then others.

I put copies of small exe files like notepad.exe and wordpad.exe in a few strategical places like in the TDS directory so the 0 bytes copies are not created any more and if they should, the working copy is always used.

Now first delete all those 0 bytes files.

[2cpus4me]

Still accumulating a bunch of zero byte files in my TDS-3 folder, but it is no longer preventing those apps from running. That is, with one exception, the Helpctr.exe application still will not run from the menu options.

Not sure why TDS-3 is latching on to files that are run from the command line, but a search through this site shows that I am not alone experiencing this anomoly. It no longer is an issue for me, but I suspect there an incompatibility somewhere, maybe its XP and maybe its TDS-3.

I am also running wormguard, but turning it off or on has no effect on the zero byte file creation.

[Jooske]

As windows is responsible and creating those 0 bytes files the only way to get rid of them and keep rid of them is turn off Windows. No matter which version you run.


TDS is just showing or collecting them in the directory, while you would have the same in other places without any WG or TDS installed.
You learned now some workarounds, for most people the helpfile icon --if you use the right one from the right folder -- on the desktop is a workaround till MS has a better solution. this helpfile problem It comes the moment you install any other software besides Windows on XP systems, so there is to look for the origings of the problem.
There are bunches written about it by people who even never heard of TDS or other DCS products let alone have them ever installed on their systems.

Just keep in mind occasionally to search for and delete 0 bytes files and in most cases you will be fine.

Could you crop the screen from your screenshot and remove all the empty white to have the shot fit in the original thread width to ease reading? thanks!

[DWG]

Just stumbled across the posts re 0 files being created, Helpctr.exe not running correctly, etc.

I just worked thru the same problem, which seems to be specific to XP.

Running helctr.exe would return the error "not a valid win32 application" I also found other programs would not execute properly, for example, Norton's LiveUpdate.

I found that the 0 files being caused by ExecProt, while a nuisance, were not the cause. It was WormGuard. When I "removed" the protection from the Wormguard interface, the other programs immediately worked again.

Somehow Wormguard is creating invalid file pointers or references, but I was not able to determine how or where. I don't think DiamondCS knows either. In any event, DiamondCS has been informed; the fix will have to wait until the next product release.

-DWG

[Jooske]

As described before it is something in windows, as also people without any of the TDS or WG or other DCS software may experience the same problems, as posted on the ms support forums and knowledgebase, most certainly relating to the XP helpfile.
That only seems to work correct on some XP systems if you besides windows XP not install any other software at all.
So there are posted a few workarounds here.
Reason anyway why DCS has rewritten the next version only using their own systemfiles to be rid of the ever changing windows files and problems, modifications by other developers, etc.
Removing from time to time the 0 bytes files from your system and copying the right exe files like notepad.exe and wordpad.exe into the TDS directory and the right helpfile..... not sure which extension and from which exact directory that last one on the desktop (maybe helps in TDS directory too) as a current working workaround.
Looking forward to the new versions.