TDS in W98 task list but no interface comes up

[luke_warmwater]

Hi

I just installed the trial ver of TDS3.

When I click on hte desktop icon an entry appears in hte Win98 task list but no interface comes up.

What could cause this? Wrongs dlls?

Luke

[Jooske]

Hi Luke, welcome!
not any error message? Is it the first time you start TDS or did you have it running and changed some in the configuration like minimizing it at startup?

If not, it could be a matter of missing files or overwritten older versions. Can you please go bak where you downloaded TDS and see on the page the required system files to compare your versions with the minimum versions posted and available there?
I'm thinking most of the OCX files mentioned there.

Let us know how it goes.

[luke_warmwater]

Hello Jooske

No Error messages. This is the first time I have run the application so I never got to the point where I could change the configuration.

I downloaded all of the indicated files, backed up all the corresponding ones on my system, and installed all of the suggested files in \Windows\system and restarted my computer.

Situation is still the same. fubar. I can see TDS in task window but no console.

Thanks you for your response. It was much quicker than I expected.

Keith

[Jooske]

Luke, Keith, at this point i don't know a moment.
As i have TDS running for years on win98se.
Is it only with TDS happening or more programs?
It should really be a required system files problem.
Could there be other files missing?
In fact i don't like to get you through a while start > run > SFC test
You can do, but it can take some time and put back older win98 files which might be replaced in the meantime with fixes and security patches and other installs,,,,,,,,, so there is a certain risk ......
You can look and try not to change anything, only look if something important is mentioned.
In the Assecoires> System Info is also the place for possible replaced files and conflicts, for which you could look at the last file.
But you just took the most recent ones (?you did?) on the site so it should run.

Do you see an icon somewhere in the tray or systray once you started it? It does take a few seconds to appear, after which it continues it's startup scans etc
How long did you wait to let it appear?
If the icon is in the systray, rightclick and click show, is that possible?
If you try the test file on top in this forum, what exactly happens if you click it from your desktop?

[luke_warmwater]

Hi Jooske

I ran a windows update which resulted in a lot of updates. I havent done one for some time. Still got the same behaviour from TDS. I see it in the task list but dont see a console.

All of my computers are Linux systems except this one. They are connected to the internet through a Linux firewall on a cable modem.

Do I have to have any ports open for TDS?

Thank you

Keith

[Jooske]

No ports open for TDS, only not all your 130000 ports all closed when updating or scanning a possible intruder. You did reboot after installing, did you?
Windows updates you better try to take each time as there were some rather critical ones recently.
These are the only things i can think of:
all av/at closed and maybe the firewall and all other programs when installing;
reboot after install, also when you are not on win9X systems,
all required system files
not on a default chinese/japanese/vietnames/korean system but default western language.

If it was a language problem you would see TDS loading and getting error #31 for the moment the database had to be displayed, so i keep it on required files.
Which screen resolution are you using?
are there other specific things, settings?

I have seen the behavior you mention on an XP system, where the person locked the taskbar so no icon came there and somehow no TDS console showed up either while the process was in the task manager, till i made the person unlock his taskbar and it all worked fine.

How long did you wait to see TDS appear on screen?
It does take a few seconds for it's initiation and first scans.
Do you have enough RAM to have it appearing and running?

[dvk01]

I had this yesterday with a win2k system and the trial version of TDS

aparantly there is a new virus around taht will stop TDS and any other .exe fle running

it changes the exe file instructions to run everything through itself

this is thee thread
http://forums.techguy.org/t211378/s.html
and the problem was

this shows up in a start up list in HJT, check if it's happenin g in your computer

File association entry for .EXE:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\open\command

(Default) = c:\winnt\system32\windows.exe PASS "%1" %*


the standard entry should be
File association entry for .EXE:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exefile\shell\open\command

(Default) = "%1" %*

[Jooske]

Hi Derek,
is it important if behind that shell the
default = ""
or
default (no value given)
I see this in more places; was comparing with somebody else and on his working system he had in a few locations default= ""
where i had in the same place
default= (no value)
But in this location i have the default= "%1" %*"
so that looks the same.

[dvk01]

this
http://filext.com/faq/idx/2/016/How_to/article/

explains all the coomands asssociated with the registry entries for .exe files and exactly what they should be for all versions

he shows 98 & XP

I am led to believe that 98 includes 95 & ME

XP also includeds W2K & Server 2003


a blank "" or " " is normal for certain functions and commmands but any entry containing a file name like C:\windows\system32\abcderfg.exe is a guarantee of a trojan/virus taking over

[dvk01]

some trojans/viruses will attack any .exe file

some will only attack some named antiviruses & antitrojans

the easy way to check if you have this registry entry affected with your problem is to download Hijackthis from
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/attachments/hijackthis1977.zip

unzip it & place it into it's own folder, not a remp folder, then double click the hijackthis .exe file, & press config/misc tools/tick both boxes about minor & empty sections & press generate start up list

that will save a start up list to the folder on your computer where you saved hijackthis and open it in notepad.

scroll down the list until you get to the file association entries and if you see anything except a default="" or default=" " or Default) = "%1" %*

then scream for help