Help !! Has PG paid thrown me a swerve ball !!

[Old Monk]

Hi Folks

Have just gone from PG free to PG paid - I started a post yesterday but I've started this as a result of whats happened.

Not two minutes after logging off after inputting my license key I tried to log on and suddenly I get a pop up- saying I had to register my version of Widows XP either on line or by phone. Numerous log on attempts resulted in the same - eventually I' ve got back in. Is this PG or what on earth else happened. I've been using this PC for 12 months now with nothing like this problem.

Cheers

Jon

[richrf]

Hi Old Monk,

I haven't seen anyone report this problem yet. Maybe if you outline your configuration it can give more clues as to what happend? Also, if you made any other changes to your software and/or configuration at about the same time.

Rich

[Old Monk]

Hello Rich

Thanks for your reply -I'm logging off for the night now but will post my observations tomorrow. Assuming I can log on !!! Any thoughts in the meantime greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Jon

[linney]

Did you run Process Guard in "Learning Mode" for a couple of bootup, restarts and logins, so that it gets to know your setup before it starts to secure your system? A quick review of the Help information may help.

[Pilli]

Hello Old Monk and welcome, Please disable ProcessGuard before logging off for the night so that you can check if PG is the reason for your login problem and also that DCS have a chance to view your log file as follows. In PG click view logfiles and you should see a file called PGlog_05_2005.txt - open it in notepad and copy / paste into your next post. This may give us a clue as to what is going on

Thanks Pilli.

[G1111]

Happened to me too. I forgot to put the paid version into learing mode after converting from the free version. I had to reregister windows. It was a bit of a chore. You need to get the original key code from the side/back of your computer and go through an automated process.

[linney]

You might be able to start Windows in Safe Mode if there are Activation or Licensing problems. Hopefully you can also access the settings for Process Guard from Safe Mode?

[Old Monk]

Hi Folks and thanks for your input so far.

Answers to my previous posting on moving from free to paid seemed to indicate that I wouldn't need to go back to learning mode. Was that a mistake ?

Again this morning I get the same Windows Program Activation prompt

Hi Pilli - sorry too late for that course of action but will do so if and when I get back in !!

I'll try Safe Mode but I've never started in Safe Mode before so not really sure what I'm doing there but I'll give it a whirl. I'll let you know how I get on.

Thanks again

Cheers

Jon

[Old Monk]

Hi Folks

What do you think is the path of least resistance on this problem ? Is it probably simplest to not mess about in safe mode and simply go through the product activation through Microsoft and worry about why it happened later ?

Perhaps I should then disable PG until I can get some clarity on whether it was indeed a PG problem or some other conflict.

Cheers

Jon

[richrf]

Hi Jon,

No harm in going into Safe Mode. It just loads the minimum number of program/services. Just hit F8 several times while the system is re-starting. You should then get a menu asking you if you want to go into safe mode.

If you have never done this before, it is a good thing to know about, since sometimes you will have to go into safe mode to run a virus/trojan scan and delete files. It is a basic aspect of the operating system and the way it functions.

Do you have your original Windows license number available on the side of your computer?

Rich

[Old Monk]

Hi Rich

When I get in safe mode what am I looking for or looking to do ? Will have to try this later after work. And yes I still have a product key on the bottom of the machine.

What do you thinks the next step and I'll try it and post back this evening.

PS Every once in a while I'm able to log in but it's very sporadic.

Cheers


Jon

[Old Monk]

Hi there

Since last posting I have activated my licence with MS - surprisingly painless I have to say.Still mystified if this was a PG problem or sheer coincidence.

I'm still not sure what I should have been looking for/or doing in Safe Mode.

Previous to registering my activation for the paid PG I had downloaded an innocuous looking prog ( which was known to me) for analyzing golf swings (sad I know !!) but during the install I experimented with my free PG version by denying certain things from executing. I then had difiiculty removing the program from the Control Panel. Could this have been a factor ? I can't see why.

Should I still post my PG log as Pilli suggested - it's pretty huge or can I just put this one down to experience ( or lack of it)

Moving on, I have had a look at Andreas -very helpful -walkthrough of PG and it suggests I should put PG back in Learning Mode after the Global Protection options have been enabled.

PG is obviously now alerting to denials of global hooks pertaining to things like mantism.exe and syntplpr.exe and denial of driver/service install for vsmon.exe ( my Zone Alarm suite).

I'm guessing Learning Mode will work out what my start up progs require as a default?

Any views gratefully received

Cheers

Jon

[Pilli]

-{ Quote: "I'm guessing Learning Mode will work out what my start up progs require as a default?" }- Yes, please use learning mode and reboot after that the drivers, global hook flgas should be set up correctly.
I check the protection list and make sure that unnecessary processes are not on there, such as installers and uninstallers and anything that is not a system file or internet connected program.

Pilli

[Old Monk]

Hi Pilli

Thanks for that - I did in fact put it back into Learning Mode last night and all seems to be well. As I said earlier until I read Andreas piece I wasn't aware that I needed to go into Learning Mode after enabling the Global Protections when moving from free to paid.

I will reboot a couple more times and then look closely at whats what protection/security wise. I think then I will google everything just so I understand in a bit more detail exactly whats protected. Can I then post here if I'm still unsure what protections/entitlements etc certain programmes should have ?

Cheers

Jon

[Pilli]

By all means Jon, Post away :)