Update of LnSSvc for XP-SP2

Hi all,

A new version of the LnS Service is available here:
http://looknstop.soft4ever.com/Beta/LnSSvc/LnSSvc 1.01b2.zip

The only change is about Windows XP-SP2 in order to have Look 'n' Stop registered into the Security Center:

- if the service is started, the security center should indicate that the computer is protected with Look 'n' Stop

- if the service is stopped, the security center should indicate that Look 'n' Stop has been deactivated

- if the service is uninstalled, the security center no longer sees Look 'n' Stop.

If you are already using the service with the 1.01b1 version, you just need to replace your LnSSvc.exe file. Unfortunately, you need to stop the service to do that, so you need to disconnect from internet before proceeding.

If you never installed the service, please read carrefully the instructions from the ReadMe.txt file present in the package.

Regards,

Frederic

PS: The old thread about the 1.01 is still available here .

 

Frederic,

Does this service support fast user switching?

I followed the installation instructions and it appears the service will work fine for the first user who logs in. I can see the Look n Stop Icon in the bottom right hand corner.

However, if I leave the first user logged in and attempt to log into second user account, I do not see a Look n Stop Icon.

Any ideas?

 

I've had to uninstall this patch because it was causing BSOD errors on my PC (usually at shutdown but the first time I rebooted after installing it, it caused one at that point).

 

Hi Curt_G,

Sorry for the late answer, yes I confirm there is a problem with the service and the FUS feature of XP. The 1st time a user opens a session the GUI is attached to this session and remain attached to this session even if another user opens a new session.
I investigated that but unfortunately I didn't find a solution yet, so the 2.05p2 will not solve that

Frederic

 

Hi redman,

If you are using XP-SP2, you probably encounter a problem that has been identified with the "Watch DNS call" option.
Before connecting to internet (or disconnect from internet), disable this option, quit Look 'n' Stop (to save it in the registry) and reboot (just to avoid a new crash).
If you still have the issue, without this option, please send us the MiniDump.

Regards,

Frederic

 

I disabled the Watch DNS Call but Microsoft Security Center no longer recognised Look 'n' Stop as running.

 

Normally this feature has no impact on the Service, nor the WMI interface of Windows, so it is surprising.

Anyway, now you should use the 2.05p2, which solves the problem wiith the "Watch DNS Calls" feature, and includes directly in Look 'n' Stop the registration to the Security Center.

Frederic

 

Hi Frederic,

I would like to make a suggestion that you integrate the service install into your next L'n'S release if you have not already decided to do so. That way you could install L'n'S using either the normal start method or as a service during the install of L'n'S itself, and not have to install tthem seperately.

 

I would like to at least see an installer for the beta components.. I've had to reformat a few times and installing the 2 beta drivers, manually making the reg keys, installing the beta service, and changing the settings to accomodate everything has been getting tiresome. I definitely look forward to seeing these components go final, too

 

After making my post above, I got to thinking, some of which included your thoughts Notok. I have since started a new thread, Release Question, to address my new thoughts.

 

Hi Frederic,

I've been using LnSSvc 1.01b2 for more than 6 month now (and I am quite happy of this because I really believe that LnS should run as a Service).

I have stopped using the Fast User Switching under XP because it wasn't working well (I have created two users profile on my WinXP). I now close the current session to switch to the other one I want to open (both session profile have admin WinXP rights).

However now when I close one WinXP session profile and open another one on my laptop, there is a spare LnS windows poping up that I have to close systematically.

This is not dramatic but just anoying. LnSSvc 1.01b2 doesn't seems to properly work with multi session profile under winXP.

Is it a known issue ?

Is there a new release of LnSSvc available to address this issue ?


Thanks for you help


GenNoel

Ps : I use the 'User Profile Hive Cleanup Service' version 1.5.21 from Microsoft however this doesnt improve the situation

 

Hi Folks

I am looking at investing in a Firewall (FW) that is reliable and light in resources for my Dell Inspiron 8100 laptop with only 512mb ram.

So far I have read many good things about LnS but one thing that still put me off investing in one is the Fast User Switch (FUS) problem. I don't mind learning the rules etc but I just want a FW that will work with FUS or Multiple profiles as I am always log in as Limited User for surfing the net to working on important things.

It will be very nice too to see a FW that is easy for a novice user like me to use. I will keep an eye on LnS forum.

Keep up the good work.

Cheers

Chew

P/s: my system is WinXP SP2 ...

 

Hi,

Yes, this is a known issue with LnsSvc and FUS.
Unfortunately, I've investigated it some time ago, and wasn't able to find a solution.
I will work on it again, perhaps I will have new ideas now.

Unfortunately, nothing will change in the 2.05p3 beta package that will include directly the LnsSvc service. It will be the same LnsSvc version as the current one.

Regards,

Frederic

 

could allow the service to be Owned by the system and not a user. So it could run, regardless of who is logged in at any given time. I believe that this would also make it so it remains running, even while changing accounts between users

 

Actually, it should be already the case, since the service is started before any user is logged.
When Look 'n' Stop is started through LnsSvc, filtering is enabled when the login dialog box is displayed.

Or perhaps are you suggesting after a first user connected, the LnsSvc is no longer owned by the system but by the user ?

Frederic

 

Ohh, please work on the service mode!! I have a computer which is connected to highspeed internet through a router and I run several servers on said computer, therefore it is in the DMZ of the router, making it almost as if it were directly connected to the highspeed connection. Also, since the router handles the 'dialup' function of PPoE in this setup, the computer, which is wunning Windows XP Pro SP1 btw, is ALWAYS on the internet from boot time. It needs to be this way as all of my servers run as services so no one has to be logged onto the machine in order for the servers to be accessible. Therefore, I MUST have a firewall loaded as a service in order to properly protect the computer. I had ZoneAlarm, but ditched it for LnS. First question, if the 'Keep Internet filtering active after the application is left, is active, will the rules/protection still be in place @ boot time? Also, I am try the LnS service (latest beta) and am having a major problem. If I boot the computer and leave it booting, and come bak later to logon to my account, it goes to the 'loadign your personal options' screen and does a lot of hard drive activity and then freezes. Not totally because it is still possible to change the numlock status on the keyboard, and move the mouse around the screen, but that is it. This forces me to have to power off/on again to regain control. However, if I sit @ the computer and begin logging onto my account as soon as the welcome screen has loaded, I experience no problems. I suspect this is because the logon process finished before the LnS service tries to load, (no idea why that avoids the freeze tho). Also, I am not sure if this is helpful or not, but I noticed that ZoneAlarm was built as a two part beast. The core of ZoneAlarm was always loaded and functioning as a service as soon as the computer started, and the file that exectued was VSMON.EXE which was just about impossible to kill while the computer was running. The other module, which gave the application access request alerts and attack alerts was a seperate EXE file, much smaller, called ZLCLIENT.EXE and was from the 'startup (common)' group so that a copy of it was loaded in each user account. It also provided a GUI interface to configure the all of the protection options offered by the service module (VSMON.EXE). This seems to be the best way to build this kind of program. The core as an always running service and then a seperate module that is just a GUI to the service, which gets loaded in each user account.

The best of luck in getting LnS to be compatible with FUS and in fixing its bugs!

 

Hi,

Yes, this is the solution, I've considered here:
https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=98973&page=2

In your case (PC stuck if the login is not immediate) perhaps the problem is an application is trying to connect and the popup dialog box is not displayed when Windows is on the logon screen, the user not answering, causing the application to wait, and perhaps this blocks the PC.

Frederic