Backup pguard.dat & pghash.dat

Usually when I want to backup PG settings, I disable PG and copy pguard.dat & pghash.dat to a zip file. But someone told me that I need to terminate dcsuserprot.exe besides disabling PG. Is that true?

 

Hi UCI_MECH, Yes you will need to terminate DCSuserprot.exe to copy or .zip the .dat files, this is a part of ProcessGuard's file protection. You will also have to terminate dcsuserprot.exe if you need to copy them back to the \system32\ folder.

HTH Pilli.

 

Thanks Pilli.

Actually I was able to copy pguard.dat & pghash.dat to a zip file just by disabling PG and without terminating dcsuserprot.exe.
So, are you saying that the contents of pguard.dat & pghash.dat would be different if I didn't terminate dcsuserprot.exe. Otherwise, what's the point?

 

Strange I cannot copy the .dat files here if I exit the PG GUI with dcsuserprot running.

No, I am saying that you should not be able to copy the files with dcsuserprot running even with the GUI closed. Do you have the three PG .exe's in your protection list?
pgaccount, procGuard & dcsuserprot?

 

On my XP-SP2 system, all I do is disable PG protection, close down the PG GUI, and then copy/paste the two files to a safe storage location. Then open PG GUI and re-enable protection.

 

Yes if you disable protection then you can copy the .dat files. What I was trying and failed to explain properly is that to copy or change the .dat files normally is not possible with dcsuserprot running and PG's GUI closed but enabled ie. if malware were to target the .dat files.

 

What I meant when I said disable PG is disabling PG protection not just closing down the GUI. So, I guess what I was doing was right.
Thanks Pilli for your help.