Stopping unwanted processes - my fix

Just wanted to share how I worked this out. I followed instructions in this thread https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=42132 for stopping unwanted processes when TI is not running by starting them with a .bat file.

Well this didn't work with my installation on Win ME:

Code:

NET START "Acronis Scheduler2 Service"
START schedhlp.exe.lnk
START TrueImage.exe.lnk

After a little investigation, I discovered my schedul2.exe was located in:

C:\Program Files\Common Files\Acronis\Schedule2

So I changed the .bat file to:

Code:

START schedul2.exe.lnk
START schedhlp.exe.lnk
START TrueImage.exe.lnk

And it worked perfectly. The only running process left when it finished was schedul2.exe. A quick click in Task Manager took care of that.

This will solve my problem of TI running processes that were preventing my computer from coming out of standby. YEA!

However, users shouldn't have to create workarounds for software they paid for. This problem should be addressed by Acronis and integrated into TI.

 

Just put the service in manual, then you don't need to start it at all. It will start on it's own when the True Image software starts. Next, put a net stop in your bat file to stop the service, and you won't have to do anything manually.

I just run the batch file, everything starts, I create the image, then close TI and everything goes away. Works like a charm

 

Thanks for the suggestions.

Where do I do this?

I got an error with NET START "Acronis Scheduler2 Service" (and changed it to STARTschedul2.exe.lnk). So would a net stop even work?

You can probably tell that I don't know much about how or why the .bat file works, I just followed my intuition (so it might not be 'correct' ). Any explanation/corrections would be welcome.

 

No problem, if what you are doing works for you, then you are doing great. I will post my batch file when I get home tonight, and also explain the manual service thing. It will make more sense if I do that at the same time I think.

 

Save as trueimage.cmd

Code:

START /B C:\Progra~1\Acronis\TrueImage\TrueImageMonitor.exe
START /B C:\Progra~1\Common~1\Acronis\Schedule2\schedhlp.exe
REGEDIT /S ACRONIS.REG
CALL "C:\Program Files\Acronis\TrueImage\TrueImage.exe"
taskkill.exe /im TrueImageMonitor.exe
taskkill.exe /im schedhlp.exe
NET STOP "Acronis Scheduler2 Service"
EXIT

Save as acronis.reg

Code:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]
"Acronis*True*Image Monitor"=-
"Acronis Scheduler2 Service"=-

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\AcrSch2Svc]
"Start"=dword:00000003

 

Thanks, beenthereb4, but some explanation would be helpful and appreciated. If this is a better way of doing it than the one I posted, I'd like to understand why. Your files look a little scary!

 

If you're happy with yours, use it. No need to switch. This is for the advanced users who will immediately see it's beauty and features.

 

Earther, not sure what's with all the registry stuff, but it's not necessary for what you're trying to do. Here's some better directions than what I could give you earlier. I don't mess with the registry hack that beenthereb4 provided, I don't need it for what I'm doing.

1) Go to Start, Run, type "services.msc" and press enter. Find the Acronis Scheduler2 Service. If it's not there, go ahead and start it yourself then come back here. You will also need to have it checked in MSCONFIG if you don't have it checked there already.
Anyway, back in Services.msc, Right click on "Acronis Scheduler2 Service". Choose Properties. Change the Start-up Type to "Manual". What this will do is, the service will be available, but not started until it is needed. When True Image needs the service, it will start it by itself. Normally Acronis installs this service set to Automatic, which means it always starts with Windows. I don't need it to do that, so I leave it in manual.

2) Next, here is my batch file (saved as TrueImage.cmd):

START /B C:\Progra~1\Acronis\TrueImage\TrueImageMonitor.exe
START /B C:\Progra~1\Common~1\Acronis\Schedule2\schedhlp.exe
CALL "C:\Program Files\Acronis\TrueImage\TrueImage.exe"
taskkill.exe /f /im TrueImageMonitor.exe
taskkill.exe /im schedhlp.exe
NET STOP "Acronis Scheduler2 Service"
EXIT

(Edit: I got this batch file commands from a post in this forum, by beenthereb4, it's not my original piece of work. I only modified it slightly from what was originally posted).

The first two items start the other two tasks that True Image needs. The "/B" switch tells the START command to execute these .exe files without opening new windows for them.

The CALL command starts Acronis True Image, which will by default causes the Scheduler2 Service (the thing you set to manual in item 1 above) to start. Using the CALL command also causes the batch file commands to halt until whatever was CALL'd is closed. In other words, the next line of the cmd file (taskkill.exe) will not execute until you close True Image.

Now you do your thing with True Image. Create an image or whatever. When you are done and close True Image, the next line of the batch/cmd file will execute.

The two taskkill.exe lines will end the two tasks that you started in the first two lines. I found that the "/f" switch was necessary to force ("/f" for force) the "TrueImageMonitor " task to close if you have created an Image during your True Image session. Simply using "/im" without "/f" is not successful to close the TrueImageMonitor task if you created an image during your True Image session. Don't ask me why.
The "/im" switch just tells the taskkill.exe command that you're going to provide it with the filename of the task that you want to be killed (TrueImageMonitor.exe and Schedhlp.exe) instead of the PID number.

Finally, the NET STOP command stops the Scheduler2 Service that you have in manual. It will still be in manual, ready to start the next time you execute this batch/cmd file. Once the service is in memory, yes this line will work exactly as written. It wasn't working for you before cause there was no service to start. As long as the Service is available and in Manual, once it's started you can stop it using this NET STOP command exactly as written.

The EXIT is self explanatory

Good luck!

 

The registry file places the correct settings in the registry to disable the auto-start items ---- and when you install a new build that resets the auto-starts >>> guess what >>> it just keeps on working. As to your file, seems like I've SeenItB4.

 

Thanks for the clear explanation, jimmytop. I'll try to wrap my brain around it later tonight and let you know how it goes.

 

Yes, I got it from a post on this forum, was that you? I apologize, I figured you just got yours from the same post, so I didn't bother to mention it. Mine was pretty obviously not original and I didn't remember who posted it.
Anyway, I'll add something to the post giving credit. Sorry about that, I wasn't trying to take credit for it, especially since yours was already here in this thread first anyway. Thanks very much for the info, and the batch file
It helps a lot.

As for the registry thing, I just used msconfig and Unchecked the two start up items. I leave the Scheduler2 service checked but set it to manual using Services.msc. These things only need to be done once, until you install a new build, and require no registry hacks, and the bat file works fine. I will simply do it again when I install a new build.

Thanks again

 

OK. Right off the bat I got an error that "Windows cannot find services.msc" Keep in mind I'm running Win ME.

I unchecked all three processes in msconfig before I ran my other file.

I can't do any of this since it's not there. Where do I go from here?

 

Doh! I always just assume everyone is using XP unless they post otherwise, I didn't see it if you did so I'm sorry for making that assumption!!
I don't know how ME handles services. May be better off to use what you've got, or try Beenthereb4's registry mod.

Beenthereb4, will your registy version work in ME?

Earther, if it does, at least my explanations of the other commands in the cmd file are still good, so hopefully this wasn't all for naught.

Good luck!

 

Some day I will have to upgrade. (Actually, I'm trying to hold out til Longhorn is released.) But if it isn't broken, why fix it! Been running for FOUR years without having to reinstall the OS once. That must be a record.

Anyway, your explanation is quite instructional. I'm always willing to learn. So it is not for naught and it is much appreciated.

 

Uh oh, me too. Disregard my suggestions.

(Thanks for the credit!)