51 replies to this topic

[amalux]

Anyone have any idea why, after running a successful build of LiveXP using WB072a, my Internet shortcuts don't work anymore and the HTML log can't be opened unless I manually choose to open with IE (each time)? At least I can open the log manually; all the IE shortcuts are unusable. Trying to restore file type associations doesn't work The only work around right now is to create a restore point prior to each build and restore back to it after I'm finished with WB. Not a big deal but kinda annoying So, any help is appreciated!

Here's the log if it helps (the LiveXP works great!)
[attachment=3350:log.rar]

[Brito]

Hi Amalux!

This is the first time I hear something similar.

Glad you've found a temporary solution for this annoying behavior - now let's move on to find out the reason why it occuring.

Could you try to find what is the current association of .html files? - I would like to know if it's winbuilder or some other app that registers the association to rule out the chance of being Opera, Firefox or Off By 1 browser when they are added inside a project and register those file associations.

---

First let's trial the liveXP project and then we move on to winbuilder to see which one is responsable for these modifications - hope you have some pacience to bear with these tests because they are very important to pinpoint exactly where this issue occurs.




1: On LiveXP:

Try disabling all app scripts and leave only the bare minimum to boot (nothing more is required - only the scripts placed on the Basic and Finish folder are required - others will be redundant).

Try building your project again and see the results on your file associations and explorer settings.

--------------

2: On Winbuilder

Click on Tools --> Options --> Disable Network Support

This option should remove any possible IE interference.

Close down winbuilder check if all file associations and no changes were made on your system

If all seems good - reopen winbuilder and run the same project as you've ran above with the bare essential.

Re-check the differences on file associations.


-------------

3: Exclude 3rd party interference

If everything above fails then something is still wrong. Let's start looking for possible interferences like Anti-Virus or Malware/Spyware. Avast once interfered on my project for some reason and I've also seen a lot of crazy malware code intercepting IE settings.

Disable your regular use Antivirus and ensure your Firewall is enabled - run a online virus scanner like the one from trend micro: http://housecall.trendmicro.com/

You should also try another app with a big malware database like spybot search and destroy

Not saying your computer is infected but it won't hurt to check just to be sure and remove this possibilty from our list.

---------------

Hope this helps pinpoint this matter - best of luck with your bug hunt!

[pscEx]

Anyone have any idea why, after running a successful build of LiveXP using WB072a, my Internet shortcuts don't work anymore and the HTML log can't be opened unless I manually choose to open with IE (each time)? At least I can open the log manually; all the IE shortcuts are unusable. Trying to restore file type associations doesn't work The only work around right now is to create a restore point prior to each build and restore back to it after I'm finished with WB. Not a big deal but kinda annoying So, any help is appreciated!

Here's the log if it helps (the LiveXP works great!)
[attachment=3350:log.rar]

Maybe that's a question I have to resolve because it is my fault.

In short:
When buildModel creates shortcuts, in M$ this is only possible, if the target really exists.
Therefore, if the target does not exists, buildModel creates it (in your real OS!), builds the shortcut, and the deletes the temporary created target (in your real OS).

I think that something is going wrong here with IE.

I'll check.

Peter

[amalux]

Maybe that's a question I have to resolve because it is my fault.

In short:
When buildModel creates shortcuts, in M$ this is only possible, if the target really exists.
Therefore, if the target does not exists, buildModel creates it (in your real OS!), builds the shortcut, and the deletes the temporary created target (in your real OS).

I think that something is going wrong here with IE.

I'll check.

Peter

Thanks Peter, let me know what you find.

Some additional information (@ Nuno also):

HTML (and log files) are associated with IE properly before corruption occurs
[attachment=3363:iehtmlerr1.JPG][attachment=3364:iehtmlerr2.JPG]
[attachment=3366:iehtmlerr3.JPG]

After corrupted, first two Actions are locked and Edit is greyed out
[attachment=3362:htmlerr4.JPG][attachment=3361:htmlerr3.JPG]
(these images are captured before corruption occurs, I'm just descibing what happens)

It still says Opens with: Internet Explorer but Advanced tab changes to 'Restore' as if now associated with another program

As I said before, just restoring association with IE doesn't work (even deleting extension and recreating from scratch!) You still end up with the same errors
[attachment=3360:htmlerr2.JPG][attachment=3359:htmlerr1.JPG]

More later, the server is buggy right now...

[amalux]

Hi Amalux!

This is the first time I hear something similar.

Glad you've found a temporary solution for this annoying behavior - now let's move on to find out the reason why it occuring.

Could you try to find what is the current association of .html files? - I would like to know if it's winbuilder or some other app that registers the association to rule out the chance of being Opera, Firefox or Off By 1 browser when they are added inside a project and register those file associations.

---

First let's trial the liveXP project and then we move on to winbuilder to see which one is responsable for these modifications - hope you have some pacience to bear with these tests because they are very important to pinpoint exactly where this issue occurs.




1: On LiveXP:

Try disabling all app scripts and leave only the bare minimum to boot (nothing more is required - only the scripts placed on the Basic and Finish folder are required - others will be redundant).

Try building your project again and see the results on your file associations and explorer settings.

--------------

2: On Winbuilder

Click on Tools --> Options --> Disable Network Support

This option should remove any possible IE interference.

Close down winbuilder check if all file associations and no changes were made on your system

If all seems good - reopen winbuilder and run the same project as you've ran above with the bare essential.

Re-check the differences on file associations.


-------------

3: Exclude 3rd party interference

If everything above fails then something is still wrong. Let's start looking for possible interferences like Anti-Virus or Malware/Spyware. Avast once interfered on my project for some reason and I've also seen a lot of crazy malware code intercepting IE settings.

Disable your regular use Antivirus and ensure your Firewall is enabled - run a online virus scanner like the one from trend micro: http://housecall.trendmicro.com/

You should also try another app with a big malware database like spybot search and destroy

Not saying your computer is infected but it won't hurt to check just to be sure and remove this possibilty from our list.

---------------

Hope this helps pinpoint this matter - best of luck with your bug hunt!

Hi Nuno!

I followed your instructions exactly and this is the outcome...

1: Set up the LiveXP in 'Basic Mode'
[attachment=3371:wbmintest1.JPG]

2: Disabled Network Support in WinBuilder; closed WB and all was still good but after running the 'Basic' build with no network support I got the same results as before, starting with a new error:
[attachment=3372:wbmintest2.JPG]

One for each time I tried to save the log, so this is all I got to show for it (no errors though! )
[attachment=3373:wbmintest3.JPG]

All my IE shortcuts and HTML docs gave me same error as before:
[attachment=3374:wbmintest4.JPG][attachment=3375:wbmintest5.JPG]

3: As for spy/malware, viruses etc. my machine is clean! I protect all my PC's with Norton or AVG and run frequent Housecall scans (and others) Also I have an excellent firewall, Sygate (firewalls are only as good as the configuration settings and mine is tight!) in addition to my hard break router firewall - I always show all green from Shields Up and others, so no worries here.

So, back to waiting for Peter to wave his magic wand and make it all nice again

[pscEx]

So, back to waiting for Peter to wave his magic wand and make it all nice again

Sorry amalux. Your more detailed information showed me that with 99% propability this is not caused by buildModel's shortcut.

Inspite I'll do some researches ...

Peter

[pscEx]

@amalux

Can you provide some more info:

Please start regedit and export

• HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.html
• HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.log

Both .regs contain a line @=???

Please also export

• HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\???

The exports:

• When everything is ok
• After running LiveXP

(and post here, of course)

BTW: Is the issue LiveXP - specific, or does it also occur with the 'cmd' cofig of nativeEx_barebone?

Peter

[amalux]

[/list]Both .regs contain a line @=???

Peter, I'm not sure what you mean by @=???
I'll just export each key, complete, OK?

Please also export[list]
[*]HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\???

\??? You want the whole thing? (about 8-9MB)

BTW: Is the issue LiveXP - specific, or does it also occur with the 'cmd' cofig of nativeEx_barebone?

Sorry, I'm a bit tired; what are you asking me exactly?

I'll get all these before and after the corruption but please explain exactly what you need; 18MB, even zipped, is pretty large to upload.

[Brito]

Wow..

Never had seen anything similar indeed.

You seem to keep your system in top shape.

----------

Do you have a good web connection? - is it possible to try another windows source like Win2003 trial from MS?

http://www.microsoft...llinstruct.mspx

Just to exclude the possibily of the source being responsable.

----------

Thanks for posting so many details - really helps to better understand things - I have no idea why ntdll.dll is called when no network is selected.

[pscEx]

Peter, I'm not sure what you mean by @=???

As sample, my values:

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.html]
"PerceivedType"="text"
@="FirefoxHTML"
"Content Type"="text/html"
...

and

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\FirefoxHTML]
...

CMD config:

• In the nativeEx_barebone tree, navigate to Basic > !WBManager > WBManager
• If the combo box is empty, click 'Read Constellations'
• In the combo box, choose 'CMD' and click 'Restore Set'
• Do not worry about an error popping up, that is a 'feature' of WinBuilder.
• Build the project

Peter

[amalux]

As sample, my values:


and


CMD config:

• In the nativeEx_barebone tree, navigate to Basic > !WBManager > WBManager
• If the combo box is empty, click 'Read Constellations'
• In the combo box, choose 'CMD' and click 'Restore Set'
• Do not worry about an error popping up, that is a 'feature' of WinBuilder.
• Build the project

Peter

OK, here's what I got; hope it's what you need. The rest will have to wait, I'm going to bed for a few hours zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

[attachment=3377:Before.rar][attachment=3378:after.rar]

[pscEx]

@Nuno

These three lines really disappear in the registry when amalux builds the project:

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\htmlfile\DefaultIcon]
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\htmlfile\shell\open\command]
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\htmlfile\shell\opennew\command]

Nowhere in the complete LiveXP project I can find a script containing 'htmlfile'.
Therefore: A faulty script cannot be the reason.

Two possibilities:

• Please do a general search in the WinBuilder source code for 'htmlfile'.If you find it, then you have the issue's origin.
• Maybe you do something with IE registering. The number of complains is low, because many users use FireFox, Opera etc. rather than IE

Peter

[Brito]

No results here.

Not so sure about the ActiveX integration with IE on wb but haven't found any similar settings inside.

[pscEx]

... after running a successful build of LiveXP using WB072a, ...

@amalux!

I have had a closer look into your log.

Result: Your project is not pure LiveXP. There are several scripts added which are not included in LiveXP.

There is e.g. a script with network drivers, which tries to replace your English xpsp2res.dll by a Russian SPRT0419.DLL

This is w/o success, but I did not check what else the script is doing ...
BTW: To see, how the xpsp2res.dll issue must be handled:

[Variables]

 ...

 %xpresfile%=XPSP2RES.dll

 ...

 

 [where needed ...]

 ...

 IniRead,"%ProjectInfo%","OS","XpRes","%XpRes%"

 If,%XpRes%,NotEqual,0409,Set,%XpResFile%,SPRT%XpRes%.dll

 CopyOrExpand,"%source_win%\%XpResFile%","%target_sys%\XPSP2res.dll"

 ...

(Compare nativeEx's Explorer.Script)

Please do the test again with scripts download from the 'original and authentic server'.

Maybe that helps to distinguish between WinBuilder / LiveXP / additional scripts

Peter

[amalux]

@amalux!

I have had a closer look into your log.

Result: Your project is not pure LiveXP. There are several scripts added which are not included in LiveXP.

There is e.g. a script with network drivers, which tries to replace your English xpsp2res.dll by a Russian SPRT0419.DLL

This is w/o success, but I did not check what else the script is doing ...
BTW: To see, how the xpsp2res.dll issue must be handled:

[Variables]

 ...

 %xpresfile%=XPSP2RES.dll

 ...

 

 [where needed ...]

 ...

 IniRead,"%ProjectInfo%","OS","XpRes","%XpRes%"

 If,%XpRes%,NotEqual,0409,Set,%XpResFile%,SPRT%XpRes%.dll

 CopyOrExpand,"%source_win%\%XpResFile%","%target_sys%\XPSP2res.dll"

 ...

(Compare nativeEx's Explorer.Script)

Please do the test again with scripts download from the 'original and authentic server'.

Maybe that helps to distinguish between WinBuilder / LiveXP / additional scripts

Peter

I guess this is an inherrant problem with a 'program' that has so many variables (many of which the end user has no control over) This is why I take the steps I do to eliminate as many variables as possible; saving the project folder after downloads complete but before running the project so as to have the same starting point each run. On any given day, the downloads for the exact same project can vary considerably, for example:

I ran two 'twin' projects from the same (copies) downloaded .exe (072a) a few days apart with the exact same default settings (I didn't add or change anything). Both started out looking like this:
[attachment=3381:dlcgreyno.JPG]
Note: I didn't even open the options tree to confirm what was checked to avoid possible, accidental checking/unchecking options but one should be safe to assume they were the same as no other options were changed.

But after downloading completed had some obvious differences:
[attachment=3382:lxpropdif.JPG]

Please do the test again with scripts download from the 'original and authentic server'.

Maybe that helps to distinguish between WinBuilder / LiveXP / additional scripts

Honestly, I don't know what you mean; I'm only checking one server, livexp.boot-land.net, and I'm not changing or adding anything from how it downloads with default 'minimum' settings! If there is an errant script running in the project, it can only be an issue of what WinBuilder downloads and runs by its own default settings! Right?

At this point I'm not sure what else to 'check'; if you can identify the offending script(s), maybe I can go in and edit/remove as required?

[pscEx]

I ran two 'twin' projects from the same (copies) downloaded .exe (072a) a few days apart with the exact same default settings (I didn't add or change anything).
...

Honestly, I don't know what you mean; I'm only checking one server, livexp.boot-land.net, and I'm not changing or adding anything from how it downloads with default 'minimum' settings!
...

If you download into an existing project, you OVERWITE existing scripts or ADD non existing scripts.
The download will never DELETE a (maybe erronuos) script.

Therfore, to be sure to get 'clean LiveXP', before download you have to

• Delete the complete ºseDir%\Projects\LiveXP folder
• Delete the complete ºseDir%\Temp\LiveXP folder
• Delete 'with intelligence' the ºseDir%\Workbench\LiveXP folder
  (maybe here are some things you want to preserve)

LiveXP is a living project. Therefore it is 'standard' that the project's contents may vary from day to day. No reason to worry.
Especially now Nuno made a forum software upgrade. In this case I usually forget my old stuff and do a brand new download.

Peter

[amalux]

If you download into an existing project, you OVERWITE existing scripts or ADD non existing scripts.
The download will never DELETE a (maybe erronuos) script.

Therfore, to be sure to get 'clean LiveXP', before download you have to

• Delete the complete ºseDir%\Projects\LiveXP folder
• Delete the complete ºseDir%\Temp\LiveXP folder
• Delete 'with intelligence' the ºseDir%\Workbench\LiveXP folder
  (maybe here are some things you want to preserve)

LiveXP is a living project. Therefore it is 'standard' that the project's contents may vary from day to day. No reason to worry.
Especially now Nuno made a forum software upgrade. In this case I usually forget my old stuff and do a brand new download.

Peter

I never download into an existing project, all these tests were conducted by 'fresh', clean, new, one time downloaded projects with only livexp.boot-land.net server checked! Seriously, I was very careful about this and took screenshots to confirm it; I don't know what else to say about this. Bottom line, if there is an errant script in these projects, it's being downloaded from livexp.boot-land.net as part of the default minimum download!

Now, what can be done about it, is there a way for me to find and delete or edit this script?

[pscEx]

I never download into an existing project, all these tests were conducted by 'fresh', clean, new, one time downloaded projects with only livexp.boot-land.net server checked! Seriously, I was very careful about this and took screenshots to confirm it; I don't know what else to say about this. Bottom line, if there is an errant script in these projects, it's being downloaded from livexp.boot-land.net as part of the default minimum download!

Now, what can be done about it, is there a way for me to find and delete or edit this script?

In your log I see are some scripts I cannot find in the original LiveXP download:

• Small NET drivers for XP SP2
• Intel_82559 Network Driver
• Ghost8+

Maybe there are others I currently do not see.

If you make a 'fresh' download, these scripts should never be in your project.

To make it shorter, please do this test:

• Restore your IE / html / log settings to standard
• Copy WinBuilder 072a into a new, empty directory
• Start WinBuilder and select tab 'Download'
• If not yet activated, chose 'Complete'
• Choose ONLY nativeEx
• Inside the download tree, choose ONLY nativeEx_barebone
• Download and wait for download finish ('Download' button enabled again)
• Using tab 'Paths' define your XP source
• Do nothing else but 'Play'
• After finishing, restart WinBuilder as requested
• Click 'Play'

This should bring you into qEmu

Now check your IE / html / log settings.

If there are any problems: You won against Nuno and me
If there are no problems: You lost

In both cases we should discuss what happened.

Peter

[amalux]

In your log I see are some scripts I cannot find in the original LiveXP download:

• Small NET drivers for XP SP2
• Intel_82559 Network Driver
• Ghost8+

Maybe there are others I currently do not see.

If you make a 'fresh' download, these scripts should never be in your project.

To make it shorter, please do this test:

• Rstore your IE / html / log settings to standard
• Copy WinBuilder 072a into a new, empty directory
• Start WinBuilder and select tab 'Download'
• If not yet activated, chose 'Complete'
• Choose ONLY nativeEx_barebone
• Download and wait for download finish ('Download' button enabled again)
• Using tab 'Paths' define your XP source
• Do nothing else but 'Play'
• After finishing, restart WinBuilder as requested
• Click 'Play'

This should you bring into qEmu

Now try your IE / html /log settings.

If there are any problems: You won against Nuno and me
If there are no problems: You lost

In both cases we should discuss what happened.

Peter

OK, I understand the reason for the confusion; I'm not sure what log I included (or why) at this point but it must have been from before this issue arose (or certainly before these controlled tests) because I am unable to save any log from the project(s) which cause this corruption! I get the following error when attempting to 'Save as log.html':
[attachment=3389:wbmintest2.JPG]

This stuff gets very confusing! After each test and subsequent corruption I am forced to restore my hard drive to have any access to the internet! It is possible that the log you referance was an older log that showed up after one of these restores I didn't realize you were referencing that log in this discussion. The only accurate data is the before and after, registry exports which were done immediatly prior and following the said test. It's true those scripts you refer to have been in previous projects (and show up in that log) but they can't be responsible for this corruption as they are not included in the controlled test(s)! Sorry for the confusion and I hope it's clear now.

All of your check list items are met in the controlled tests I performed except choosing only nativeEx (I choose only LiveXP, since that is the project in question ) and I choose Minimum, not Complete as this causes another whole set of errors and problems which do not occur with Minimum or Recommended settings. For this test to make sense or have any benefit (to me), it must be a (minimum) test of the same project causing the issue! What good would be achived by getting a NativeEx_Barebone project to not cause this issue (assuming it wouldn't), how does that resolve the issue with my LiveXP caused corruption?

[pscEx]

What good would be achived by getting a NativeEx_Barebone project to not cause this issue (assuming it wouldn't), how does that resolve the issue with my LiveXP caused corruption?

Please do not ask, test and report!
And have a look to the community's rules, especially f2 to f4

Peter

[amalux]

Please do not ask, test and report!
And have a look to the community's rules, especially f2 to f4

Peter

I did exactly as you said and here is the log:
[attachment=3392:log_nxbb102407c1.html]

This project, from this server, with these options did not cause the IE corruption caused by the project I was asking about so YOU WON!!!!

Thank you again Peter for all your wonderful help and advice (and time!) Of course I don't believe for a second that I'm smarter than you (or anyone else here, the thought never crossed my mind!) I deeply appreciate all you do to support and uplift this forum and those of us that come to learn from the masters. I've been told that I have a strange (sardonic?) humor that doesn't translate well through text, emails etc. (I also suffer from a personality that has been described as 'intense') add to this the fact that I've only had a few hours sleep the last couple days (my two year old is, well, two years old!) I appologize if anything I said was not respectful, that was not my intention as I respect you greatly.

Hopefully there's no hard feelings, certainly none on my end. Take care my friend.

[pscEx]

I did exactly as you said and here is the log:
[attachment=3392:log_nxbb102407c1.html]

This project, from this server, with these options did not cause the IE corruption caused by the project I was asking about so YOU WON!!!!

Thank you again Peter for all your wonderful help and advice (and time!) Of course I don't believe for a second that I'm smarter than you (or anyone else here, the thought never crossed my mind!) I deeply appreciate all you do to support and uplift this forum and those of us that come to learn from the masters. I've been told that I have a strange (sardonic?) humor that doesn't translate well through text, emails etc. (I also suffer from a personality that has been described as 'intense') add to this the fact that I've only had a few hours sleep the last couple days (my two year old is, well, two years old!) I appologize if anything I said was not respectful, that was not my intention as I respect you greatly.

Hopefully there's no hard feelings, certainly none on my end. Take care my friend.

Don't worry, I'm not angry.
I only wanted to explain the way how to work in order to have (hopefully) success.

BTW: There seem to be some issues with your internet connection.
The log shows 1 corrersponging error.
The second error is an error which cannot exist because the section is really in that file.
Can you post !CheckTools.Script?

But in this case both errors are unimportant, because the files seem to be on your system
(otherwise you would get hundreds of errors)

Now to our start issue:
Looks like one of your scripts causes the issue:

You have to do a lot of work to find the bad boy:

Start with a minimum configuration, comparable with nativeEx_barebone.

Then add scripts step by step, until the error occurs again.

That can need some time. But I think that you do not need to create ISO and run in emulator.

Peter

[pscEx]

Hi amalux!

No result until now about your bad_boy.script?

I do not know whether you are a 'standard' user or a programmer.

In case you are a programmer forget my following description and close this.

There is a 'binary search' method which can be used here, too.
Let me explain:

Imagine you have 100 scripts to check.
Using the 'step by step' method you

• add script #1
  • build the project: bad boy not found
• add script #2
  • ...
• add script #98
  • bad boy found!

Inspite of the success you have, you are worried about the time spent.

There is a different way:

• add script #1 to #50; build the project:
  • If bad boy found: try script #1 to 25
  • etc ...
• If bad boy not found: Try script 51 to 100
  • etc ...

This method will bring your builds down to a number below 6 or 7 (depends on how good you check)

Peter

[amalux]

Hi amalux!

No result until now about your bad_boy.script?

I do not know whether you are a 'standard' user or a programmer.

In case you are a programmer forget my following description and close this.

There is a 'binary search' method which can be used here, too.
Let me explain:

Imagine you have 100 scripts to check.
Using the 'step by step' method you

• add script #1
  • build the project: bad boy not found
• add script #2
  • ...
• add script #98
  • bad boy found!

Inspite of the success you have, you are worried about the time spent.

There is a different way:

• add script #1 to #50; build the project:
  • If bad boy found: try script #1 to 25
  • etc ...
• If bad boy not found: Try script 51 to 100
  • etc ...

This method will bring your builds down to a number below 6 or 7 (depends on how good you check)

Peter

Hi Peter!

I'm glad you're not upset!

I'm using a 'back door' fix for now; using Advanced Registry Tracer, I've isolated the changes made and setup an auto restore at boot. It's a lazy mans fix but it works and it allows me to finally save the log from the actual test! I'll include the log but don't feel you have to spend any more time on it! I'm happy with this solution. Thanks buddy!

Log from actual LiveXP minimum build test which causes this IE bug:[attachment=3402:log_lxmtest.html]

[pscEx]

Hi Peter!

I'm glad you're not upset!

I'm using a 'back door' fix for now; using Advanced Registry Tracer, I've isolated the changes made and setup an auto restore at boot. It's a lazy mans fix but it works and it allows me to finally save the log from the actual test! I'll include the log but don't feel you have to spend any more time on it! I'm happy with this solution. Thanks buddy!

Log from actual LiveXP minimum build test which causes this IE bug:[attachment=3402:log_lxmtest.html]

Hi Amalux!

Nice that it is working for you now.

But I'm not satisfied.
If you look into my 'generals' at the bottom of my post, that's only a selection of my most important rules.

There is another one not mentioned:

I do not like if everything is working well, and nobody knows, why.

Therefore, if you agree, and have the time, let's find what's going wrong with your project.
That's surely will bring some benefits for the whole WinBuilder project.

Peter

BTW:
If you do not want to spend any more time on this -I could understand-: Is it possible, to zip your complete project and e-mail me?
I do not know your bandwith, so some MB already may become a problem.