Author Topic: I just cant stop loving Windows XP Pro  (Read 810 times)

anphanax

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I just cant stop loving Windows XP Pro
« on: 5 November 2003, 06:48 »
This is really funny. I noticed one day (recently), that Windows has once again screwed up and in the process, annoyed the hell out of me.

I was trying to use the right-click menus in aim and Windows Help kept coming up. I assumed it was an AIM problem and did a bug report. Today I ran Borland C++ 4.5 (16-Bit App), and I couldn't use any of the menus without WinHelp popping up. I was able to fix it by Renaming WinHelp.exe and Hh.exe (and of course clicking cancel on those annoying Windows File Protection dialogs). Well, my problem with AIM lies /w WinHlp32.exe. The problem is I CAN'T GET RID OF IT. WINDOWS WONT LET ME DELETE IT AND KEEPS PUTTING IT BACK. I AM NOT GOING TO HEX SOME DLLS AND KILL ALL OF THE FILE PROTECTION JUST TO DELETE WINHLP32.EXE. (THAT WOULD BE A FIELD DAY FOR VIRUSES AND TROJANS THAT MODIFY CRITICAL SYSTEM FILES!)

Things i've done:
Ran SpyXX.exe and monitored the messages routed to the effected windows (TONS OF WM_SETCURSOR messages, yet when they help crap comes up, no unnormal messages)
Checked out all my drivers.
Searched online for help.

BTW, did you know you can crash VB6 by typing "DO:LOOP" in the immediate window, and hitting enter. (well it crashes all the time anyways, especially when I have unsaved projects  :D )

Edit: I tried using ALT+F for menus, same WinHelp crap. Even when I use the "SYSTEM MENU", with the RESTORE, MAXIMIZE, ETC COMMANDS, they all bring up help too. I mean it's great that i'm getting so much help, it's just that I don't need it. I would much rather get a SAVE dialog when I click the save entry on the menu, then get a Help entry on how to save files. And finally, I don't have a virus, i've used Windows long enough to know where to look for them. If you're another Windows user, don't humor me in saying that i've made some error, or try and point the blame at something else.

Refalm

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I just cant stop loving Windows XP Pro
« Reply #1 on: 5 November 2003, 15:36 »
So fucking what if you shut down file protection? It's not like a hacker can't crack that anyway, so you might as well shut it off. It's very annoying.

Just remove WinHlp32.exe and shut down the Help service forever. You really don't need it if you're not an idiot.

Oh and btw, use Linux.

xyle_one

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I just cant stop loving Windows XP Pro
« Reply #2 on: 5 November 2003, 23:49 »
I concur. Use Linux.

hm_murdock

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I just cant stop loving Windows XP Pro
« Reply #3 on: 6 November 2003, 00:04 »
Go the fuck ~

Xeen

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I just cant stop loving Windows XP Pro
« Reply #4 on: 6 November 2003, 00:49 »
quote:
Originally posted by Refalm:
So fucking what if you shut down file protection? It's not like a hacker can't crack that anyway, so you might as well shut it off. It's very annoying.


Sorry dude, but it's not that easy. There is no option ANYWHERE and no hidden registry setting to disable file protection (which pisses me off). The only way is to hex a few files.

Calum

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I just cant stop loving Windows XP Pro
« Reply #5 on: 6 November 2003, 02:27 »
get an OS where you can control what's going on.
visit these websites and make yourself happy forever:
It's my music! | My music on MySpace | Integrational Polytheism

Refalm

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I just cant stop loving Windows XP Pro
« Reply #6 on: 6 November 2003, 02:51 »
quote:
xeen: Sorry dude, but it's not that easy. There is no option ANYWHERE and no hidden registry setting to disable file protection (which pisses me off). The only way is to hex a few files.


HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

Change the value in key "SFCDisable" to "FFFFFF9D" to disable and "0" to enable.

anphanax

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I just cant stop loving Windows XP Pro
« Reply #7 on: 6 November 2003, 06:29 »
Refalm, on XP Pro, it requires some DLL switching (as does it on Windows 2000 SP1). And then some simple hex editing (I think) before that registry entry can be changed.

However, i'm not going to        . It's not that i'm lazy, but I want File Protection enabled. I have no idea why WinHlp32.exe is protected so strongly, and hh.exe and winhlp.exe aren't. There is no way i'm going to be disabling file protection though. The last thing I need is for something to overwrite or infect critical operating system components. Whenever you have an opportunity for some security on Windows, TAKE IT.

I found a work-around, so i'm fine now.

EDIT:
Although there is one thing that astounds me. why not just make the file protection unix-style. That way the USER controls what can be deleted and what can't. Microsoft could simply put some default protections in where non-admins don't have delete or modify permissions with the critical operating system components. Seems a lot easier then the "crap" they have implemented now. Keep it simple, and keep it open to change.

[ November 05, 2003: Message edited by: anphanax ]