The above message appear when I try to run GOTD Setup.exe in my computer for two products including today GOTD. Any help?
I'm running windows xp sp2, other GOTD working fine before this.
"Failed to connect. Please try again later." Error message.
(82 posts) (10 voices)-
Hi, sometimes it helps to delete the GOTD cookies and clear the caches.
And please check, that IE is set to online, even when you are using another browser.I don't know if the webmaster is working in the background, that could also result in some glitches with the site.
I had some minor problems too in the last few days.Posted 9 years ago # -
ChrisS
AdministratorThe setup process uses the IE engine to connect to the GOTD server and then activate the software. If the IE engine can't connect to the server then you get your reported error. Graylox gave you the most common solution to the problem, IE being set to "work offline" but, sadly, that didn't work.
It could be a problem with your security programs. Your firewall, or other security software, may have decided to quit allowing setup.exe from connecting to the internet, which would give you the reported error. You may need to grant an exclusion for setup.exe or temporarily disable the security software.
It could also be a problem with IE. Locate and run the option to "reset IE to default settings" and empty the temporary internet files.
It might also be that you're using all of your available bandwidth so IE can't connect or it may be that you really do need to "try again later" because somewhere between you and the GOTD server somebody is using all of the bandwidth.
Also, you really should upgrade to SP3. I'm not saying that will fix your problem but most security software assumes the installation of SP3 (those that will still run on XP anyway). Backup your system first, I don't think you can uninstall the update.
Posted 9 years ago # -
semo
MemberI started having this same problem just this past weekend (April 5th)can't activate progs from either GOTD or gamesGOTD. Says "Failed to connect - Please try again later". I also have WinXP SP/2 and IE8. I deleted IE cache and cookies several times, reset to defaults, disabled firewall and antivirus, even rebooted to Safe Mode and tried installing with no luck. Odd thing is, I have an icon that indicates data is transferred via my connection during the attempted activation, but it still fails.
Posted 9 years ago # -
ChrisS
AdministratorAssuming that IE will load a webpage, try this:
Download and install TCPEye V1.0
Close all browsers.
Start TCPEye and you'll get a list of open ports. Is there any data transmission?
Open Explorer and navigate to the current Setup.exe or Activate.exe download and run the program. You should see a new port open in TCPEye to the GOTD server. If you don't see a new port opened then something is preventing the IE engine from running. If you do see a new port opened then you should see some data transmission.Since you and the prior poster both are running XP SP2 I have to wonder if it's related to SP2. Any reason you can't upgrade to SP3?
Posted 9 years ago # -
mikiem2
ModeratorSince you and the prior poster both are running XP SP2 I have to wonder if it's related to SP2. Any reason you can't upgrade to SP3?
I wonder if it might be a case Chris where the process just won't work on XP SP2 anymore?
NOT making any judgements, AFAIK it's pretty rare outside some countries where there's a fear SP3 would require re-activation. Software updates happen all the time at every level & they are not tested with XP SP2 to see if everything works.
One example, they recently found that it was possible to exploit the way a browser connection could downgrade security, based on an old standard that it seems was forgotten was still there in the code. Everything's getting patched to prevent that. Maybe the version of ie in these old copies of XP SP2 can't handle the server software updates?
Posted 9 years ago # -
ChrisS
AdministratorMikiem, good to read your posts again.
I do wonder whether it's an SP2 issue. Microsoft doesn't support XP and any software than runs on XP that was created after 2008 will assume SP3 is present but it might still run on SP2. It may well be that a prior GOTD offer "broke" the system by installing some files that require SP3.
I know people have reasons for not upgrading to SP3 but SP2 came out in 2004 and it's a bit unrealistic to expect current software to run trouble-free... and SP3 fixed a lot of problems in SP2.
Posted 9 years ago # -
semo
MemberI installed and ran TCPEye, then I ran a GOTD installer. After the Failed to Connect error and I clicked to close the window, TCPEye showed Setup.exe and TIME_WAIT in red in the State column. I should say.. I haven't used IE for years, because I had problems with it (I use Firefox). After the Failed to Connect errors, I launched IE and it was stuck on trying to load my GOTD homepage. It worked on other websites, just not GOTD. I cleared the cache and reset IE to defaults, now it loads GOTD pages fine, but I still get the error trying to activate. Thing is.. it worked the weekend before to install the games, but suddenly stopped working and as I said I hadn't even used the IE browser in the mean time.
Posted 9 years ago # -
ChrisS
AdministratorOther potential IE fixes are:
- It could be a corrupted cookie. Since you don't use IE, I'd delete all cookies: (Tools | Internet Options | General), clear "Preserve Favorite Website Data", check "Cookies", and click Delete. You can click (Setting | View files) and then delete just the GOTD cookies if desired.
- Reset zone to defaults (Tools | Internet Options | Security)
- See what, if anything, is listed in the Restricted Sites (Tools | Internet Options | Security | Restricted Sites) and clear as needed.
- Open a command prompt and enter "netsh winsock reset"
- Disable the add-ons (Tools | Internet Options | Manage Add-ons) but I doubt that the add-ons load when you're just running the engine.If all else fails, backup your system and try one or more of the following:
- reinstall IE8
- uninstall the last GOTD program you installed
- do a system restore to a point before your problem started
- restore a backup from when the PC worked (copying any incremental data off first)
- install SP3Posted 9 years ago # -
semo
MemberI had already deleted all the cookies unchecking to preserve some. Resetting the Security zones to default didn't help. I have over a thousand addresses in Restricted Sites placed there by Spyware Blaster, but I haven't run the prog and no new sites have been added for a long time. Reset Winsock didn't fix it. Had already disabled all the add-ons. This is an old computer with A LOT of software including AOL Desktop which I also never use. I think AOL uses the IE core, too. But I ran it and it seems to be working right. As for some other program blocking the GOTD installer, I tried activation in Safe Mode with Networking. Thank you I'm still looking for clues.. anything short of those drastic steps. I have a lot to lose on here. Too much to risk for one process with one website. There has to be a singular cause and one that changed recently.
Question: I show 22 packets of data sent and 35 packets received during the activation attempt, is that enough data for activation?Posted 9 years ago # -
ChrisS
AdministratorI have a lot to lose on here.
Yeah, and you're going to lose it. It's inevitable because at some point you'll have an unrecoverable hardware failure (assuming, of course, that you don't have a stockpile of identical old PCs in a storage unit). If your hard drive fails then you can replace it and restore from backup; if your motherboard fails then you're SOL because your hard drive won't boot in another PC with significantly different hardware. You might be able to mount a backup as a VM but you have to make plans before your PC fails. If you've got software that you absolutely must have and cannot reinstall then you need to immediately investigate running your PC as a VM on a modern OS. If it's just data then it's no big deal.There has to be a singular cause and one that changed recently.
And there probably is. One big problem is that you're using an obsolete version of an obsolete operating system. I still have a copy of XP running on a PC, and in a couple of VMs, but I use SP3. If you want to keep using SP2 then you should cease installing programs and uninstall the programs that you don't use. Something obviously changed in the past few days but whether that's from a new program you installed or one of the programs that you don't use updating itself is unknown.Question: I show 22 packets of data sent and 35 packets received during the activation attempt, is that enough data for activation?
I don't know.I really think your best bet is making a backup and then installing SP3. You may be trying to fix a problem that SP3 already fixed.
As a shot in the dark you could do a search on "how to repair netframe" and find a guide that reflects what versions of netframe you have installed or that relates to XP SP2.
Posted 9 years ago # -
mikiem2
ModeratorI'd 2nd what Chris has posted, adding that I've done quite a bit trying to keep my copy of XP Pro SP3 alive on current hardware, & ultimately I failed. Current hardware is by & large just too incompatible -- the features that allow it to support win8.1 [& soon 10], just don't work with XP, & they're not going to design & manufacture hardware just for XP. I did see an exception -- some did apparently get XP to work on some Asus motherboards using a special bios, but whether the expense & effort were ever worth it to you is of course up to you. http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?288988-ASUS-Z97-Motherboards-Official-Support-Thread/page7
VMs [Virtual Machines] pose their own challenges... XP will run in a VM, especially the XP Mode version that Microsoft modified just for VMs. The problem I had, & I'd fear you would have as well, is all the old updates & drivers & such that my copy of XP Pro had accumulated over the years. It would [will] run in a VM, but terribly. I spent weeks actually, removing all the old stuff, trying to get performance to reach the lower end of the acceptable range, & what I found is that by the time I reached that goal, I'd removed so much that the exercise was pointless. Better to add what I absolutely needed to a new XP VM, moving what I could to a minimal copy of win7 [minimal as in no other software, because the XP migrated apps were so often incompatible with my other, current software].
That said, I feel I need to add a note to emphasize the level of performance issues that I had with my old copy of XP Pro in a VM... Corporate IT runs VMs on special server software hosts, so the majority of hardware resources are available to those VMs. We run a VM host in Windows, so after all the resources that Windows takes or uses, plus that used by the VM host software, the actual VM gets *some* of what's left. I'm running fairly expensive consumer gear -- a mid-range Assus Z97 board with an i7-4790K -- & the poor performance I experienced would only be multiplied on lesser hardware.
So, to anyone running XP, my general advice would first off be, prepare yourself because your PC's or laptop's days are numbered. Its electronics have a finite life span. Components like hard drives & the fan for the CPU cooler will fail, if they aren't already failing -- finding replacements could be challenging, e.g. an IDE drive if that's what you have. More commoditized components, like the power supply [which has likely been showing its age for years now], won't be as big a problem, but it might be money better spent on a newer system, as you can only look forward to more component failures. And once the motherboard, or RAM, or CPU goes, you'll pay top dollar for a likely used replacement if you decide to keep your old system running.
So, I'd suggest start preparing yourself now... If there's hardware that will only run in XP [say a scanner], research if it will run in a new XP VM, or look for a replacement. If there's software you depend on, if it only runs in XP, find your install files & keys so you can add it to a VM, &/or look for a replacement now, even if that means something that runs on Android because you can't afford another PC/laptop. In the latter case, if you foresee having to move to a cheap tablet, pay attention to the version of Android whatever app requires -- many tablets on sale come with older versions, & it's not something you'd generally upgrade yourself, e.g. like you might install a newer version of Windows.
Now, all that said, it ***might*** be worthwhile for some folks, particularly those running older hardware, to look at running win10 from a USB device. Microsoft is focusing heavily towards an OS that runs on anything & everything, e.g. even on Android hardware, & win10 will run fine from a USB device, though it's obviously going to be a bit slow if it's not using USB 3.0. All it costs to find out if it will run or not is your time to try it. And running win10 from a USB device is like booting to any bootable media, leaving your hard drive(s) untouched so there's zero risk to what you've already got [unless you download malware].
While you can probably come up with all sorts of useful scenarios for having a copy of Windows on a USB device, in this case [with GOTD downloads not working], if it runs on your hardware, problem solved. Recognizing that it might/might not work, if it does, the time it takes could be loads less than troubleshooting, & *maybe* fixing an existing problem in Windows. In my experience it would take less time [trying] installing win10 than it would to add SP3 to XP.
AN alternative for some folks might be running win10 from a VHD [Virtual Hard Drive]. It's not as good as running from a USB device because 1) you can't update it in a VHD, & 2) it requires more work to set it up, but if you don't have a USB device to run it on, &/or want more drive speed, &/or don't want to fool with having an empty partition on your hdd, it does work. What I've done, & this is not the best method, is used the Windows to go tool in AOMEI's partition software to extract the files from the install wim to a USB stick, done a disk image backup of that stick, & restored it to a VHD. EasyBCD handled adding it to the boot menu. And while that would be possible on an XP system, it's more work yet, as you'd have to add drivers to enable VHD drives to set it up, then add the win7 type boot loader with Easy BCD.
[Note: ignore the name of the AOMEI Windows To Go tool -- you get the files/folders Windows needs to start initially, so that it can add the required drivers & such for your hardware. Once you've finished setting it up, you do not have a copy of Windows that will run on any hardware.]
Some hardware compatibility info
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/preview-faq-system-requirements-pcPosted 9 years ago # -
emperor
MemberI have just encountered the same problem with the "unable to connect" message. I am using windows 7 home premium, not windows XP. I could not install yesterday's program from Leawo and I thought that might be a one-off. However I could not install today's game either. I use the free version of Online Armor and noticed that it was using a lot of CPU capacity when trying to install these programs. As a test I turned it off - I missed yesterday's program but today's game is now installed.
I don't recall making any settings changes in Online Armor but I might have done so unintentionally, or a recent update might have changed something. So, for those with this problem of not being able to connect, it could be a firewall issue.Posted 9 years ago # -
mikiem2
ModeratorI normally install all software, including the GOTD offers, in one of my VMs [Virtual Machines] first. There I have Microsoft Security Essentials beta or consumer preview installed, or in the case of XP Pro, AVG free version [because MSE nags nowadays about running XP]. SO far, knock wood, haven't had problems. With BitDefender Total Security on my regular Windows 7 [& 10] install, it seems to usually work, but not always. There are quite a few posts in other threads about Kaspersky blocking GOTD offers, but fresh installs of Kaspersky in a couple of win7 VMs [as trial] did not show any problems. That backs up Chris' theory that incremental changes made over time as Kaspersky is updated are responsible.
So long story short, guess it's just one of those things we have to deal with from time to time. Thanks for posting the info on Online Armor -- perhaps your finding will help someone else out in the future?
Posted 9 years ago # -
semo
MemberI got the "Failed to Connect" error even trying to install in Safe Mode so other prog could be blocking it. I turned off Windows Firewall and disabled AVG Antivirus as well to no effect. I thought it must be related to IE-8 unable to load my GOTD homepage, but resetting IE to defaults and deleting the cache and cookies seems to have fixed that. As I am having no other problems currently, it must be something specific to the GOTD installation/activation process. My connection looks like the Setup calls GOTD.. a few packets of data go out and a few packets come back, but they don't answer. I wish they would have some other way to activate/verify the date.. something I could at least fix or work around.
Posted 9 years ago # -
ChrisS
Administratora) You may simply need to "try again later". It looks like you're talking to the server but it might not be a good enough connection. If you reboot to try the install then it's likely a bunch of application are "phoning home" and may be using all of your bandwidth. Use a network monitor to make sure that you have a lull before attempting the setup routine (odds are, you've already done that). Or, if you typically try at a certain time then try at a different time. Your bandwidth may be fine but the server may actually be busy.
b) Try opening IE (or even AOL) before running setup. Maybe having the browser open will "kick start" the IE engine. I'd say the odds of this working are close to zero but I've got nothing else.
Why the aversion to installing XP SP3? I recall some furor when it was released but don't recall the specifics. If your hardware will run SP2 then it will run SP3. FWIW, I've got a hunch that you've got something out-of-sync by installing "XP compatible" software. "XP compatible" really means "XP SP3" or, in some cases, "XP SP3 with these updates to netframe". XP was Microsoft's most successful OS for a reason - it worked. But you should exercise great care if you install software that was released or updated after its EOL. Installing software that was contemporaneous with XP is fine, relying on backward compatibility is iffy.
FYI - take a read of something Mikiem wrote yesterday in Leawo's & Other Video Converters
Otherwise, as a quick reminder, it's same ol' - same ol'... As it often does, the install routine added an old copy of the C/C++ runtimes [that will need updated via Microsoft Update]
You can't connect to the XP Update server because it's dead. If sloppy programming installs something bad it won't get fixed until you manually fix it. Backups are your friend and the more friends you have the better.Posted 9 years ago # -
mikiem2
ModeratorFWIW I've just installed the GOTD game in my XP Mode VM, running AVG Free, & everything worked fine as usual. The problem IS NOT XP. My XP Mode VM is a copy of XP Pro SP3, & I've added the hack so it reports it's POS & continues to receive some Windows updates. http://www.neowin.net/news/reports-claim-windows-xp-can-be-updated-via-registry-hack
My XP Mode VM doesn't have the same software installed as your copy of XP semo, so that might be making a difference. It has SP3, which definitely does make a big difference. One or more of the POS updates since XP support ended *may* make a difference.
SO if you're having problems in XP SP2, backup, add SP3, if it's still a problem, backup, add the POS hack & get whatever Windows updates you can. If you've got a good backup you can restore, the only risk is the time involved.
In several places on their site Microsoft recommends a Windows re-install to clear out the accumulated garbage. Anyone wanting to go that route can use a XP SP3 setup disc or ISO, if they have or can find one. If you can only get your hands on the disc/ISO with XP, SP1, SP2 etc., there are plenty of directions on-line to slipstream SP3, which is basically adding it to the setup files you've already got.
There is a possibility that the XP Mode copy of XP Pro that Microsoft released is different than what you got on Disk if you bought XP Pro SP3. OTOH it may be the only copy of XP Pro you can get your hands on -- I haven't looked so no idea myself. XP Mode is freely downloadable from microsoft.com, there are plenty of directions on-line re: how to extract just the .vhd [Virtual Hard Drive], you can add the .VHD capability to XP if you need to, the VHD has the setup files to finish a XP Pro installation, so it's just more-or-less a matter of duplicating that virtual hard drive to a physical one, & it should work just as well with real as it does with virtual hardware, e.g. people use that VHD in VMWare or VBox, so it's not tied to Win7's Virtual PC. However unless you're running win7's Virtual PC in certain versions of win7, you will have to provide a key & activate it. [If you don't have a key, look at the win7 trial or the win10 preview. Google for details.]
Posted 9 years ago # -
semo
MemberIt's so frustrating that I can access the GOTD website with any of 3 different web browsers, but the program installers can't do a simple thing like check/verify the date. I'm sorry, but it's silly to require Internet Explorer in good working order to install a program. Mine hasn't worked to suit me for years, that's why I use Firefox.
Posted 9 years ago # -
ChrisS
AdministratorI'm sorry, but it's silly to require Internet Explorer in good working order to install a program.
The IE engine is included with every copy of Windows. Using it is by far the most efficient means of validation. I suppose GOTD could require you to have the latest version of Chrome installed, and maybe get some Google cash along the way, but you'd still be out of luck with your obsolete OS.Backup your system and set a restore point then:
Run the System File Checker (enter "sfc /scannow" in a run box)
Use the Fix IE Utility
Re-install IE8 for Windows XP (export/save favorites and cookies first)Posted 9 years ago # -
semo
MemberI ran the Fix IE Utility and IE seems to run smoother, but sadly I still get the "Failed to connect - Please try again later" error. I installed last Sunday's game on my laptop with Win7, copied the game to my desktop with the big 27" monitor via a flash drive, and it plays fine. So the problem would seem to be with the security wrapper.. the useless security wrapper, since the installed game can be copied so freely. I know most progs can't be copied so easily, but it indicates it was the wrapper that changed and not some fault with my computer. I just wish they had said 'our wrapper is changing and may no longer work on your system'. It could save me and others from trashing our old computers trying to fix something we have no control over.
Posted 9 years ago # -
ChrisS
AdministratorHelp me understand how being able to successfully activate a program on your Win7 computer is diagnostically significant for the problem with your WinXP SP2 machine? The same reasoning would apply to not being able to activate on Linux, Win98, a Mac or my car radio (Hey! Who changed the stations?).
since the installed game can be copied so freely... it indicates it was the wrapper that changed and not some fault with my computer
If you read the installation notes from the game giveaway you'll find that most games simply unzip to a folder, there is no installation. The activation process simply allows the file to unzip. The process worked the way it was supposed to on a system that was functioning correctly.It could save me and others from trashing our old computers trying to fix something we have no control over.
It's a personal computer. Unless it's part of Skynet then you control what's on it. It's been your choice to not reinstall IE8, it's been your choice to not update to the latest version of your OS (SP3).Posted 9 years ago # -
mikiem2
ModeratorIf I might, I'd like to add another perspective...
Forget whatever PR, propaganda, & hype governments & businesses put out there, mal-ware is used to make it's owners or masters billions of dollars annually. Your bank & your grocery store & the places where you buy your clothes all charge you more because of those losses. Someday someone might pull the trigger & some portion of some country's infrastructure will fail -- likely some will die because of it.
And so-called cyber crime, criminals, & warfare all make use of millions of compromised PCs/laptops. With smart watches & the Internet of Things it's only getting worse, as security concerns are not often included when those things are designed.
Sounds bleak, doesn't it? But what can an ordinary person do?
One rather simple thing we can do is to not ignore stuff. Don't be the kind of person who ignores it when they see someone in trouble [being beaten, mugged, hit by a car, whatever] -- at least call for help. And when it comes to cyber crime, or spying or warfare, do your part to not take part. Keep anything that connects on-line up to date & secure. If you see someone not doing that, call them on it -- see them the same way you see a drunk driver swerving all over the road when you're in the car with your friends or family, with your kids.
In few words, behave responsibly & expect that of others. You get upset if the neighbors keep you up all night with a noisy party -- it's all right to get just as upset if their devices are hosting all sorts of mal-ware. After all, the most the sleepless night will cost you is poor performance the next day -- that mal-ware could contribute to costing you thousands of dollars over the next year!
Sure it might only be one small part, one or two, maybe three PCs out of thousands making up a botnet, but if no one cares, it's only going to get worse -- if everyone cares, it will make a difference. Besides, the alternative is to let the big companies & the governments take complete charge as it does get worse, & then the costs can become near unbearable. There are people who'd like nothing more than a say in whatever you read, write, or do on-line, & they'll tax you to pay for it.
"It could save me and others from trashing our old computers trying to fix something we have no control over. "
From the perspective of collective responsibility, where we each need to do our part -- and as politely as possible -- How Dare You!
"I installed last Sunday's game on my laptop with Win7, copied the game to my desktop with the big 27" monitor via a flash drive, and it plays fine."
So for everyone's protection, including your own, e.g. with the win7 laptop, why not just unplug, cut the network connection to the mal-ware magnet? After all it's purposely unsecure.
If/when the only hardware you can possibly have access to won't run anything newer than XP, If *nix won't work for you, at least keep it as secure as possible. Most everyone can & would accept doing what you can with the resources available. Purposely keeping a PC unsecure for apparently no reason is something else, another matter entirely.
Posted 9 years ago # -
semo
MemberThank you for your feedback. I didn't mean to claim the ability to copy the game proved the security wrapper was at fault.. merely unnecessary. My complaint or question is.. what changed? I made no changes I am aware of to my system between the time the installers worked and they stopped working. I even repaired things that had apparently been broken for a long time to no effect. If I could or thought I could modernize my system and fix this problem, I would. I'm hoping to find one simple thing that changed and correct it. My fear is there have been no changes at my end.. that the security wrapper has been changed....and that's what I meant I have no control over. Bottom line, if the System Requrements say and the programs work on WinXP, they should certainly install/activate.
Posted 9 years ago # -
semo
MemberJust to point out, I didn't refuse to reinstall IE-8, I just ran the FixIE Utility first. I have since reinstalled IE-8, but still get the Failed to Connect error. One odd thing, right after the error started, IE was stuck trying to load the GOTD homepage, even though Google was set as my own homepage. After clearing things up where GOTD would load, I navigated to Google and reset it as my homepage. That held, until I reinstalled IE-8. Now it opens the GOTD homepage whenever IE is launched, again. Thought it might be related to the error. The command for IE to open GOTD must have come from somewhere.. and came back.
Posted 9 years ago # -
ChrisS
AdministratorThe wrapper changed to the current format in August 2012. If you restored a backup from 2013 a current giveaway that is XP Compatible might install. I say might because XP Compatible means SP3 is installed. Windows XP SP2 is not a Windows XP compatible system.
So, if the wrapper hasn't changed then what has? Well, you've installed programs and you've updated existing programs (or they've updated themselves) and nothing that you've installed or updated since 2008 is truly compatible since you're still running SP2. Look at the "failure to connect" as a harbinger of things to come. My best guess is that something you installed/updated recently added files that are not compatible and that you can likely fix that issue by installing SP3 (and maybe netframe 3.5 if it's not included in SP3).
But, as Mikiem points out, your PC is a malware magnet. SP3 plugged a number of SP2 security holes, which are still open on your system, many of the Security Updates since SP3 was released in 2008 may not have been installed since you're on SP2, and you haven't installed any Security Updates since April 2014 because the XP Update Server is unreachable unless you used the registry hack that Mikiem mentioned above.
I wouldn't be at all surprised to find that your anti-virus doesn't actually work despite any indications that it does. Consequently, you should download one of these "15 Free Bootable Antivirus Tools" and burn a CD using a different computer.
Lastly, you really should quit installing programs on this PC even if you update to SP3. If all you need is a low level PC then you can buy a refurbished Win7 PC for $80 and turn this PC into a PVR. It's would make a great PVR.
Posted 9 years ago # -
semo
MemberThank you for your advice. I'm not ignoring it, but I'd still like to find the exact cause of this problem and fix it if I can. We've narrowed it down to how the installers are trying to connect to the GOTD server for validation. Some thing or method not used by anything else.. that I can tell. Something that doesn't record an error in the Event Viewer. Something that remains, even in Safe mode. And something that changed. It could well have been caused by some other old program no longer able update, but attempting to. It could be a dll file or some such that was changed or corrupted, but something not needed for normal browsing or prog installations. Problem with a wide fix is it's more likely to cause other problems fixed in the past to reappear. You keep suggesting wider fixes, but I'm focussed on narrowing it down some more.
Posted 9 years ago # -
ChrisS
AdministratorI can appreciate the desire, and would likely do the same were it my PC... at least for a short time. The process can be a very tedious and it's why I keep a lot of backups.
The problem is that you have to identify the last GOTD program installed and also identify any programs installed or changes made after that date. So, add the column "date created" to Windows Explorer and sort the folders in "Program Files" to locate the last installed GOTD program. You know your system worked before that program was installed, otherwise it could not have been installed. So that program, or something installed or changed after that date (identified via the "date modified" column) is the source of your trouble.
Looking at the last few weeks of GOTD offers, I see a couple that might pose specific problems:
Game Swift (3/27/15) and Tweakbit PCSpeedUp (3/17/15) -> both make system changes that may not be particularly useful. If you installed either, resetting the system to normal, or undoing the changes, might fix the problem.In addition, the video convertors put their tentacles deep into your system. Uninstalling them might put your system back to normal.
It really depends on what you last installed and what you did after that installation. You may also need to investigate the folders under C:\Windows for changes.
Posted 9 years ago # -
mikiem2
ModeratorFWIW...
I've come across problems when/where I knew what changed beforehand -- in that situation I either reversed those changes, or figured out what went wrong & fixed it, or found that it wasn't fixable, & I either stopped using whatever, or put up with it until newer software came out -- that last I've seen most often with graphics drivers, e.g. the current AMD beta I'm running.
I've also come across problems where the cause wasn't so clear cut. The way I normally fix them is to A) find out what's supposed to happen, & B) figure out what's not happening & why.
Applied to a the problem of GOTD not working with XP SP2, I'd see if it worked in a pristine XP SP2 VM. Why? Because I still have the idea floating around in the back of my mind that XP SP2 may no longer be as usable across all the sites on the Internet. They found vulnerabilities across web servers & browsers where they could be forced to downgrade their secure connection. They also find a few other vulnerabilities that also meant new code had to be written. Compatibility with XP SP2 & its version of ie Were Not a concern when they (re) wrote that newer code -- in fact Microsoft has been strongly urging everyone to completely disregard compatibility with old browsers like that. IOW it could be the Internet that changed, or rather some of the servers.
At any rate, that would tell me step one whether it was possible or not -- whether something broke or not. If it worked, Next I'd start adding software to the VM, as well as comparing files & file versions, starting with System32 & Windows folders [WinDiff would work]. I'd also do some comparisons with the registries. Sooner or later I'd find it -- I always have in the past -- but it's a bit of drudge work.
I'm not suggesting that that's the best way to fix a problem -- I'm not saying anyone should do it that way -- it's just the way I've fixed stuff that was I think more involved &/or complicated. Sometimes the answer wasn't pretty, but a fresh Windows install. As with trying to get XP Pro SP3 running on this rig, I could beat my head against the wall all day long, each & every day for a week or two, but it simply wasn't going to happen. I've had Windows break where a fix just wasn't going to happen.
Posted 9 years ago # -
ChrisS
AdministratorSpeaking of monitoring changes, I've had Mikiem's comment about C++ libraries nagging me. Setup.exe is probably passing C++ commands asking for a date check, so what if it's just something wrong with the C++ libraries? You can find links to download your installed libraries in this post.
Posted 9 years ago #
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