New Expat Shield problem?

[JohnRoss]

Tried to fire up Expat Shield a couple of days ago, had not been used for a few weeks, and this message came up on the screen: "There is no program associated with this file to perform this action. Create an association in the Set Associations Application in the Control Panel." This is a direct translation as our Windows Vista is a French version. Deleted Expat Shield and downloaded it again but still getting the same message when I click on the launch icon. Any suggestions would be appreciated.....................JR

PS Expat Shield was also installed on the wife's laptop some months ago running Windows 7 and that is still working 

[Gardengirl]

Sorry, no suggestions to make. I've just switched it on, having read your post; it's working fine on our laptop - the only machine we have here; it hadn't been used since the Great Bake-off finished. It does seem odd that you can't download it again, when it's worked before and still working on the other machine.

[JohnRoss]

Well it is strange and I have tried all sorts of things. Various scans with MSE and Spybot produced some slightly nasty things which were got rid of. I think that some of these if not all came from some of the sites I tried to download Expat Shield from and have tried three or four different sites all with the same result and the same message. I even tried deleting another program and reinstalling it to see what would happen and that worked ok. Weird and and have run out of ideas just now!..............................JR

[Clair]

[quote user="JohnRoss"]

Tried to fire up Expat Shield a couple of days ago, had not been used for a few weeks, and this message came up on the screen: "There is no program associated with this file to perform this action. Create an association in the Set Associations Application in the Control Panel." This is a direct translation as our Windows Vista is a French version. Deleted Expat Shield and downloaded it again but still getting the same message when I click on the launch icon. Any suggestions would be appreciated.....................JR

PS Expat Shield was also installed on the wife's laptop some months ago running Windows 7 and that is still working 

[/quote]

As far as I can tell from the message, Windows is telling you it does not know how to open the program and it's asking for you to tell it what to use, by creating a file association (if users clicks on this, Windows does that.)

As you have a computer where the program works, you simply need to look into the file association (via the control panel) and recreate the association on your computer.

[Quillan]

Firstly there are known issues with removing Expat Shield cleanly but there is a solution to ensure it is removed completely for which I have provided a link below.

http://www.removetips.com/uninstall-expat-shield-the-simplest-way-expat-shield-removal-help/

The next thing is installation. If you still have problems then download but do not run the Expat Shield installer. Once it is downloaded and using Windows Explorer locate the file DM-232 (which is the latest version), right click on it and select 'Copy'. Now close all your applications so you are back to your desktop and paste the program there. I should explain that you have copied the actual program on to your desktop and not created a link. Now right click on the program and you should get a list, the second item down is 'Run as administrator', click on this and follow the instructions on the screen as normal.

By forcing it to install in administrator mode you should overcome any access problems with the file system.

Good luck

[JohnRoss]

Problems with removetips suggestion as regedit (register editor) will not work and gives a message that either the file is not designed for Windows or that there is an error in Windows. DM-232 when copied to desktop and launched brings up a malware called System Progressive Protection which I assume was attached to the DM-232 download! This virus tries to convince you that your computer is crawling with viruses and if you pay them money it will be sorted. See info here http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/virus-removal/remove-system-progressive-protection. I have tried to delete this malware but time will tell if I have been successful as it is said that it keeps coming back! I will abandon downloading Expat Shield for now and have another look again later. Must make sure this latest nasty is cleared first!......................JR

[Quillan]

A couple of things having reread the thread again.

You said "came from some of the sites I tried to download Expat Shield", there is only one site from which you should download it from to ensure you get the right copy and that is http://www.expatshield.com you should use no other website.

I believe it is one of the websites that you downloaded from that has added this malware to your machine.

I see you are running Vista, contrary to what some may say Vista is now a stable product. I also know for a fact that Regedit comes with Vista as standard (I use it myself). You normally access it via the Start Button, Accessories and DOS prompt then simply type Regedit and hit return. Some Malware deletes Regedit because it knows that is what is required to get rid of it. If your the computer is running Windows XP or Vista you can copy the program (it is only one file) and put it on your computer. You can find it on your C drive in the Windows directory.

Don't kick your self, your not the only one and even some of us more computer literate have been caught out by this type of thing over the years.

The other thing you may wish to think about is the date you last had Expat Shield working on your machine because you may need to 'roll back' your computer by doing a System Restore which I hope will go back to that date.

One last thing, Windows Vista comes with Windows Defender as standard. You should check that is is running. You can do this by opening the Control Panel and clicking on Windows Security Panel, look down the left side of the window and click on Windows Defender (has a picture of a castle next to it. If it is not running then enable it in the pop-up screen that will come up.

Some anti spy-ware programs are scams in themselves, Spyhunter for example is one that gives false errors etc and has some dodgy accountancy practices that taking multiple payments from your account and not giving them back. This is well documented on various websites like PC World etc.

Windows Defender is pretty good but you need to set it to Full Scan in the Tools tab. We had a forum member once who could not speak highly enough of this product and many seemed to agree with him on this issue. One would like to think that as it is a Microsoft product running under their operating system they know what they are doing and what to look for.

[JohnRoss]

Hi again and sadly Windows Defender is shown as inactive. Attempts to activate it fail and the computer locks up and needs a reboot! I have restored it as far back as I can go which is six days and the malware is not in evidence at the moment but I thought that I had got rid of it yesterday but there it was on switch on this morning. Regedit still not working. In all other respects the computer seems to function, very odd. Running a full scan just now with the Micosoft on-line safety scanner. There are several sites giving advice on how to get rid of the malware but it is difficult to know who to trust. Some are pushing Spyhunter and Malware Bytes both of which have been suspected as being dodgy in some way by others. Spybot is finding nothing today and nor is Microsoft Security Essentials. I wonder if I can effect a repair of Windows Vista with the disk provided by Dell which came with the computer?...........JR 

[andrew44]

I agree with Clair (see above) - at least before continuing to delve into questions of 'malware' which may very well not exist !

If you click right on the Expatshield icon on your desktop, and then click on Propriétés - raccourci - you can see where the icon is trying to link.

Mine says - "C:\Program Files (x86)\Expat Shield\bin\openvpntray.exe"

If yours says nothing like that, then you have to re-associate it.

Go manually into the folder (dossier), in Windows explorer (ordinateur). Navigate to the root of disk C: where you will see the folders available. Mine is 64 bits so there are two Program Files folders. If yours is 32 bits there may be only one - I don't remember.

From there find the sub-directory Expat Shield\bin and thence the file openvpntray.exe. You should be able to launch the application by double clicking the file.

To re-create the shortcut icon, click right on the file and drag it across to the desktop. When you release the right button, it will ask you (in French) Move here ?, Copy here ?, or Create icon. You can select Create icon, and you will have a pretty blue shield with 'openvpntray' under it. Test this, and if it works, delete the original offending icon, and rename the new one.

This is surely easier to test than following the meanders of supposed alien attacks on your environment !

Maybe some people feel guilty about using Expat Shield to achieve their evil aims of watching BBC and ITV players outside the United Kingdom !

I hope this helps - though it may not solve your problem...

@+

Andrew 44

[JohnRoss]

Thanks for the information and will try when or if I download Expat Shield again. There is little doubt that this machine is or was infected with a virus related to System Progessive Protection. Having run a scan with the on-line available Micorsoft Safety Scanner 6 infected files were found and deleted, MSE did not find these. Four of them Java files and two others one of which looks as though it might have had something to do with the malware I mentioned earlier. Assuming the nasty has gone, time will tell, I now need to find a way to repair Regedit and Windows Defender or any other damaged Windows files. All suggestions will be most welcome and I thank everyone for your help so far....................JR

[Quillan]

It's always very difficult to diagnose these problems remotely even over the phone let alone over a forum.

What concerns me the most is not Expat Shield so much is that you can't activate Windows Defender nor can you access Regedit. Now if I were going to plant something nasty on a computer these are two things I would want to disable along with any AV software or at least 'adapt' the latter so it appears to function correctly. Regedit is 'popular' file to replace with a modified version as it is hardly used so it's a hand place to hid something dodgy that another bit of the malware or virus can run.

There is a good product tested by CNET and came out as the top free anti spyware program in September 2012, I have placed a link below.

http://download.cnet.com/SuperAntiSpyware-Free-Edition/3000-8022_4-10523889.html

If you Google Vista Regedit disabled there are several workarounds but much would depend on your technical knowledge. If all else fails you could be looking at backing up your data on to CD's or DVD's and reinstalling Vista from scratch (after formatting the hard drive). If you go that route, which is rather drastic, make sure the first thing you install is AV software and let it update. You also need to allow Vista to update with all the latest patches before going any further. Also scan the CD's holding your backup before before copying anything back to your PC. Always, and I mean always, install software from the Internet from source such as the link I gave for Expat Shield.

A plus on reinstalling Vista is you might find it runs a whole lot faster.

 

[AnOther]

[quote user="andrew44"]I agree with Clair (see above) - at least before continuing to delve into questions of 'malware' which may very well not exist ![/quote]I think you are missing the point, this is not a file association problem !

Clearly the DM-232 pre-installer JR downloaded was a fake and didn't install ExpatShield at all but some piece of scumware, presumably this 'System Progessive Protection' rubbish.

For the record DM-232 should be 272,072kb in size with a date of 31/10/2011 and when run should produce this (your choice of download folder) and then the second shot when downloading the main programme.

[IMG]http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p123/biskitboyo/eps1.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p123/biskitboyo/eps.jpg[/IMG]

When you run the full programme it should look like this

[IMG]http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p123/biskitboyo/eps2.jpg[/IMG]

[JohnRoss]

Repaired drive C by going to computer, right clicking on C and selecting tools and repair files. Regedit now works and don't get the message coming up now. Ran the software from Microsoft I mentioned earlier and downloaded the Microsoft malicious software tool and that showed nothing nasty. So looks as though the beast has been exterminated but time will tell. Will download Expat Shield from the approved site and try that again and report back. Many thanks for the help and advice folks......JR

 

PS Is there any advantage in allowing the download of the community tool bar. Don't want to clutter up IE?

[Chiefluvvie]

JR - are you absolutely sure you need Expatshield ? - so many people have problems caused by it - notably the slowing down of your system.

Depends on what you need it for - but have you considered overplay.net (about £3/month) and their SmartDNS service - no software, no downloads just a simple preferred DNS address change. Gives access to most streaming services like BBC & ITV Players, Netflix, Lovefilm etc....

Just a thought....

Chiefluvvie

[JohnRoss]

Thanks but don't use it very often so I would not want to pay for something that would not get used much. I have found that the best way to use Expat Shield is to download the programme for a portable, smaller file, and watch it later. I normally keep Expat Shield turned off and have not noticed any slowing down of the computer which is slow anyway as our line connection is not brilliant!.............JR

[JohnRoss]

Ok well Expat Shield downloaded and working now. Windows Defender still

cannot be activated but I don't know if it has ever worked as have never used

it. So more research to be done there! Touche du bois everything else seems ok

just now and I hope that is not tempting fate!...........JR

[NormanH]

[quote user="Chiefluvvie"]JR - are you absolutely sure you need Expatshield ? - so many people have problems caused by it - notably the slowing down of your system.

Depends on what you need it for - but have you considered overplay.net (about £3/month) and their SmartDNS service - no software, no downloads just a simple preferred DNS address change. Gives access to most streaming services like BBC & ITV Players, Netflix, Lovefilm etc....

Just a thought....

Chiefluvvie[/quote]

Excellent tip.

I have previously noted my reservations about Expatshield, but they had become irrelevant since I now use Linux, which being more secure doesn't work with it.

I have been using a VPN service, but this also slows down the connection, and buffering can be annoying if you don't download the programme first.

HOWEVER ...

The SmartDNS service works so well that I can even watch in HD streaming[:D]

Thanks for that [B]

[Chiefluvvie]

Norman I know - it's fab (and cheap!) isn't it ? The Captain on my last trip told me about it - no need for any VPN service or any software (or satellite for that matter) - brilliant!

I've assigned the DNS numbers to my laptop, phone , TV and Humax / Freesat box - dead easy and they all work a treat - and as you say in full HD!

Plus - I now have access to all the UK app stores and VOD providers - a whole new world!!!

Just don't tell the folks on that other forum - looks like they're in a bit of a flap about Astra 2F!

Enjoy!

Chiefluvvie

[JohnRoss]

Just to close this off having run various scans and Wise Registry Cleaner, Expat Shield, Windows Defender etc all working. Only thing I cannot do now is reinstall Microsoft Security Essentials. In all other respects computer working ok and have also downloaded Avast which seems to work ok. Am in conversation with Microsoft about the MSE installation problem and it would seem that many who have deleted MSE and tried to reload it have had the same problem. As Avast seems to work well I may stick with it and forget about MSE...................JR