processlasso.exe running but GUI not accessible (XP /w BD) [ACCEPTED]

[JoeMcLutz]

Hi.
I'm running a registered portable version of Process Lasso 8.0.0.3 32 (Windows XP, SP3) and I have the same problem: almost everytime I run PL, it shuts its main window (but still the process ProcessLasso.exe is in the list of active processes, but I have to close it if I want to run it again). Sometimes I prevent PL's main window from closing opening quickly a menu from the menu bar.
Thanks, bye!

[Jeremy Collake]

Yes, this is a very annoying bug for everyone. I believe it was introduced in maintenance last year, but I just haven't identified what is going on... Bitdefender seems to greatly exacerbate this situation (like 100x more likely), but it isn't required, thus I believe the core issue is likely a bug in Lasso. I have never seen it in NT6+, though had one user report with Bitdefender they had it happen in Win7 (iirc).

I tried to get a crash dump of this issue a few months ago, but it turned out to be crashing outside Lasso's code, in an injected module. EDIT: Well, actually it was deadlocking, very unhelpful.

You *might* try turning off the process icons. Shell extensions sometimes want to draw overlays on top of them, and some of those extensions I've seen crash. They manifest as a crash of Lasso, but it's really their DLL mapped into Lasso. When the icons aren't shown, it's not an issue. However, I do believe this is distinct from the issue here.

What I'll do is make another run at this in 8.0.2. I really don't do as much testing in XP as I used to, and never use BD, so don't see this often like affected users do.

If worse comes to worst, I'll find it during v9 beta work, and when I've discovered the problem, back-port the fix immediately.

Mitigation is the obvious other path, but the problem is the way in which this bug manifests. I need to do live debugging to see what I believe is a deadlock somewhere. There is unfortunately no way for me to detect when Lasso's system tray icon is actually missing.

If all else fails, I can automate the 'recovery' of Lasso until I fix the issue.

Please hold for further guidance, I am going to take care of this once and for all, one way, or another.

[Jeremy Collake]

I fixed the other bug (icon lost after change to GUI start type selection to manual) in 8.0.1.0, which will be uploaded within hours.

I will report further findings on this separate issue in XP, where the icon is simply lost for no apparent reason, in this thread. I suspect I can finally resolve it, as I got an important clue while fixing the other issue.

[JoeMcLutz]

I'll keep on testing and... let's see how 8.0.1.0 goes.
Thanks for your time.
Joe

[Jeremy Collake]

It should behave the same. This is still a high-priority pending item for me; were it not so bizarre I could have it tracked down long ago.

[JoeMcLutz]

It should behave the same. This is still a high-priority pending item for me; were it not so bizarre I could have it tracked down long ago.

I have noticed that when you see the main window and processes are not yet all displayed on it, the window tends to close itself. If I press ALT (to bring up the menu), giving so the time the processes to appear, the main window don't close.
I hope it could help.

[Jeremy Collake]

Thanks. I think that shows the timing.

I've discussed this with many people, but you did try disabling process icons, right? (in View menu of Lasso)

[JoeMcLutz]

First of all, sorry in delaying this answer.

I had "Show process icons in list" checked. I unchecked it and let's see how it goes in the next days.
I'll let you know.
Thanks!

[Jeremy Collake]

Ok, let me know. For other users, that has fixed the problem. I hope it does in this case as well.

[JoeMcLutz]

Hi!

hm... In the first tries it seems the icons were the problem... I started a couple of times and it's ok... (it *always* closed itself the first time I launched it with Icons checked). Maybe it's the solution.

Thank You.
Joe


Edit: I need more testing tries to be sure.

[Jeremy Collake]

Well, if it didn't completely resolve the issue, it seems to have at least substantially mitigated it. Those icons have been a source of trouble for some time. I need to talk with some other software publishers to see if they also encounter troubles with third-party shell extensions crashing, as I have retrieved these icons in every way possible with no different result.

One guy claimed the presence of processgovernor.exe running with icons showing made the difference, which would imply that processgovernor.exe had some trouble with it's group icon. So, I trimmed the available icons down to where there can't be problems, or definitely shouldn't be.

BitDefender's role is probably a separate issue, but that's yet to be determined. It either exacerbates this issue, or causes more.

Definitely I'll be spending more time testing in XP against various software, even as the rest of the world tries to forget about it

[JoeMcLutz]

It's definitely better w/o showing processes' icon: I don't crash anymore showing PL interface (just one time when I hectically clicked here-and-there as I were doin' a stress test ).

Thanks again.