Process Lasso Crash / Restart on Maximise

[thegilpins]

Hi,

I have been using Process Lasso for the last six months without issue, but recently when I click the process lasso tray icon to maximise the window process lasso application stops and restarts. It does not always do this but can do after gaming mode has been used or if the process lasso has not been minimised or maximised for a long period of time.

Process lasso still works correctly, it is just maxmiise that does causes this strange bahaviour.

I am using the latest version (have even tried the beta versions as well but same issues exists) on Windows 8.1 64bit.

I have tried a reinstall and this does hot help either.

I attach a process lasso screen shot that shows the process lasso app stopping and restarting.

Any ideas?

[BenYeeHua]

No idea, but it look like the current Process Lasso(6959) launch a new PL(2976), then it(6959) end itself.
Then the taskeng.exe(Task Scheduler, if it is not a virus) launch a new PL(10072), and the current PL(2976) end itself.
----
Check %UserProfile%\AppData\Roaming\ProcessLasso , it should be having a minidump, if PL is crashed.

[thegilpins]

Hi, thanks for the reply.

Task Scheduler seems to be restarting process lasso after it crashes using task "Process Lasso Management Console (GUI)".

I tried disabling the task and starting process lasso manually. In this case process lasso crashes on maximise and is not restarted. There is no minidump files following a crash.

[BenYeeHua]

Try check the Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Action Center\Reliability Monitor, it should be showing the crash at there.
If at that place, it is showing Process Lasso Crash, then you can just enable and collect the user-mode dumps, and you should check did it is enabled as default by checking the %LOCALAPPDATA%\CrashDumps.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/bb787181%28v=vs.85%29.aspx
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/tess/archive/2010/08/23/getting-full-user-mode-dumps-automatically-when-your-process-crashes.aspx

[thegilpins]

Hi, thanks for the reply.

It is not showing up in Reliability Monitor so what can I do?

Thanks

[BenYeeHua]

Not sure about this, as Process Lasso has it own way to collect and create the dump too...
And Process Lasso is restarting it itself, so it might not crashed, and this will need the dev to take a look on this.

Maybe we should not try looking for a dump first(as I don't know it is a crash or not), but find out who cause it.

You can download this software, extract it, on the extracted folder, holding shift and right click, click on "Open Command Windows here", then run this command.

Code Select Expand

listdlls -v processlasso.exe >dll.txt
And also click accept the EULA, if you are just a normal user.

Then the extracted folder should be having dll.txt, and it will contain all dll info that loaded into processlasso.exe, and you can post it on here by using

Code Select Expand

or Attach if it is too long.

[thegilpins]

Hi, have added the requested text file from listdlls.

Thanks

[BenYeeHua]

Try update your Start8 first, then we see did it fixed or not.
If after update Start8, Process Lasso is still crashing, then try uninstall or don't run Start8 to check for it.

[thegilpins]

Hi, Start8 is already up to date. I have process lasso on two Windows 8.1 PC's that both have Start8 installed and it works fine on the other so I am not sure that is the answer.

Why did you suggest start8 as being the potential cause of the issue?

Thanks

[BenYeeHua]

Because Start8 has hook the DLL into Process Lasso, and sometimes the crash is caused by third-part dll.

I found 2 dll has been hook into it, which is.
C:\Program Files\Bitdefender\Bitdefender\Active Virus Control\Avc3_00244_028\avcuf64.dll
and
C:\Program Files (x86)\Stardock\Start8\Start8_64.dll

So it is better that try remove that hook, then see did Process Lasso continue to crash or not.
And just a question, you tried to reset Process Lasso setting, and it is still happen, right?

And ya, it can be some system issues too, if after you make sure anti-virus and start8 is no longer hook.
There are many case that caused by broken system, and I choose to exclude the dll crash first, as this is the most easy one.

[thegilpins]

I think I have solved it. Bitdefender AV seems to be the culprit. I have added processlasso.exe as an exception to Bitdefender AV and I am getting no more crashes.

Thanks for your help.

[BenYeeHua]

Thank for the info, I hope there is not too much user facing this crash, even some user like me will go to the forum, and look did there are other people is having the same issues or not, but it don't means most of them that using BitDefender AV.

I start thinking that, should I recommend user that facing issues, first try is adding ProcessLasso into the exception AV or not...

[thegilpins]

Process Lasso has worked for months without issue for me and it is only recently it has been an issue with Bitdefender AV. It may also be a Windows 8.1 64 bit specific issue and not affect all Bitdefender AV users.

[BenYeeHua]

It can be both, as Windows 64-bit disallow Antivirus to hook the kernel anymore, so while Bitdefender trying to improve the security via other ways, it can just broke the other software, and so did the other antivirus.
So far some antivirus using virtualization to running the system inside the virtualization, but this is not very good, there are many driver will be broken if you are running with virtualization.
For example, AMD can't support DXVA to hardware acceleration decode.

This has a better explanation than me, you can just read about it.

+ Does Zemana AntiLogger 64-bit provide the same level of protection as the 32-bit edition?

Almost. At present all AntiLogger modules are fully functional under 64-bit systems, except for the screen capture module, which provides only basic protection. Our engineering team is currently working to develop the screen capture module to be 64-bit compatible and, when ready, the module will be released with our regular product updates.

What does this mean? You still get protection against the most dangerous threats, such as key loggers and SSL banker Trojans; but until the module is ready, we would advise our customers who use 64-bit computers NOT to enter passwords and other sensitive information through on-screen virtual keyboards unless they are positive that the application providing the on-screen keyboard protects it really well.

+ How is Windows 8 different and what does it mean for me?

Starting with Windows 8 64-bit, Microsoft effectively closed any third party software from funning at Kernel level, in the systemʼs core. This is where our sensors are based. In other words, this part of your computer is now guarded by your Windows 8.

Does this mean you are immune to information stealing malware? Not exactly. To ensure protection on Windows 8 64-bit computers, we have added keystroke encryption functionality, advanced protection against SSL intruding financial malware and signature-based detection of information stealing malware. This gives you a hybrid protection, combining a number of defense mechanisms and ensures your system is safe.

http://www.zemana.com/support/antilogger/

Anyways, if you remember when Process Lasso start having issues, just check the update log of you AV, if the time match, then it should be the AV is a bit over on security and break some software.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kernel_Patch_Protection
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X86_virtualization

[andhar]

I had the very same problem on two systems with Win7 64Bit for months now.

Thank you very much for the tip with BitDefender - I am using it, too (edition from 2013 - just updated to the 2015 edition (the problem exists with both versions, though)), and adding PL to the exclusion list helped solving the problem

Maybe there should be a message for users with BitDefender running - that would help a lot

[BenYeeHua]

Maybe there should be a message for users with BitDefender running - that would help a lot

Ya, but this is just a workaround, the solution is BitDefender or other AV adding PL into their exclude list.

[andhar]

Yep, opened a support ticket for that

[arcanum]

Hi,

It is a Radeon driver problem(or Jeremys code ), because when i was using Radeon i encountered the same problem. With Nvidia, theres no problem at all.

-arc

[BenYeeHua]

lol, I think it should be AMD.
If I am right, PL don't use any hardware acceleration to speed up the rendering, so it is still strange that it will crash because of AMD.

Did you tried that, disable graphic card(Windows 8+ only) or uninstall AMD driver and let it fall back to VGA driver(all Windows) and check it is caused by AMD driver?

[arcanum]

Ben,

I do not uninstall or resinstall my gfx drivers because of Process Lasso. However, i still use XP. And i think that Jeremy uses standard api calls when rendering on screen. I told this somewhat ago when right clicking PL icon on the taskbar it causes a crash. Not a bluescreen, but taskbar icon is lost and PL processes still running on.
More like an AMD driver problem than Jeremys Code.

-arc

[BenYeeHua]

Nah, I mean just uninstall to testing it, so you can know did it is really AMD issues or caused by other software.
Because to disable AMD driver, just going into safe mode should do that(but this also will disable other software too), right?

And ya, normal api should count as CPU rendering, I think, I can be wrong too.

[Jeremy Collake]

There was some initial confusion here (my fault, keeping up with a lot!).

Lasso restarting itself is sometimes done intentionally after a feature change.

Other times, it is an interoperability issue with security software (BitDefender is a known offender). It can cause the system tray icon to not reappear until you terminate 'processlasso.exe'. This issue affects a small minority of (mostly) XP users.

EDIT: .. and I see in the screenshot (now) that you do use BitDefender, so I'll be sure to look into this more closely ASAP.

[Jeremy Collake]

The last beta version had a crash in SmartTrim, now resolved.

I also added some BitDefender processes to the 'tamper proof' list.

Give 'er a go

[Jeremy Collake]

Ben,

I do not uninstall or resinstall my gfx drivers because of Process Lasso. However, i still use XP. And i think that Jeremy uses standard api calls when rendering on screen. I told this somewhat ago when right clicking PL icon on the taskbar it causes a crash. Not a bluescreen, but taskbar icon is lost and PL processes still running on.
More like an AMD driver problem than Jeremys Code.

-arc

This is a totally different issue. We do use only GDI, as I mentioned in another thread. We'll discuss there if it's not fully to your satisfaction. We'll get it there if not. I've got a lot going on, so don't be afraid to remind me.