PP not starting at startup.

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aguy30
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PP not starting at startup.

Post by aguy30 »

PP 4.5.3.0 in Windows 10 LTSC no longer starts at boot. PP is listed and checked in startup.
PP had been auto starting until recently and this problem may be related to the recent update to 4.5.3.0.
PP works correctly when manually started.
Also after 4.5.3.0 update, I had to change poppeeper.exe "run as admin" because I was no longer able to edit "accounts".
Any suggestions to fix startup?
Last edited by aguy30 on Thu Sep 26, 2019 11:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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mjs
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Re: PP not starting at startup.

Post by mjs »

From the main PP menu going to "Tools" > "Options" > "General" tab --- Do you have the "Run POP Peeper at Windows Startup" at the top-left of the window checked?
Good judgment comes from experience and a lot of that comes from bad judgment. - Will Rogers
aguy30
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Re: PP not starting at startup.

Post by aguy30 »

Checked in PP and Windows startup.
aguy30
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Re: PP not starting at startup.

Post by aguy30 »

Also after 4.5.3.0 update, I had to change poppeeper.exe "run as admin" because I was no longer able to edit "accounts" and save it.
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mjs
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Re: PP not starting at startup.

Post by mjs »

Hmm, very odd -- have you tried running the Windows System File Checker to see if this helps resolve the issue? -- that is using the command "sfc /scannow".
Note: you should run from an elevated command (administrator -- by doing a right-click on the command prompt window and selecting "Run as Administrator").
Good judgment comes from experience and a lot of that comes from bad judgment. - Will Rogers
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mjs
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Re: PP not starting at startup.

Post by mjs »

Just to be clear -- using the Windows Task Manager (ctrl+alt+del) you do get the following circled in the startup tab?
PP in TM.png
Good judgment comes from experience and a lot of that comes from bad judgment. - Will Rogers
aguy30
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Re: PP not starting at startup.

Post by aguy30 »

Windows Task Manager has the PP entry.
I ran sfc /scannow as admin b4 (now in powershell in Win10) and just ran it again to be sure. No integrity violations.
Problem continues.
aguy30
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Re: PP not starting at startup.

Post by aguy30 »

I am thinking this is related to the 4.5.3.0 update. After update, I had to elevate poppeeper.exe to run as admin because "accounts" edits were not being saved. I noticed the starting problem about the same time.
Maybe uninstall and reinstall is the next step. To be sure, saving the data file and poppeeper.ini will save all my account setup info, correct?
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mjs
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Re: PP not starting at startup.

Post by mjs »

Problems remains huh -- I think at this point it would be best to wait for Jeff to look into this. A re-install may fix the problem however I would advise waiting so that this issue, as it stands now, can be looked at in more detail before doing anything else.

Looking into Win10 problems involving startup programs; I've found a number of discussions regarding this issue on the web. Some solutions involve adding a new registry value at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run" for the app (executable) that appears to work. Other solutions include setting the app compatibility mode to a lower OS (i.e. Win8 compatibility mode). Some report the registry change caused other extraneous side issues that appeared debatable. It appears to me that this issue may involve cases in which Win10 has been updated from an earlier OS, but that is only speculation on my part. :?

So considering where we are now -- It seems to me that none of these solutions should be necessary and with that in mind, as mentioned -- my suggestion would be to wait for Jeff to followup on this issue so that a proper solution can be determined. :wink:
Good judgment comes from experience and a lot of that comes from bad judgment. - Will Rogers
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Jeff
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Re: PP not starting at startup.

Post by Jeff »

The 2 issues you've mentioned are likely related (that is, having to run as admin) and likely suggests a permissions issue. But before you uninstall, I have a few questions:

1) Did you use the exe or zip installation method?

2) Using the main menu: Tools / Options / Storage, please provide the values for:
- Ini Location
- Data path

3) Using File Explorer, go to where POP Peeper is installed, usually:
C:\Program Files (x86)\POP Peeper\
Then, right-click on poppeeper.exe and select properties
If there's a button to "unblock" (or something similar) at the bottom of the general page, press it and retry opening POP Peeper (You should probably exit POP Peeper before doing this)
aguy30
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Re: PP not starting at startup.

Post by aguy30 »

4.5.3 exe installation by Sept 19 download with Aug 30 time stamp

C:\Program Files (x86)\POP Peeper\poppeeper.ini
C:\Users\Mike\AppData\Roaming\POP Peeper
There was a message right after the update that PP suggested relocating my ini from where it was to this location.

No "unblock" button for poppeeper.exe

Thank you Jeff and lakrsrool
aguy30
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Re: PP not starting at startup.

Post by aguy30 »

"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run" has other working startups but not pop peeper.
I have not tried adding PP yet pending a reply from Jeff.

PP is listed, enabled and checked in starter with user run.

Also not listed in "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run (disabled by starter)".
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mjs
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Re: PP not starting at startup.

Post by mjs »

Please do not do anything including making any registry changes but instead wait for Jeff to followup on what do do (I was at the time focusing on your startup issue but as I mentioned the solutions I had reference I did NOT think "... should be necessary").

FYI -- your "ini location" path that starts out with "C:\Program files..." is not recommended due to Windows UAC which in this case can result in Windows preventing POP Peeper from saving settings and/or data as of the time that POP Peeper is exited or Windows is closed. You will probably be requested to first exit PP and then MOVE (not copy) C:\Program Files (x86)\POP Peeper\poppeeper.ini to %userprofile%\AppData\Roaming\POP Peeper\ to address your problem with the "ini location" path (btw, your "data path" looks good to me).

But again please wait for Jeff to get back to you before doing anything! [-X

I think Jeff will probably still want to know whether you used the exe or zip method when you updated PP (that is what were the steps you took when you updated PP to the version you are using).

I'm curious about your comment regarding the following message you got when updating: "There was a message right after the update that PP suggested relocating my ini from where it was to this location." and perhaps Jeff would want to discuss this as well.

So be sure to hold-off doing anything until you hear back from Jeff. :wink:
Good judgment comes from experience and a lot of that comes from bad judgment. - Will Rogers
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Jeff
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Re: PP not starting at startup.

Post by Jeff »

lakrsrool's expectation is exactly what you'll need to do:
1) Exit POP Peeper
2) Move:
C:\Program Files (x86)\POP Peeper\poppeeper.ini
to:
C:\Users\Mike\AppData\Roaming\POP Peeper\
3) Restart POP Peeper
4) Verify that the "Ini Location" under main menu: Tools / Options / Storage now says "c:\users\..." instead of "c:\program files..."

Fortunately, your data files are already in the expected location, which is usually the source of more trouble.


Now, I'm not sure if this will fix the non-startup issue or not -- that behavior seems rather strange to me. But this should fix you having to run POP Peeper as admin (you shouldn't run it as admin). If you still have the startup issue, let us know.
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Jeff
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Re: PP not starting at startup.

Post by Jeff »

Also, for what it's worth, I checked that wow6432node registry on my computer and it's completely empty. I believe that every startup program I'm using (e.g. Steam, Discord, OneDrive and others) uses the same startup folder that POP Peeper uses:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

I'm not saying it's necessarily wrong to use that other folder, but it makes me curious why you have other programs listed there. I'm not sure that programs are intended to directly access the wow6432node branch.
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mjs
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Re: PP not starting at startup.

Post by mjs »

As far as I can see this "work-around" registry setting is way to get a program to start as expected that would otherwise presumably not be the case (to be sure, I'm not at all personally advocating for this solution -- it is just something I found among the many reported Win10 start problem issues that actually solved the problem as opposed to numerous other purposed solutions all of which did not help).

Here is the link: https://www.privateinternetaccess.com/f ... rtup-issue.

Yep -- just like Jeff -- as far as the startup programs I'm familiar with i.e. PP, Aeris, Onedrive, Lidlock they are also all listed in the "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run" registry path.

This brings up a good question for you aguy30 -- which is -- do you have "POP Peeper.exe" listed in "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run"? -- If so this is just another reason why POP Peeper should start correctly and if not presumably this other "work-around" may arguably be the only resolution (again -- I'm not promoting this "work-around" but just putting out there what I've found on the Net regarding this issue :wink:).

My personal opinion regarding the reported "work-around" registry setting is that this should not be necessary of course -- but then if the startup issue cannot be fixed any other way then I guess one could argue you have to do what it takes to get the results you want.

In regards to that specific registry "work-around" setting, FWIW -- I do have two programs listed in this "wow6432node: registry -- that btw -- I didn't put there myself (I have no idea why they are there or if this is necessary for the two programs to start properly that would otherwise fail to start as expected).
Good judgment comes from experience and a lot of that comes from bad judgment. - Will Rogers
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mjs
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Re: PP not starting at startup.

Post by mjs »

Oh btw Jeff-- as an after thought aguy30 reported this message below when updating PP (which I had mentioned you might be interested in):
aguy30 wrote: Sat Sep 28, 2019 12:19 am There was a message right after the update that PP suggested relocating my ini from where it was to this location.
... which is presumably why the ini file is at that location (assuming aguy30 moved it there because of the message -- and why the data file path is OK because the message was only about the ini file)....

Are you familiar with any reason why this message might occur during a PP Update?

Oh yea and aguy30 -- if you still have the startup issue after doing the steps posted above to move the ini file then like Jeff said, it would be a good idea to let us know before trying anything. :wink:
Good judgment comes from experience and a lot of that comes from bad judgment. - Will Rogers
aguy30
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Re: PP not starting at startup.

Post by aguy30 »

Working now.

1 Removed "run as admin" from poppeeper.exe
2 Moved ini to C:\Users\Mike\AppData\Roaming\POP Peeper\ (also had to do step #4 for PP to load at startup)
3 Checked "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run" and "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run". Pop Peeper was not listed in either.
4 Added Pop Peeper to "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run"
5 Rebooted

Now PP is starting correctly as it did before the 4.5.3.0 upgrade. I can again edit accounts without "run as admin".

Thanks again Jeff and lakrsrool
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Jeff
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Re: PP not starting at startup.

Post by Jeff »

You're welcome -- glad to hear it's working as exepected again!


Regarding the message that lakrsrool is curious about. It's been a long time since I dealt with that code, but I suspect the exact message aguy30 was referring to:
The ini file's location is not writable.\n\nDo you want to allow POP Peeper to move the ini file to the AppData folder?\n\nThis is highly recommended.

This message will only get called during an update, and was specifically added for user's who were using a "portable" installation in v3 and upgrading to v4. PPv3 wasn't UAC aware and Windows would allow files to be pseudo-saved in the Program Files folder via the "Virtual Store." The above message would allow POP Peeper to determine which ini file would be best and then move that file to AppData. Perhaps that didn't work as expected in this case.
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