STService.exe system error

Hello GIZMO03:

It is unlikely that the message you're receiving is caused by the Dell System Update. I too had the same problem on my Studio XPS desktop. After some investigation, I discovered that the problem appeared right after I did a registry clean-up using AVG PC Tuneup. In my case, AVG PC Tuneup erased 13 legitimate entries from the windows registry that were associated with the Dell DataSafe Local Backup utility (hence the STString.dll error). The 13 entries are:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\BackupPlg.exe

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\CheckQuotasPlg.exe

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\FRestorePlg.exe

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\Launcher.exe

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\ProtectRP.exe

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\PSTRestoreExtPlg.exe

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\RMCPlg.exe

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\SchedulerPlg.exe

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\STImageExtPlg.exe

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\STRestorePlg.exe

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\STService.exe

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\UpgradePlg.exe

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\USBBootPlg.exe

Luckily, with AVG PC Tuneup I could undo any repairs made to the registry. After the above 13 entries were restored, the error messgae did not appear again. If you ran any registry cleaners recently, I suggest you undo the changes and your problem should be solved. If however you cannot undo the changes, message me and I'll be more than happy to extract all the keys from my registry and send them to you.

Hope I was of help.

Cheers

Hi "Maltese Falcon",

I have posted an appeal for help on the Dell Desktop forum, concerning an error I have been getting recently, "STservice.exe - unable to locate component - This application has failed to start because STString.dll was not found.  Re-installing the application may fix this problem".  See http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/desktop/m/desktop/19899572.aspx

I know that STString.dll still exists on my system, and since I have had no reason to move it, it must be still where it has always been.  Like you, I have been using a registry cleaner, and it occurred to me that this may be the cause of the 'problem' - i.e. that STString.dll hasn't disappeared, it's just that the registry has lost track of it.

I am very much aware of the dangers of 'hacking' the registry contents, so I would be most careful about making changes that could not be undone - by preparing registry backups, restore points, etc.  I have no wish to risk compromising the viability or stability of my system (Windows Vista Home Premium SP2), but I don't think I'm now in a position now to revert to a pre-error position with system restore points, so 'fixing' the registry may be my only hope.

You kindly offered in your post, to share with your earlier correspondent the registry keys that may be relevant to this problem on your system.  Please would be kind enough to share them with me?  I would like to see if I can fix my problem by comparing your keys with mine, if you are willing.

Please help!

"Panzano", West Sussex, UK

Please send me the file.

Can you send me this file?  Thank you.

Hello Ivan:

Since I cannot find a way to attach the zipped file to this post, please add me as a friend and then send me a private message with your email address and I shall email you the file directly.

Cheers

MF

Hello Maltese-Falcon,

I have this problem and have tried to undo the changes as you recommended, unfortunately as they were done during the trial version of AVG clean-up and that has run out, I am unable to do it.  You offered to send the required keys to others to  fix this problem and I wonder whether you might also send them to me.  I have had very little luck in contacting either AVG or Dell on this issue.

I would very much appreciate it if you can help me.

Thank you.

FRW

Hi MF,

I am a newbie in this forum, and I cannot yet see how to message you privately through the forum.  Please would you tell me how to do this, or tell me where to find out how on the forum?

BTW, I've checked in the folder specified by the Registry for each of the 13 items you listed before (all in C:\Program Files\Dell DataSafe Local Backup\Components\FileBackup\), and each key has a value encoded for an executable,

but most of the executables specified by the registry entries are absent - see list below..

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\BackupPlg.exe y

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\CheckQuotasPlg.exe n

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\FRestorePlg.exe y

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\Launcher.exe n

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\ProtectRP.exe n

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\PSTRestoreExtPlg.exe n

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\RMCPlg.exe n

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\SchedulerPlg.exe n

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\STImageExtPlg.exe n

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\STRestorePlg.exe n

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\STService.exe n

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\UpgradePlg.exe n

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\USBBootPlg.exe n

('y' means present in folder, 'n' means absent).

As each of the keys contain references to files, I would conclude that it is the files that are missing, not the key entries.  Is this logical, or not?

If I'm right, I'm back to needing an install kit to repair this.  There is nothing that I can recognize on the D:\ Recovery partition provided by Dell for this purpose.  My Dell warranty has recently expired - could this be anything to do with this, I wonder.  If the Dell DataSafe facilities are only available when the warranty is valid, maybe it would be best to disable all Dell services - what do you think?

If your problem is associated with the AVG PC Checkup, you can restore the files by following the below:

Click Start > All Programs > AVG PC Tuneup 2011 > AVG Rescue Centre

Select "Backups" from the left menu

Restore all backups from list.

Following this restored my files and now my laptop works again!

Maybe this will help.

Having 11 out of 13 executable files missing explains why you're having the problem. However, before we can conclude that this is your problem, perform an actual search for each file (START > SEARCH > All Files and Folders). If the files are actually missing you will need to re-intall the Dell DataSafe application. When I first had this problem, I frantically searched the net (including Dell's website) for a stand-alone version of this application with no avail. Your Dell warranty expiring has nothing to do with the disappearance of these files. Usually, if an application's trial period expires, a window keeps poping up to renew. I also don't believe that the Dell DataSafe application is a trial version. If you still cannot find the files, I'll be more than happy to send them to you. I shall send you a private message with my email address.

Cheers

MF

Restoring it worked for me. I know longer get the error message. This was exactly the problem. I recently purchased AVG PC Tuneup and when I used it, it deleted those 13 entries. I've since restored it, thanks to your instructions, however, now whenever I use AVG PC Tuneup, it removes those entries. Is there a way to get it to stop removing the entries, otherwise there's no point for me to have purchased the registry cleaner if I'm just going to have to restore it. Thanks for any suggestions.

Hi to MF and other contributors,

I found access to a Dell DataSafe Backup Basic kit at dslbdownload.datasafelocalbackup.com/dsldownload-en.html.

Having passed 'Easy Step 1' - Dell authentication - 'Easy Step 2' allowed download of 'Basic Version of DSL' - DataSafeLocalBackup_Basic.exe, 280328 Kb.

Removing the old DataSafe installation, rebooting, installing the downloaded basic DataSafe kit, and rebooting again, has fixed the problem for me - I am no longer getting the original error message on login.

To try to prevent this happening again, I will add exceptions for the keys you listed, in the registry cleaner I am using - Auslogics BoostSpeed.

If you have any further advice to add, I would be very pleased to hear it.  Otherwise, please consider this appeal for assistance closed.

Hey Maltese-Falcon,

I just ran into the same problem and am unable to undo the changes. How can I fix this problem? I am not too computer friendly but need it for school. Can you help me?

Hello Kreisad,

You can add the affected registry keys to the ignore list as follows:

01.  On the main AVG PC Tuneup windows, click on the Advanced Tools tab.

02.  Locate Registry Maintenance and click on Repair.

03.  When the AVG Registry Cleaner window opens, click on Scan Now.

04.  Once the scan is complete, right click on the keys you want placed in the Ignore List.

05.  Now click on "Move Selected to the Ignore List"

06.  Done

07.  You can check the Ignore List as follows:

08.  From the same AVG Registry Cleaner window, click on Settings at the top left hand corner.

09.  Now click on Program Settings.

10 . When the AVG Settings window opens, click on the Ignore List tab.

Hello bbywolf,

What operating system are you running?

I am assuming it's Windows 7.

In such case, I can email you the registry keys with instructions.

I shall be sending you an ADD AS A FRIEND request.

Please accept and I'll be able to send you my email address in a private message.