SA, 3.1.30.0, 3.1.0.142, not working

Hi Nanooklb,

Where are you from? Your LightShot screenshot program has Dutch layout so if you prefer, we can continue in Dutch.

Please let me know.

Regards,

CoS2

Hi CoS2,

Thanks for your post. I'm glad to finally hear a report that SupportAssist is fully functional (except for the launch problem).

Could you please look at the below pic from the SA User Guide and tell me if your version 3.2.0.90 interface has the option I've circled in red?

And if you do have that option, and your preference was to uncheck "Auto-optimization enabled", could you confirm if it does actually prevent optimizations from running automatically?

Hi FrankAPhonic,

I just wanted to check that but noticed that my SupportAssist desktop icon had disappeared which happens when there is an update of SupportAssist.

Used a copy of my special shortcut and indeed the software has been updated: it is now version 3.2.1.194.

No, I don't have the encircled option; the only one I have is troubleshoot my PC.

It would be great to have it because now it runs automatically.

Note: I also don't have the item remove virusses and malware.

Kind Regards,

CoS2

Hi Cos2,

Thanks for getting back to me about the encircled "Auto-optimizations enabled" checkbox option at the bottom of the SA Home window. Like you I only have "Troubleshoot my PC" at the bottom of the window. And that's because we both have the Basic service plan. I read the following on page 15 of the SA User Guide.....

"Depending on your service plan, SupportAssist automatically optimizes your system after the scan.

NOTE: Auto-optimizations are applicable only for systems with an active ProSupport Plus or Premium Support Plus service plan."

I thought I had SA configured so Optimizations would not run automatically. I read a thread that said it could be done by scheduling the System Scan to run quarterly (every 3 months), and after about 2-1/2 months to go back to the settings and reset it again, essentially never allowing the System Scan to run. That didn't work for optimizations. Yesterday, 14 days after installing SA, I got a SA notification to Optimize my system. I learned previously not to click the notification or it would start running the optimizations, so I just let it alone and it ended up going to the Windows action center. Then I opened SA and was greeted with the following popup dialog.....

"Your PC has not been fully optimized in the last 14 days. We recommend running SA on a regular basis (by clicking Run All) to ensure your PC is up to date and running at its best."

There were these 3 buttons in the dialog.
Never Remind Me
Remind Me Later
Run All

I chose Never Remind Me. Then I went to the action center and dismissed the notification to get rid of it.

Also, in SA Settings under Notifications, I UNCHEKCED the box next to "I want to receive notifications about hardware & software issues, driver updates, support requests, and other alerts for my PC".

So far the only automation I feel I've adequately eliminated is the auto updating of the SA program itself, which has occurred at the most inconvenient times. Unchecking the box in Privacy settings next to "I allow my PC to receive these updates and alerts" seems to have done the trick. Now I can check for SA updates manually via Settings/About SupportAssist. But even that is not without issues. I recently did it for the first time and the SA window froze, there was no activity or functionality in the window at all, except for the Windows minimize/maximize/close symbols in the upper right hand corner. After waiting 15 minutes I checked Programs & Features only to find that v3.2.1.194 had been installed. It turned out that starting the update process created a popup window that was hidden behind the SA and Command Prompt windows, something that seems to be a common fault with Dell installers.

Time will tell if this creepy forced automation will come back to haunt me again. I hope not, all I want to do is manually check for driver updates and run hardware scans at a time of MY choosing, and never run any optimizations. I want no part of Dell's scheduled automation, for me it's always been more aggravation than it's worth.

BTW I use a slightly different type of SA shortcut. I put the following 2 lines in a batch file named SupportAssistCmd.bat that I've saved in a folder, then I created a shortcut on my desktop to the batch file. The shortcut Advanced Properties dialog has to have the "Run as Administrator" box checked or SA will not open.

cd C:\Program Files\Dell\SupportAssistAgent\bin
SupportAssistUI.exe launch

FYI A text file saved with the .bat file extension will automatically open in Command Prompt.

Best Regards,
Frank

Hi Frank,

Thank you for your response.

I think the following issues are covered in version 3.2.1.94:

1) Unwanted messages: go to the setup menu, select "Settings" , open "Messages" and uncheck the tic mark in the box. You will keep getting informed about hardware problems and urgent driver updates for your PC.

2) Automatic updates of Dell software: these can be disabled by unchecking the tic mark under "Settings" item "Privacy", subject "Automatic Updates Dell Software". I do not recommend to do that because the latest updates will keep your PC more safe.

3) Automatic Scans: these can be disabled by unchecking the tic mark under "Settings" item "Planned Scans".

4) Selecting only 1 scan item like Downloading and Installing Software Updates instead of the full scan: on the bottom of the Home page click the large arrow pointing downwards, that will bring up all scan items and now you can manually select the subject of interest. When done, you can go back to the Home page bij clicking the large up arrow on top of the page. Note: although they are quite large, these arrows do not really draw attention.

The SupportAssist launch problem and the PC detection problem using Microsoft Edge still seem to exist.

Hope this helps.

Kind Regards,

CoS2

Hi Joe B,

Apart from my 32-bit W10 Pro Optiplex 960 SFF on which I still observe the launch problem via the Start menu, I also have a 64 bit W10 Pro Optiplex 960 MT which I don't use regularly but keep it updated.
On that machine I tried to launch SupportAssist via the Start menu yesterday.
And, lo and behold, it launched but... the launch window showed Version 3.1.0.
The program however looked and behaved very much the same as version 3.2.1.94 and the about SupportAssist tab screen reported that I had the latest version: 3.2.1.94.
See the 2 associated screenphoto's shown below. Note: As the launch screen is only shortly visible one has to be quick.

W10 Pro 64 bit Optiplex 960 MT-1

On the other hand on my 32-bit W10 Pro Optiplex 960 SFF when I launch SupportAssist via the specially created shortcut, it remains for some longer time in the launch screen and that screen shows version 3.2.1.94 as does the about SupportAssist tab.
See the 2 associated screenphoto's shown below.

W10 Prof 32 bit Optiplex 960 SFF-1

So an apparent version mismatch between the launch screen and the program make it work on a 64 bit W10 Pro machine.

Does this help in solving the problem?

Best Regards,

CoS2

CoS2,

Thank you so much for posting this fix for running the Dell SupportAssist. I have been trying to get SA to run for many months now, and researching possible fixes on and off during that time. Yours works, and is the only one I've found that works. 

Again, thanks much.

ejhcolorado

Incredible that we get so many issues from an application whose purpose is to help us and not the opposite.
What I know is that you need to uninstall supportAssist with some free apps like total uninstall (from Dell support team themselves) otherwise SA is not removed properly and this creates issues when you reinstall it.

This is also the messy Windows OS and its long history of issues to remove Windows APP with the OS itself and the need to use external apps.

Amusing since total uninstall is not a DELL software but a free software which is not officially validated by DELL. Why don't they implement a proper uninstallation feature of SA?... I propose them to buy Total Uninstall. This should be precious to all their users.

Total Uninstall 6: https://www.clubic.com/telecharger-fiche10903-total-uninstall.html

This is the version DELL support team installed over the phone and with a DELL connect session to uninstall and reinstall SA. But I noticed that there was a free trial period of 30 days and I can' t use it anymore! :-)

Very professional! :-)

Currently, some of us have the issue that we can't move to Windows 1903 since we get a BSOD and SA is suspected.

Also, another issue internal to DELL I noticed with DELL support in France: DELL support team is doing a great job trying their best to solve your issues but they can't do anything if root cause of the problem is an SA software issue. I asked them to report this to the quality team but there is the problem! It seems that the quality team doesn't manage these problems, and tries to return them back to the support team.

BR,EC

Do a "reset!  choose keep your files and windows gets reinstalled, Everything works again,including dell support assist - Good luck

Hi Hippy Dan,

Thanks for your contribution.

I have considered this option but a big drawback is that you also have to reinstall al your non-Microsoft apps and that there is no guarantee that a next update by either Dell or Microsoft will not reintroduce the problem.

So, as long as the cause has not been definitely established and fixed, I will keep using my special devised shortcut.

Recently I tried another alternative which seems to work.

When you install SupportAssist via the Dell Support site, at some point in the installation process the Dell SupportAssist shortcut appears on the desktop but lateron it diasappears. Now when it is on your desktop, copy it and paste it into any folder which is at hand. When the installation is finished and the original shortcut has disappeared, copy the saved shortcut back onto your desktop. That shortcut will launch SupportAssist.

The last time I tried this, the start screen showed version 3.3.2.55 while the actual version in "About SupportAssist" was 3.3.2.46 being the latest version but anyway, it worked.

Currently the latest version is 3.3.3.13 and I use my own shortcut again (my 32 bit Windows 10 Pro is also fully up to date: version 1903 with latest quality updates).