Common Language Runtime Debugging Services

Question

Back in early July (around the 9th) we ran Spybot - Search and Destroy on our Dimension 4550.  Since then we've been getting this error message shortly after computer startup. NotifyAlert.exe - Common Language Runtime Debugging Services Application has generated an exception that could not be handled. Process id=0x3d8 (984), Thread id=0x408 (1032). Click OK to terminate the application. Click CANCEL to debug the application. After reading several other postings on the Dell Forum this morning (8/11) we decided to try uninstalling Dell Support from the computer, which has made the message stop displaying after login.  Yeah! I can only assume therefore that Spybot found something in the Dell Support files that it considers spyware and removed it for us, so that whatever Dell Support is trying to start on login no longer works correctly.  I'm not sure that the Dell Support program is important to the day to day operation of the computer for us so this works (though if Dell knows what file(s) was lost I'd be just as happy to copy it to the computer and turn Dell Support back on). Anyway thought others might want to know that if you run spyware removal utilities (such as Spybot) and have Dell Support on your computer you might get similar error messages, and the easiest solution seems to be removing Dell Support.

ChrisRLG · Answer

Anything removed by spybot S&D can be replaced by spybot from its backups. That app is often removed by people - it is not required.

SASherman · Answer

ChrisRLG,

Thanks for your reply!

I don't actually see anything in Spybot Recovery that seems directly related to Dell or Dell Support. I do see one VX2/f that's path is HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Vendor - do you think that is the one? I also have a couple that path to c:\Program Files\Save\ - this second batch sound like spyware with a label like WhenU.SaveNow, but do you think it could be those files instead?

This machine was badly infected when we ran spybot (so I won't bother you with the whole list in Spybot), so I wonder do you think it would be better for us just to re-install Dell Support from the backup disk (if we do need it for something)?

Thanks again for your help!

SASherman

Dave Lyle · Answer

It has been reported before that deleting the /vendor key breaks Dell Support.

However, Dell Support is a rather useless and misbehaving program anyway, and the general advice is to just remove it via add/remove programs.

tenneva · Answer

I had a similar problem. After a lot of fumbling and trying to change settings, checking the Symantec page for a virus or worm, etc, I downloaded Dell Support 2.1.  That removed Dell Support from my machine and I was able to install Dell Support 2.1.  Presto!  I no longer get the message ' Application has generated an exception that could not be handled.'  And I now have use of Dell Support.  Looks to me if somehow I had messed up the Dell Support files!  As best I can tell, it was neither a virus or a worm that caused the problem.  At any rate, it appears the problem on my Diminsion 8300 was Dell Support.  My memory is faint but the problem may have started with the McAfee firewall which caused my machine to lock up.

Virus & Spyware

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