Yes, Charyb, an Avast! Forum member reported it to Bill yesterday. He also got an error while installing Avast!. I also replied that topic, but my case was when I changed settings for automatic updates in Flash player.
ThanksDavid for Bill's blogspot link. I included it in the Avast! topic.
I updated to a new version of AntiVir a couple of days ago. Win Patrol did its usual thing about asking for acceptance of the update. I clicked on "Accept" and the Win Patrol icon in the tray disappeared. I went to Start>Programs>Win Patrol and got the icon back. After a few minutes (not sure why it takes Win Patrol so long to ask for accept or decline the update) it asked again, and again the icon disappeared. After this happened a third time I uninstalled Win Patrol and did a clean install of the latest version. It has worked fine since but the icon is surrounded by a blue circle. Not sure if this little glitch is in any way connected to the problem.
It has worked fine since but the icon is surrounded by a blue circle. Not sure if this little glitch is in any way connected to the problem.
Dale, did you have the option checked to display original Scotty in your previous install of WinPatrol? The default is Scotty in a blue orb. Take a look at the settings. You can change it back to the original Scotty icon if you wish.
My audio seems to be okay, but WP was crashing all by itself when I tried to install a program this evening. I did not have to click on any alerts. Bill's workaround works well. No Java on the system, so I can rule out that update.
It happened to me again awhile ago. About 15 minutes after I turned on the computer I got the WinPatrol request to OK a Flash update. Although I OK'ed one several days ago, thinking it might be a new Flash update, I clicked on YES. The WinPatrol icon immediately disappeared. Started it up again and when the second request came a few minutes later I said NO, then did a restart. Then...about the first thing to come up on the Desktop was a Flash Update waiting for approval, even before all the programs had loaded. I denied the download and install until this sorted out.
Went ahead and did the WinPatrol work around adjustment that David mentioned up above.
A new version of WinPatrol will be available later this evening. The new version will fix a current bug which is causing widespread crashing of WinPatrol. This failure is not the result of a conflict with any other program. A fix will be available tonight along with another often requested feature. The [WinPatrol Home]page will be updated by March 5th by 1:00 PM EST
Tuesday, March 05, 2013 Hackers Steal WinPatrol Data Already Available
What was first thought to be a problem in last week’s Windows Update turned out to be a targeted hacker attack of WinPatrol data files. The timing of the attack(Tuesday, Feb 26th at 17:44 PM EST)coincided with a new Windows Update. Many who experienced unusual behavior from WinPatrol had also just updated Java and/or Adobe Flash so they were also included in the list of usual suspects.
While the hackers may have been looking for user passwords, Email addresses or credit card numbers they were able to steal statistical data describing which programs remain popular or unpopular on Windows machines. The data is collected when a WinPatrol user decides to keep or remove a program which has been detected in a critical system location.
On Tuesday, Feb 26th we started to receive reports of WinPatrol crashing anytime someone responded to a change alert message. This failure was originally thought to be related to the Tuesday Windows Update or other companies updating their software.
It turned out to be the result of a hacker trying to obtain WinPatrol data. While our software failed when replying to changes, no data was lost and any changes will still be reported using this new version. At no time was any personal information at risk. No Email, passwords, credit card information was stolen or even available to any kind of attack.
Our new version includes a layer of protection that will discourage any future attacks and crash safely. If an error occurs for any reason, Scotty will continue to be graceful in his behavior so other programs will never at risk of losing work currently in progress.
*New* Automatic Update Notification The newest feature is one many users have asked about for years. While I'm not a big fan of software that provides automatic updates, making sure everyone knows when a new version of WinPatrol was available makes sense. Our new version will provide notification within a reasonable time and allow users to read about the new version before deciding to install it.
Once notified, WinPatrol won't continue to remind you but it will update the information found under the PLUS tab so when you do want to upgrade it will be an easy option. Having the message on the PLUS tab/screen will also help remind you.
Recently I downloaded the latest version of WinPatrol and put a pretend name and address since I didn't to give out my real one. Everything seemed to be working fine until a short while ago when I noticed the blue globe Scotty icon was missing from the tray. I went to the notifications area to check on the icon status and noticed it was on "Hide", so changed it to "Show". This has no effect. Then I went to Start>Programs>WinPatrol and pressed on the program line there, again to no effect. Finally I did a restart and that appeared to solve the problem. I have not made any adjustments or changes that would cause this icon to simply disappear.
Once the restart was done and I came to this forum, I noticed that I was signed out. I never sign out of Dell Forums, so not sure what was going on or if it had anything to do with the WinPatrol issue. Other signed in pages or accounts not affected.
Dale, it may not have been related to WP, but more related to Dell's security certificate for the sign-in page that expired today. There was no problem for FF users, but it appears that IE and Chrome users couldn't sign in (or stay signed in?). Nevertheless, it's been fixed so all is well.
iroc9555
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February 28th, 2013 09:00
Yes, Charyb, an Avast! Forum member reported it to Bill yesterday. He also got an error while installing Avast!. I also replied that topic, but my case was when I changed settings for automatic updates in Flash player.
ThanksDavid for Bill's blogspot link. I included it in the Avast! topic.
http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=116212.msg902320#msg902320
Also a big thanks to Bill P. for a quick response to this WP issue.
dalem29
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February 28th, 2013 18:00
I updated to a new version of AntiVir a couple of days ago. Win Patrol did its usual thing about asking for acceptance of the update. I clicked on "Accept" and the Win Patrol icon in the tray disappeared. I went to Start>Programs>Win Patrol and got the icon back. After a few minutes (not sure why it takes Win Patrol so long to ask for accept or decline the update) it asked again, and again the icon disappeared. After this happened a third time I uninstalled Win Patrol and did a clean install of the latest version. It has worked fine since but the icon is surrounded by a blue circle. Not sure if this little glitch is in any way connected to the problem.
Bugbatter
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February 28th, 2013 18:00
Bugbatter
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February 28th, 2013 22:00
My audio seems to be okay, but WP was crashing all by itself when I tried to install a program this evening. I did not have to click on any alerts. Bill's workaround works well. No Java on the system, so I can rule out that update.
dalem29
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March 1st, 2013 06:00
I had the blue orb at one time, but it somehow changed to just plain Scotty sometime ago. I must have changed the settings somehow.
ky331
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March 1st, 2013 07:00
Dale,
BB gave you the information above:
Open WinPatrol, Go to the OPTIONS tab, and look for "Display original Scotty System Tray icon"
When checked, you have just the dog. When UNchecked, he's surrounded by the blue orb.
(You may need to wait a short while for the change to be implemented.)
Annie70
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March 1st, 2013 15:00
WinPatrol has crashed for me also.
dalem29
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March 2nd, 2013 15:00
It happened to me again awhile ago. About 15 minutes after I turned on the computer I got the WinPatrol request to OK a Flash update. Although I OK'ed one several days ago, thinking it might be a new Flash update, I clicked on YES. The WinPatrol icon immediately disappeared. Started it up again and when the second request came a few minutes later I said NO, then did a restart. Then...about the first thing to come up on the Desktop was a Flash Update waiting for approval, even before all the programs had loaded. I denied the download and install until this sorted out.
Went ahead and did the WinPatrol work around adjustment that David mentioned up above.
ky331
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March 4th, 2013 19:00
March 4th, 2013 PLEASE STAND BY
A new version of WinPatrol will be available later this evening. The new version will fix a current bug which is causing widespread crashing of WinPatrol. This failure is not the result of a conflict with any other program. A fix will be available tonight along with another often requested feature. The [WinPatrol Home]page will be updated by March 5th by 1:00 PM EST
Thank you for your support
- Bill P
Bugbatter
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March 5th, 2013 12:00
New version is now available for download.
Tuesday, March 05, 2013
Hackers Steal WinPatrol Data Already Available
What was first thought to be a problem in last week’s Windows Update turned out to be a targeted hacker attack of WinPatrol data files.
The timing of the attack(Tuesday, Feb 26th at 17:44 PM EST)coincided with a new Windows Update. Many who experienced unusual behavior from WinPatrol had also just updated Java and/or Adobe Flash so they were also included in the list of usual suspects.
While the hackers may have been looking for user passwords, Email addresses or credit card numbers they were able to steal statistical data describing which programs remain popular or unpopular on Windows machines. The data is collected when a WinPatrol user decides to keep or remove a program which has been detected in a critical system location.
Article continued: http://billpstudios.blogspot.com/
ky331
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March 5th, 2013 12:00
WinPatrol®2013 v27.0.2013 has been released.
http://www.winpatrol.com/upgrade.html
http://billpstudios.blogspot.com/2013/03/hackers-steal-winpatrol-data-already.html
On Tuesday, Feb 26th we started to receive reports of WinPatrol crashing anytime someone responded to a change alert message. This failure was originally thought to be related to the Tuesday Windows Update or other companies updating their software.
It turned out to be the result of a hacker trying to obtain WinPatrol data. While our software failed when replying to changes, no data was lost and any changes will still be reported using this new version. At no time was any personal information at risk. No Email, passwords, credit card information was stolen or even available to any kind of attack.
Our new version includes a layer of protection that will discourage any future attacks and crash safely. If an error occurs for any reason, Scotty will continue to be graceful in his behavior so other programs will never at risk of losing work currently in progress.
*New* Automatic Update Notification
The newest feature is one many users have asked about for years. While I'm not a big fan of software that provides automatic updates, making sure everyone knows when a new version of WinPatrol was available makes sense. Our new version will provide notification within a reasonable time and allow users to read about the new version before deciding to install it.
Once notified, WinPatrol won't continue to remind you but it will update the information found under the PLUS tab so when you do want to upgrade it will be an easy option. Having the message on the PLUS tab/screen will also help remind you.
dalem29
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March 21st, 2013 18:00
Recently I downloaded the latest version of WinPatrol and put a pretend name and address since I didn't to give out my real one. Everything seemed to be working fine until a short while ago when I noticed the blue globe Scotty icon was missing from the tray. I went to the notifications area to check on the icon status and noticed it was on "Hide", so changed it to "Show". This has no effect. Then I went to Start>Programs>WinPatrol and pressed on the program line there, again to no effect. Finally I did a restart and that appeared to solve the problem. I have not made any adjustments or changes that would cause this icon to simply disappear.
Once the restart was done and I came to this forum, I noticed that I was signed out. I never sign out of Dell Forums, so not sure what was going on or if it had anything to do with the WinPatrol issue. Other signed in pages or accounts not affected.
Bugbatter
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March 21st, 2013 20:00
Dale, it may not have been related to WP, but more related to Dell's security certificate for the sign-in page that expired today. There was no problem for FF users, but it appears that IE and Chrome users couldn't sign in (or stay signed in?). Nevertheless, it's been fixed so all is well.