Johnny M!

Recap and Final Thoughts on this Subject Thread: "CCleaner hangs when program is first initiated" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - CCleaner and Windows Defender (real-time active Anti-Spyware application) played together nicely on my XP Machine(s) for many years - NO Problems. - In the March thru May 2010 Time Frame (CCleaner versions high 2.20s and low 2.30s) something changed: CCleaner started to open only after a 3 to 5 second delay. - Troubleshooting verified that Windows Defender and CCleaner were interacting in some problematic fashion that was causing the opening Delay (see my previous post this thread). - Here is what recently (June 2010) solved the problem: -- Uninstalled Windows Defender and Avira AntiVir -- Installed Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) to replace both functions (Single Application providing Free Anti-Malware: both Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware). -- CCleaner (now version 2.32.1165) opens instantaneously. -- OK Problem Fixed ! Thanks to all CCleaner Forum Posters for their help on this topic BVR Johnny M! PS: To Microsoft Windows Defender, MS Windows XP and CCleaner Programmers: Hope you guys keep an eye on these User Forums. We find the Bugs and count on you to Fix them !!!!!!

Monday 10-May ------------- Hi All ! Thank you to everyone helping track down the cause and develop a solution to this problem (CCleaner opening Slowly) !!! This malady seems to affect people sporting Windows XP and running Windows Defender along with CCleaner; (why they are affecting each other now is a mystery - I've run them together for two or three years with no Problems). I tried excluding Windows Defender Folder in (under) Program Files from CCleaner - unfortunately for me; that didn't help ! Here is what did HELP: - Open Windows Defender - Tools (Main Menu Bar) - Options - Under Options: Real Time Protection Options - Choose which security agents you want to run - UN-CHECK (the Check Box) "Application Execution" !!! SEE attached Screen Shots !!! Windows Defender is scanning CCleaner system actions while CCleaner is opening. This must take a few seconds - thus the delay ! After Windows Defendre ascertains that CCleaner is not Malware - it allows it to open and function as per normal ! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Here is another strategy for fixing this problem: Ditch Windows Defender and install the FREE Microsoft Security Essentials (formerly the pay-for MS One Care Live). Windows Defender functionality is absorbed by Security Essentials and thus - they are Mutually Exclusive. If you try to install Security Essential (without uninstalling Defender); Security Essentials will disable Windows Defender. Note: You shouldn't run more than one Anti-Virus Active Real Time Scanner at the same Time. So for me, that would mean uninstalling my current Avira AntiVir (active Anti-Virus application) and uninstalling Windows Defender - then installing Microsoft Security Essentials. Hopefully - MS Security Essentials is compatible with CCleaner - can anyone out there confirm or deny ???????? BVR Johnny M!

Windows Defender is the Culprit ! The Way CCleaner interacts with Windows Defender is causing CCleaner to open slower that normal (Once Open - CCleaner works just Fine!) ! So now we know why CCleaner is opening slowly - but does anyone know how to fix this without disabling Windows Defender ???? Like I said - I've run CCleaner and Windows Defender (in Active Real Time Scanning Mode) for Three Years with no Problems until Recently ! If anyone has a solution - I'm sure every user of both applications would love to learn about it ! THANX !! BVR Johnny M!

Dear HazelNut and DennisD, Thanks for the Advice - Here are my Results: SAFE Mode (Booting into): I know this disables most (unnecessary) hardware Drivers; allowing you to troubleshoot a non-cooperative machine sometimes. I hadn't really considered Safe Mode because I couldn't remember updating any Drivers (MS Update or Manually). But then I remembered that I did update ATI Catalyst Control Center & Video Drivers! So I gave SAFE Mode a try - but unfortunately: that DIDN'T fix the Problem. Disabling Auto-Start Programs (in msconfig.exe): OK - maybe we are on to something here. I hadn't considered this before because all 4 of my auto start programs have been configured that way for a year (No Changes). But CCleaner isn't opening normally so it sure is worth trying ! I had 4 Programs automatically enabled at Boot: - Avira AntiVir (Active Real-Time Malware Scanner) - Windows Defender (MASCUI) (Active Real-Time Spy-ware Scanner) - Acronis True Image (a schedule help file: schedhlp) - Zone Alarm Firewall So I disabled them all and started rebooting: - With all 4 Disabled: CCleaner opened just Fine - No Delay !!! The culprit must be one of the them !!!!!!!!! I'll enable one by one and see who the troublemaker is! - Start with Zone Alarm Only: CCleaner opened just Fine - No Delay !!! The culprit must be one of the other three! - With Zone Alarm and Windows Defender: BAD BAD BAD ! The opening Delay is Back (I think we know who the bad actor is) - Zone Alarm & Avira AntiVir: CCleaner opened just Fine - No Delay !!! - Zone Alarm & Avira AntiVir & Acroni schedhlp: CCleaner opened just Fine - No Delay !!! (Tested DSL Modem Connected and Disconnected) Both OK - Reconfigured to start all 4 (including the suspect Windows Defender): BAD BAD BAD ! The opening Delay is Back (I think we know who the bad actor is for Sure) ! OK - we know the trouble is with Windows Defender !!! My Thoughts: - Windows Defender and CCleaner played together nicely for two or three years before this Spring - So what Changed ???? - Either Windows Defender changed (it is often updated by Microsoft Update) - Or the way CCleaner interacts with Windows Defender has changed in recent versions ! I trying excluding Windows Defender Program Folder (Applications - Options - Exclude), but to no Avail ! CCleaner still opened slowly as long as Windows Defender was running ! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ OK Microsoft and Piriform: Let's figure out how to play together nicely ! Now you know the problem ! I'm looking forward to a future remedy ! Thanks ! BVR Johnny M!

Saturday 8 May 2010 --------------------- This is also a reply to a previous Post (same Subject) I decided to additionally post this as a New Thread to get fresh eyes and minds back on this problem and possible remedy! Any and all Help Appreciated (in Advance!) ! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hey kd5 - Back to your original Post! http://forum.piriform.com/index.php?showtopic=27487 Subject: CCleaner "hangs" by opening very slowly after you command it to execute (open). You summarized the problem perfectly ! And it (the identical problem) has plagued me for the exact same time period (since March this year - 2010). Exactly what you noted: - Recent CCleaner versions (last few iterations) open very slowly after double-clicking the shortcut (I've used CCleaner for two or three years and this problem is a new one). - In my case, there is a start-up delay (CCleaner Main Window to display) of approximately 5 to 7 seconds (an eternity when computing - especially for such a lean & mean application). - If I open CCleaner again fairly soon after the delayed attempt - it pops open quickly (as per past normal operation); like you surmised: a possible memory problem on initial load? - The only other program modifications that I can correlate with the CCleaner opening delay problem is the several new iterations of Firefox Browser (new 3.5 & 3.6 versions) that I have upgraded to; but when I exclude Firefox (in Applications - Options - Exclude) it doesn't Help: Same slow opening ! - I've uninstalled and reinstalled CCleaner multiple times using multiple techniques (including command prompt and with hard reboots in-between attempts): still no luck fixing ! I'm a very experienced computer enthusiast with a Computer Technical Degree & A+ Cert. I've put a lot of brain bytes on this problem, and spent a lot of time trouble-shooting and surfing for a solution; but as yet - the problem lives and breathes. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I have a fairly current clean & lean machine that I keep immaculately free from Malware, and constantly updated in a very aggressive & timely fashion: - XP Pro, Ubuntu 10.04 and a MS Server 2008 VM (in Sun/Oracle VirtualBox) - Gigabyte P45 MOBO - Intel E8500 Wolfdale (Core 2 Duo) - 4GB G-Skill DDR2 1066 PC8500 RAM - Sapphire ATI Radeon HD Toxic 4850 - 300GB WD Veloci-Raptor and 1 TB Seagate Barracuda - Malware Order of Battle: -- Active: Avira AntiVir, Windows Defender, Zone Alarm Firewall, DSL Modem Firewall. -- Passive (Manual): SpyBot Search & Destroy, MalwareBytes Anti-Malware, Rootkit Revealer. - Active Startup Processes (with nothing open) in the mid 20's on Task Manager(so I certainly don't allow a lot of junk to run in the background). So I concur with "kd5" - the Problem is very real and the fix - Very Elusive ! Hoping the great Piriform/CCleaner Tech guys & Coders are reading this). Standing by for a fix ! BVR Johnny M!

Saturday 8 May 2010 --------------------- Hey kd5 - Back to your original Post! Subject: CCleaner "hangs" by opening very slowly after you command it to execute (open). You summarized the problem perfectly ! And it (the identical problem) has plagued me for the exact same time period (since March this year - 2010). Exactly what you noted: - Recent CCleaner versions (last few iterations) open very slowly after double-clicking the shortcut (I've used CCleaner for two or three years and this problem is a new one). - In my case, there is a start-up delay (CCleaner Main Window to display) of approximately 5 to 7 seconds (an eternity when computing - especially for such a lean & mean application). - If I open CCleaner again fairly soon after the delayed attempt - it pops open quickly (as per past normal operation); like you surmised: a possible memory problem on initial load? - The only other program modifications that I can correlate with the CCleaner opening delay problem is the several new iterations of Firefox Browser (new 3.5 & 3.6 versions) that I have upgraded to; but when I exclude Firefox (in Applications - Options - Exclude) it doesn't Help: Same slow opening ! - I've uninstalled and reinstalled CCleaner multiple times using multiple techniques (including command prompt and with hard reboots in-between attempts): still no luck fixing ! I'm a very experienced computer enthusiast with a Computer Technical Degree & A+ Cert. I've put a lot of brain bytes on this problem, and spent a lot of time trouble-shooting and surfing for a solution; but as yet - the problem lives and breathes. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I have a fairly current clean & lean machine that I keep immaculately free from Malware, and constantly updated in a very aggressive & timely fashion: - XP Pro, Ubuntu 10.04 and a MS Server 2008 VM (in Sun/Oracle VirtualBox) - Gigabyte P45 MOBO - Intel E8500 Wolfdale (Core 2 Duo) - 4GB G-Skill DDR2 1066 PC8500 RAM - Sapphire ATI Radeon HD Toxic 4850 - 300GB WD Veloci-Raptor and 1 TB Seagate Barracuda - Malware Order of Battle: -- Active: Avira AntiVir, Windows Defender, Zone Alarm Firewall, DSL Modem Firewall. -- Passive (Manual): SpyBot Search & Destroy, MalwareBytes Anti-Malware, Rootkit Revealer. - Active Startup Processes (with nothing open) in the mid 20's on Task Manager(so I certainly don't allow a lot of junk to run in the background). So I concur with "kd5" - the Problem is very real and the fix - Very Elusive ! Hoping the great Piriform/CCleaner Tech guys & Coders are reading this). Standing by for a fix ! BVR Johnny M!