UVK Doesn't Survive Reboot

[zbmowrey]

I'm probably doing something wrong, and if so I'd love to know so I can correct course.

Win 8.1 X64 Fully Updated
UVK Portable 6.6.2.3 beta

Preparation: UVK Folder on desktop with uvksr, key, and ini files in place. Shortcut on desktop.

Steps to replicate:

1. Add adwcleaner to the top list
2. Add TDSSkiller to the top list after adwcleaner
3. Check the Use unattended mode box
4. Run fixes

Expected behavior: UVK runs the adwcleaner routine, which will prompt for a reboot after cleaning. Upon rebooting the PC, UVK will auto-run and continue the defined cleaning process.

Problem: UVK does not run after a PC reboot for adwcleaner. Also, manually running UVK after the reboot does not load the uvksr file. There is no UVK-Reboot file in the UVK folder or on the desktop.

[Fred]

Hi zbmowrey. Thanks for reporting this bug.

I think I know why it is happening. The logged on user when you ran the fixes is a non admin user, right? It's the default user type in Windows vista+.

I'm going to try to fix that issue and release a new beta today, so you can try that out.

In the meantime, if you have a "*Continue system repair" runonce entry for the built in Administrator, please remove it and post back. You can see it in the Autorun manager. Click List settings, and set UVK to show autorun entries for the Administrator user, or for all users.

Thanks.

Fred

[Fred]

OK, new beta uploaded. The issue should now be fixed. The system repair operation should now continue the next time the same user logs in.

[zbmowrey]

I should have specified - this account is an administrator.

Just to be sure, I ran the immunization and made sure all boxes are unchecked. I'm sure this isn't the issue, as I've recently installed software and had it succesfully autorun, but it can't hurt to verify.

Running the new beta now.

[zbmowrey]

The issue isn't resolved yet - there is no autoruns entry for UVK created when the script runs.

Could be something on this PC - I will have an opportunity to test on several others today, and will do so.

Possibilities I'm considering, but won't be able to test until late tonight --- emsisoft anti-malware might be blocking the autorun addition --- have to run now, will check later.

[Fred]

OK, thanks zbmowrey.

Before running the selected fixes/apps, UVK creates a runonce entry named "*Continue system repair", in the current user's registry hive. If UVK runs all the fixes/apps the registry entry is deleted. Otherwise, the autorun entry will launch UVK after reboot, and the repair operation will continue in the next fix/app.

Just so you know how it works. It should help you to figure it out.

[zbmowrey]

That poses an interesting question, which I will answer with testing in the morning.

The setup I ran for testing purposes was Adwcleaner followed by Rkill. It's possible that the Adwcleaner reboot occurs just a fraction of a second *after* UVK launches the Rkill process... meaning UVK would kill the runonce entry right before the reboot.

Too tired now... but first thing tomorrow I'll iron it out.

[Vicelord]

since the new release uvk doesn't survive reboot, i've tested it on different pc's, does not work anymore.

[Fred]

Vicelord, I found some bugs in the reboot continue repair feature. UVK was only creating the autorun entry if there were items checked in the "Third party builtin scans" or the "Custom third party apps" groups. I assume now you're using the "Top apps and fixes" group. The continue repair wasn't working for that group. Can you confirm that?

[Vicelord]

i can confirm this yes, i've not used the third party section in the latest version

[Xander]

since the new release uvk doesn't survive reboot, i've tested it on different pc's, does not work anymore.

Just did my first test on this on my XP laptop, running a script with a few basic built-in scans. 1/3 through, ADWcleaner rebooted and UVK didn't start back up. Admin-rights user, incidentally

Is there a command that needs to be included to make sure that RebootExec is called into play?

[Fred]

No, rebootexec is called from a shortcut created in the current user's startup folder. The shortcut's name is "Continue system repair". Then rebootexec launches UVK, so the UAC can pop up. I just tested that feature, and it's working fine. If UVK is not launched after rebooting, the shortcut was probably deleted by ADWcleaner or the installed AV software.

[Xander]

At what point does the shortcut get placed in the startup folder? I just started a simple script and have the folder open to watch. There's no AV on this laptop.

Like I said, this is using a script in the Run Script window but I assume that should be no different than running a script by any other method.

Aha! Ran a sequence in System Repair

and a shortcut showed there before it rebooted. I did have to create my own Reboot action (shutdown /r /t 1 + ->Sleep(10000) ... there's probably a cleaner way to do that but (edit), after posting, I even tried them as separate actions) but the command immediately (avastBC) following it was lost by the reboot itself.
(ADWcleaner in both System Repair and as <adwcleaner> updates but then opens up the download page on subsequent runs).

So, if we're running a script (and not using System Repair), and that script will be needing to reboot during its process, what is the method to force UVK to load after?

[Charger440]

UVK sometimes still does not survive reboot for me either. It works better now than it used to but it's not completely right. You said AV ore a spyware tool could be clearing it so, what about using a system hook to monitor for the system shutdown signal and then see if what ever run command is still there?

[Fred]

Xander, the "Continue repair after reboot" feature is only available in the System repair section. It is not currently implemented for UVK scripts. If you're running a script, and the computer reboots, you will have to manually run the same script after reboot, and strip out the part that was already executed. that can be done directly in the "Run scripts" text box so you don't have to make changes to the original script.

and a shortcut showed there before it rebooted. I did have to create my own Reboot action (shutdown /r /t 1 + ->Sleep(10000) ... there's probably a cleaner way to do that but (edit), after posting, I even tried them as separate actions) but the command immediately (avastBC) following it was lost by the reboot itself.

That's quite normal. The repair operation is continued in the fix/ app immediately below the last one executed before the reboot. if you specified the shutdown /r /t 1 command (reboot 1 second after the command), when the reboot took place UVK was already in the Avast BC app, so it continued in the MBAM scan.

The reboot survival is a very hard to code feature, and it took me months to make it work more or less well. If for some reason it doesn't work after the reboot, go to the UVK's install folder, and look for a UVKSR file named ContinueRepair_UserName. Run that script, and your repair operation should continue.