Starting Homeseer Brings Up Windows Installer

[BraveSirRobbin]

I'm having a problem now whenever I try to start Homeseer in it brings up the "Windows Installer" screen and is asking me to insert the Homeseer Install Disk.

This occured after I did two things to my Homeseer machine (all else had been running great for many months until then):

First: I installed Counterspy spyware software, did the updates and ran a scan. FYI, it did find a keylogger spyware program that both AdAware and SpyBot missed.

I don't think this was the problem because I rebooted the machine after installing this program and Homeseer started fine (I have Homeseer start whenever the machine starts).

Then I thought I would do my "usual" maintenance and update my Norton Antivirus by clicking on its icon in the system tray and then clicking on "Live Update". It said that I needed to update some sort of "client" (can't remember the exact name). I did the live update then it asked me to re-boot my machine. This is when the problem started.

I can click on "cancel" when it brings up the windows installer box, but it just reappears. After clicking cancel multiple times Homeseer finally starts, but not correctly as the webserver and Main Lobby plugins are not loaded correctly (among other things).

I uninstalled CounterSpy and rebooted the machine with the same results.

I'm starting to think it is more the Norton Antivirus update that caused this.

I always make sure this (and my other machines) have the latest windows updates and run a virus scan one a week. I also run the two spyware programs I mentioned above at least once a week.

Luckily I had a backup (a month old, but not many changes made to the system since then) and restored the machine and all is well, but I am really concerned about this and thought I would ask for help and see if anyone else had this problem.

I am running the latest version of Homeseer on a dedicated Windows XP machine. I've never had a problem like this before. I am running last years version of Norton Antivirus.

Thanks for any suggestions or advice!

 

[electron]

You had a keylogger installed on your system? Do you remember the name/path? I haven't seen spyware yet which actually logs every single keystroke. As for the installer, I believe it automatically kicks in when a component has been removed/modified.

 

[jrfuda]

I have NAV autoupdating and haven't had any problems yet.

I downloaded the MIcrosoft Anti-Spyware Beta a few weeks ago and it's been working great. It's very robust for a free program. I also run SpyBot Search and Destroy manual scans routinely - I think these three running together make for rather robust protection. (NAV looks for spyware during scans, but not in real time, Spybot looks during scans, and the Microsoft product does both).

Perhaps the keylogger had somehow associated itself with some HS file that makes Windows think it's not installed properly.

If this happens again, try this:

Could you run HS at all? If not, could you run the HS updater program from the HS directory? If so, go to updates and check the HS version you have (release or beta) and have it reinstall HS. It will leave all your configurations, plugins, etc. intact, so it won't hurt anything.

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

Thanks for the replies.

Yes, there was a Keylogger spyware it found that both AdAware and SpyBot missed. Can't remember the name.

John: I might try that, but a little nervous getting myself in trouble again and not having HS functioning (you know, that WAF thing!!). Thanks for replying though.

I'll give this some thought and see what else shakes down from this post (I posted this over at HS Fourms also, you can view this post HERE)

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

FYI: CounterSpy also found a keylogger in my wife's PC (again both AdAware and SpyBot missed it). Sorry I can't remember the name as I did this all (very) late last night.

 

[electron]

Well a keylogger is a pretty serious issue, so next time try to catch the name of it so we can track how you got it. I also suggest you install some backup software which takes nightly backups of your system. I use Acronis to backup my system drive every night, and my homeseer partition to another drive as well.

 

[JeffCharger]

BSR, I found the same thing as you did. I installed CounterSpy, and when I attempted to start HS it popped into the install. It completed successfully and now all seems fine. I think CounterSpy removed some element of HS thinking it was dangerous.

 

[electron]

That's why I wanted to know what keylogger this would be, as something that serious would be detected by AdAware as well, so I also think it removed a valid file.

 

[alexeck]

CounterSpy is a very powerful and aggressive antispyware program that will remove most, if not all of the spyware on an infected machine. Occasionally it might mis-flag a part of a legitimate component as a piece of spyware, although we work very hard to make sure this doesn't happen.

I'm not familiar with Homeseer's install package, but there is a possibility that CounterSpy may have mis-flagged a component of the program. The reason is that many pieces of spyware use the same components as legitimate programs, and the scanning engine may be decieved by a common component, thinking its part of a piece of a keylogger, etc. Again, this is something we do test rigorously for, but things do slip by.

As part of the diagnostic routine for fixing this problem, I would run the CounterSpy Quarantine and bring back that keylogger you found. It may be a component for Homeseer. If you need help doing this, call the CounterSpy support team toll-free at 888-688-8457, or [email protected]

If that doesn' fix it, then it wasn't a CounterSpy problem.

In that case, a reinstall of Homeseer would likely solve the problem. If a reinstall doesn't solve it, but Homeseer uses MSI (the Microsoft Installer), you could run a program like the MSI Fix Uility (http://www.mshelpwiki.com/index.php?page=MsiFix). It is very brute force but will fix any install issues with MSI files.

Alex Eckelberry
Sunbelt Software (makers of CounterSpy)

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

Alex:

Thanks for the reply. I understand the situation now, but didn't late last night when I was desperately trying to get my system back on line.

I did a restore of a backup file I had and uninstalled CounterSpy. I understand your explanation and proposed resolutions, but to be honest, I'm a little apprehensive to reinstall the product again.

Let me think about this a little.

Thanks again for the reply.

Regards,

BSR

 

[BraveSirRobbin]

I also suggest you install some backup software which takes nightly backups of your system. I use Acronis to backup my system drive every night, and my homeseer partition to another drive as well.

I agree E. I have been wanting to get the details of how you set this up off of you for a while and never got around to it.

Do you have time to post a quick "How-to"?

 

[kyham]

I have the same problem after running CounterSpy.

The modules are all CS*.OCX and seem to be part of a system by Catalyst Corp and were aimed for Year 2000 compliance.

Looks like it might be something in HS that used the product.

I have a HS help problem #4200 submitted.

 

[electron]

The catalyst OCX files provide winsock connectivity, so maybe some of the plugins are using this to connect to external services (or the HS webserver itself).

 

[siliconmelt]

You think this maybe a attempt of someone trying to break HS webserver security?

I keep mine locked down from my router and only open its port when I need it.

 

[kyham]

Could just be that either HS or plugins are using the functions. The OCX files have a late 1998-1999 date on them.

I have HS help #4200 submitted and notified them to check the HS General Discussion forum.

Also notified CounterSpy tech support and advised them to check the HS forum as well.

Seems like there are quite a few HS users with the same problem.

I don't think it is an attempt to hack into HS. I have my HS available 24/7 and users can even control most of the lights and fans and a couple video cameras.