Roxio Creator / Macrovision / Update / Vongo

[RayB100]

Is there a way to not install the Automatic Update service from InstallShield/Macrovision that is part of Creator 2009?? Or is there a way to disable the feature?

 

Anybody that has Vongo preinstalled by the computer maker (ie-hp) knows that this auto update feature triggers a Vongo infection from hell.

 

Unless this Automatic Update service feature can be stopped, Vongo will make me remove the Creator 2009. I had to uninstall Nuance/ScanSoft PDFConverter because Vongo launched with that program as well. Please do not say uninstall Vong...you can't.

 

The only way to stop Vongo is to disable InstallShield/Macrovision.

[RayB100]

Thanx for your quick reply. I truly appreciate your thoughtful response. Since you found this link, you either are infected or intimately know about this scourge. I have seen his material. I have already purged each users registry and I have used the Windows Clean Up Utility which also does what he wants on each users registry.

 

That having been said, I think he is wrong when he says 3 hours. I personally know from doing what he suggests that manually removing a couple dozen registry entries from multiple user accounts coupled with reboot times.....take many hours itself.

 

This scourge is consuming. I have months into this. The workarounds have taught me a lot about computers...and corporate America..so it is not al waste. The idea that neither HP, Macrovision, Vongo, Microsoft, Starz, Verizon and to a lesser degree Sonic/Roxio have created a fix is mind boggling.

It is an HP computer

It is the Macrovision Update Service that triggers the problem

It is Vongo software

It is a Microsoft Operating System

Vongo is owned by Starz

Verizon bought Starz

Sonic/Roxio is an a victim/participant because Vongo and Sonic/Roxio are the only two in the Macrovision update camp.

 

I have even gone so far as to create an image of the hard drive during operating system installation, suspended installation, extracted Vongo from the image, reinstalled the revised image, and resume installation. Vongo has a fix, that does not work. PCDecrapifier does not work. etc etc.

 

Vongo is weaved into the operating system.

 

The litmus test for proving true removal has to do with the creation of new user accounts. Once a new user is created, Vongo will reappear. Period.

 

From the level of material on the web of upset folks, an entrepreneurial programmer who truly writes a program that truly works and sells it for 20$ could retire from all the sales.

 

I will not buy another HP product.

 

Back to the problem at hand, Roxio Creator will be another victim of Vongo if I cannot get the Macrovision Automatic Update Service component removed from Creator.

 

Again, I am truly thankful for your response.

 

Any ideas???

[gi7omy]

Actually - you can uninstall it, but it can be a bit time consuming

 

Try this:

 

THE FOLLOWING HAS ONLY BEEN TESTED ON WIN2K and WIN XP... Note: making changes to registry should only be done by Sys Admin's or someone who knows a little bit about Windows.

 

Go to the Start menu and then to the Run command. In the Run command dialog box type "regedit".... This will launch the windows registry editor. The editor window will be broken down into 2 panes. The 1st pane on the left works like windows explorer and shows the current folder you are in. The 2nd pane (right-side) show the current file you are editing. In the 1st pane (left-side) click on the "MY COMPUTER" icon. Once the "MY COMPUTER" icon is highlighted click on the "edit" menu and choose "FIND" or type ctrl-f to launch the "FIND" or "SEARCH" menu. In the "FIND WHAT" dialog box type "VONGO" without the Parentheses. Now hit "ENTER" or click "FIND NEXT". This will search the windows registry for anything that has the word "VONGO" in it. Once you find an entry hit the "DELETE" key to remove the entry. Now, keep searching the registry by hitting the "F3" key to search for the next entry. When you find the next key hit "DELETE" and then "F3" to find the next entry. Keep deleting and searching until you get the dialog box that says "Windows has finished searching the registry". There are roughly 20 to 25 entries that have to be removed, so it will take you a while. After all the entries are removed close the registry editor and reboot your computer. NOTE #2: If there are multiple user accounts on the computer you will have to follow this process for each user.

 

Also, read this

http://www.chezlark.com/?p=892

 

 

This as well (to stop it running)

 

Note: This is on a system that has not actually *used* the Vongo software.

 

1 - Boot into Safe Mode using the F8 key

2 - Start > Run > msconfig

3 - Under Services tab, unchecked Vongo

4 - Rebooted, ignoring the usual nag dialog about disabled startup items. Just tick the box not to show that again

5 - Rebooted into Safe Mode, used SafeMSI to enable the Add/Remove programs feature

6 - Uninstalled Vongo

7 - Rebooted, ignoring the usual nag dialog about disabled startup items

8 - Start > Run > regedit

9 - Exported a Full Backup of the registry

10 - Searched the registry for all "vongo" items, deleted same (4 items)

11 - Searched the registry for all "starz" items, found none

12 - Ran the Windows Installer Cleanup Utility, found no vongo items (msicuu from Microsoft)