Filehippo

A Guy · 18 Jul 2010

I'm wondering if something isn't preventing it from starting. Perhaps a firewall or antivirus? When you open the application manually, do you get a prompt from UAC to allow that action? You have the checker installed correct? Not the stand alone exe that doesn't install, but just runs when you click on it? When you installed it, did you right click on the installer and click on run as administrator?

Stand Alone

It may be if you try the stand alone it will work by either the start with windows method, or the startup folder method.

A Guy

cestode · 18 Jul 2010

I looked at the Windows Firewall and update checker was not listed as an allowed program. I added it. It is still not listed in Task Manager nor does the hippo appear in the notification area.

When I open Filehippo manually a get a UAC prompt.

I mentioned previously that in XP Filehippo worked well. But that was with F Secure as antivirus. With Windows 7 I have installed AVG Free, Is there a way of temporarily disabling AVG or do I have to uninstall it to see if therein lies the problem?

A Guy · 18 Jul 2010

It's possible this is a UAC issue...I'm unsure whether a program that requires UAC to start, will ask for permission when set to start with windows (unlike some others, I have other active protection and have UAC off, which I don't reccommend to others not similarly protected). It may be that installing the checker as run as admin might help. To turn off AVG, just right click the AVG tray icon... then select Quit AVG. Restart to turn it back on again. A Guy

whs · 18 Jul 2010

If you want to protect your system, get rid of AVG asap. It does not work. We used to have it on 6 systems and all got heavily infected. Install MSE instead.

A Guy · 18 Jul 2010

whs said:

If you want to protect your system, get rid of AVG asap. It does not work. We used to have it on 6 systems and all got heavily infected. Install MSE instead.

Never used AVG myself, so this sounds like great advice from experience :)

A Guy

cestode · 18 Jul 2010

I have removed AVG and re-installed F Secure - recommended by IT staff at my old employment. Thanks for that advice whs.

You may be right A Guy about UAC. I altered the slider on the user account settings to the lowest setting and Filehippo ran at start up. Obviously I returned the setting to the default one as I need protection. The hippo icon did not appear in the notification area though.

Although I appreciate your help, you have all spent far too much time on this. I'll just run Filehippo manually once a week.

One last thing. F Secure has its own Firewall. Should I leave the Windows 7 Firewall on or turn it off. I seem to remember reading once that having two firewalls on led to conflict

whs · 18 Jul 2010

Yeah, keep only one firewall. Usually an OEM AV program shuts the Windows firewall off. But you may want to check that. I am not familiar with F-Secure and how it does it. I would think that either firewall is ok - especially if you work thru a router which usually has the best firewall protection on top of the software firewalls.

severedsolo · 18 Jul 2010

Well if it is a UAC issue, there is a very easy fix,

Go Start>Programs
Right click Startup and then Click "Open" or "Explore"
In the window that opens, make a shortcut to override UAC: Elevated Program Shortcut without UAC Prompt - Create

I had exactly the same problem myself with Peerblock, it just refused to run at startup. (Im guessing its a security feature, as alot of Malware tries to run on Startup before your AV has kicked in)

cestode · 18 Jul 2010

Many thanks severedsolo
I'll try it later today and post back
thanks too for firewall comment whs

Sympatico · 18 Jul 2010

whs said:

That is not a bad idea. Just make sure you run Secunia either manually or as a scheduled task as Sympatico suggests. Else it can be somewhat a pain in the neck.

To each their own, as they say. Seeing as how I have very few actual installed progs that will need updating (once bought, door locked), and the ones I do have soon shout up and let me know when updates are available, PSI suits me. But I have used FH in the past, and may well do in the future, just all depends on what s'ware I have installed.
Would be nice if someone came up with a catch-all. But that'll never happen. Look how integrated M$ and Adobe are!! Its like conjoined twins who hate each other!!