Solved Unknown Environemnt variable found UD_DISABLE_USAGE-TRACKING

[amethystina]

I was just completing an upgrade of my system when I noticed an item I had not noticed before (but was probably present before the upgrade, I just had not checked these variables for some time).

Under Environment Variables, in the user variable section I have 3 items.

The first 2 are the stand definitions for TEMP and TMP.

The third is UD_DISABLE_USAGE_TRACKING with a value of 1

Google returned 0 results for this string (which is VERY unusual), so I wondered if anyone might know what it is for or how it got there?

Thanx

 

[Golden]

It may be a "Do Not Track" flag set by a browser, but I would be surprised for it to be stored as an environment variable. It may be set by your antivirus/internet security package?

I think it is more likely it was set in Microsoft Management Console.
Microsoft Management Console - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[amethystina]

It may be a "Do Not Track" flag set by a browser, but I would be surprised for it to be stored as an environment variable. It may be set by your antivirus/internet security package?

I would agree that is a possibility, and I have set do not track in Firefox, but why has nobody else in the world (as defined by Google) ever questioned this variable? That is what puzzles me.

 

[Golden]

I actually don't think it was the browser for that reason. Check your Comodo suite and MMC.

 

[amethystina]

Check your Comodo suite and MMC.

I having been doing further research, and it is possible that it came from an NVIDIA software installer for Solaris!

I remember that I reloaded my GPU driver (Gigabyte 750 GTX) but that it failed on the first attempt, but worked on the second. I was working from the CD that came with the hardware, so it seems that NVIDIA must just have one CD for every installation it ever does - and somehow it picked the wrong one. But how a Solaris program inserted an environment variable into Windows has me baffled. So I am not convinced, but Solaris is the only software that I can find that uses the "UD_" string.

If anyone has a better explanation I would really appreciate it,

 

[PlatypusKnight]

I use Comodo. I'll check my Environment variables and report back. (On Win 8 as I browse this and still haven't figured out the virtual machine thing).

 

[Callender]

UltraDefrag

Seems to be related to UltraDefrag. I used this software previously but currently it's not installed. Possibly it has something to do with auto update checks for UltraDefrag.

If you like you can run Path Manager 2.3

Run as admin (right click)

Check all boxes and select username in the dropdown list. Check out what it finds. Double click the UD_DISABLE_USAGE_TRACKING entry and see if it's location opens in Explorer.

Note: Don't make any changes unless you are 100% sure that paths are invalid.

 

[PlatypusKnight]

Good call Callender.

I run Comodo on Win 7 but not on Win 8.
I ran this little program and it doesn't say what UD_DISABLE_USAGE_TRACKING is linked to but it does say Ultra Defrag has a variable called: UD_INSTALL_DIR.

 

[PlatypusKnight]

I do remember when installing UltraDefrag that it asks whether it is allowed to track usage. Presumably, like me, @amethystina declined to allow UltraDefrag to track usage.

I looked through the UltraDefrag setting but I can't locate that setting to change it without a re-install apparently.
http://www.sevenforums.com/members/amethystina.html

 

[Callender]

UltraDefrag handbook

Quote from the UltraDefrag handbook:

/DISABLE_USAGE_TRACKING=(0|1)
Enable or disable tracking the usage of UltraDefrag. Example: /DISABLE_USAGE_TRACKING=1 disables usage tracking.
Usage tracking is done by accessing a simple text file on the UltraDefrag home page.

UltraDefrag Handbook: Installation - 7.0.0

I also run Comodo CIS and there's no trace of that entry on my machine.

 

[Callender]

UltraDefrag install options

So I just installed UltraDefrag for test purposes.

Install options:



If you tick the checkbox to disable usage tracking you get the environment variable

 

[PlatypusKnight]

Good job Callender. I would say we can mark this as solved if the OP ever shows up again.

 

[PlatypusKnight]

Just out of curiosity how come you don't run Win 8?

 

[Callender]

Windows 8

Just out of curiosity how come you don't run Win 8?

I use Win 7 as it the machine that has "Stereo Mix" - not that I use it much! Also having spent a couple of years customizing and tweaking things to my liking I don't fancy starting afresh with a new OS.

Having said that, I will seriously be considering switching to Windows 10. I've run both Windows 8 and Windows 10 in a VM. I also use various Linux distros at times. I prefer Windows for day to day stuff.

 

[PlatypusKnight]

I just switched and I'm loving it. Only booted back to 7 once, and only because I can't get one program to run.

Win 8.1 (as I run it with the IDT High Definition Codec) has Stereo Mix.
There's almost no difference that I can discern, except it's faster, more stable, and uses less resources. I never use the "modern apps" and never see them. Boots right . . .

Ahh I don't know why I'm doing that. I'm really not trying to convert you.

I don't have many programs installed, and I have all my media etc on a separate partition, so making the switch was relatively painless--if you consider 3 days of updates and installs painless. I did lose one of the few games I play, but meh. I'd already beat it, all I was doing now was collecting Riddler trophies once a month or so.

What's so special about Win 10?

 

[Callender]

Windows 10

Nothing special about it but it like the ability to switch between Start Menu and Start Screen. I think GregRocker's post explains why 10 would be a better option than 8.

So I've made some changes to Windows 7 and can use a portable Metro style Explorer if I want to use it. I also a Metro Style windows photo viewer and at the weekend I downloaded Windows 10 Start Menu for Windows 7 but couldn't get a few of my pinned shortcuts to work so gave up on it and uninstalled it!

I like to disable fancy effects and stick with the classic shell although I hear there are moves to block classic shell. Last time I checked there was still a workaround and it could be installed with a little effort.

Windows 7 support is winding down so it makes sense to upgrade. A free Windows 10 is tempting.

 

[PlatypusKnight]

Nothing special about it but it like the ability to switch between Start Menu and Start Screen.

I run a dual monitor setup. I installed Start Menu Reviver from Reviversoft.
I set my big monitor as default and Start Menu Reviver places a Start Menu, almost like the Win 7 Start menu right in the bottom left where I expect it, and Windows keeps the Start Screen Shortcut in the bottom left of the smaller monitor. So on the rare occasion I want to use the Start Screen I can. I mostly only do that to check the weather, and see what other widgets I can install.

Most everything else is handled just like Win 7.

I like to disable fancy effects and stick with the classic shell although I hear there are moves to block classic shell. Last time I checked there was still a workaround and it could be installed with a little effort.

Windows 7 support is winding down so it makes sense to upgrade. A free Windows 10 is tempting.

Ditto on the Classic shell (desktop view). My setup is so utilitarian it's almost spare. One of the reasons I'm on 7 forums. Get new utilities, better ways of doing stuff I do. Thanks for the app your recommended in this thread by the way.

I notice most people have hundreds of installed programs. I have less than 100.
I take that back. I just checked. Revo says I have 72.

Considering how much greg raved about it, I may try to download and install the Windows 10 preview. More likely I'll just wait until MS releases it. If they do release it for free sign me right up. Win 8.1 made a believer out of me. I really don't understand what all the fuss was about. It's more or less just like 7, but better. That said, I didn't have to deal with the Win 8 problems, or the Start Screen being forced down my throat so. . .

 

[amethystina]

Sorry for the very belated response - I had rather given up on finding a meaningful answer and so never checked if anything further was added to the thread (I also assumed I would get an email informing me of new posts as happened on the 2 earlier responses - as a first time poster, I am not sure how the system works).

Anyway, I do use Ultradefrag - so that is undoubtedly the cause.

Great job Callender, I would not have found that because I only use Ultradefrag very rarely, and had uninstalled it some time ago. The reason that the environment variable was still have been present is that my system was badly damaged in a lightning strike a month ago, but since all the disks were OK, I just replaced the MOBO, RAM, GPU and PSU then said a prayer and booted up the 'new' PC as I has upgraded from a 1155 chipset to 1150. After load the new MOBO drivers, all I had to do was reactivate Windows. Everything else worked - which surprised me. So I was just doing a through check of the system when I found this strange environment variable. Technically, I had never loaded Ultradefrag onto this machine - it was just a left-over on the disk.

Always nice to know how something got there.

Thanx to Callender and PlatypusKnight for solving this one