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New Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 8/24/2006 7:13 PM
Posts: 4, Visits: 4 |
| tweakers:
most ms works programs have an option to disable the automatic startup program (WKDetect.exe). i have pored through the Word options and i cannot find how to turn this off. anyone know a tweak to keep this pesky program from going into my startup every time i use Word? thanks ahead of time. |
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Senior Forum Advisor
Group: Senior Advisor
Last Login: 8/13/2007 4:08 PM
Posts: 755, Visits: 5 |
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Hey chesh!
MS recreates the "Microsoft Works Update Detection" key next boot every time you kill it or a spyware prog kills it, and simply deleting the WkDetect executable that tries to phone home every boot just produces a boot error and prolly a tiny boot slowdown (I dunno, cuz my boot's way under 30 secs anyway). It's not even good to kill Net access for the file with your firewall, cuz the file's going to keeeeeeeeeep trying and generating errors.
Easy workaround: I've got several background resident progs I want to run all the time and start at every boot: a transparent bg clock, a screensaver switch, a hotkey controller, etc. They consume nothing, but they make life easier.
I put the exe for one of these in the MS Works folder, rename WkDetect.exe WkSpy.exe, and rename my executable WkDetect.exe. Every boot, the reg key causes the exe to run, my program starts, there is no search delay or error generated, and everybody's happy, but nothing gets to phone home.
Oh, and set your spyware progs to ignore the key and the executable. They can't use the Net anymore.
It would be great if somebuddy here found an OFF switch for us, but I've hunted as hard as you have, and I can't find one anywhere. My workaround works for Works.
Wisewiz
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New Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 8/24/2006 7:13 PM
Posts: 4, Visits: 4 |
| | thanks wiz! pretty comprehensive. |
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Senior Forum Advisor
Group: Senior Advisor
Last Login: 8/13/2007 4:08 PM
Posts: 755, Visits: 5 |
| YahBut:
Did you try it? If you need a suggestion for a tiny background op you can run from a file named WkDetect.exe. send me a PM.
My three-step workaround for Works shuts down that particular Microsoft watchdog completely: your spyware catchers ignore it, cuz it's become harmless; it runs, so the registry and boot process are happy; and your firewall has nothing to stop anymore from it, cuz it CAN'T call home.
When you can't kill the enemy, and you don't want to join the enemy, then make the enemy work for you, doing something you WANT it to, instead of doing what it was designed to do.
Wisewiz
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