Cannot find error at start up

P

paulson060267

Windows Cannot Find error every time I start up My Computer. The actual error reads...
Windows Cannot find C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Application Date\GeniusBox\Client.exe

I think I am getting this error because I recently tried to uninstall GeniusBox via the ADD/Remove software feature in XP. I tried anyway to uninstall it there as it did show up in the list. Yet windows complained that the software may have already been uninstalled.

Yet I still was getting a GeniusBox Icon in my Sytems tray.

I ran some virus programs and deleted some stuff and the GeniusBpx Icon in my Sytems tray disappeared but I started getting the "Windows Cannot Find Error" every time I start the machine.

I scoured the web fo solutions, that included downloading and running certain other anti malware programs as well as programs that show what your startup is running , I could not find any GeniusBox entries in those. At least there not calling themselves that.

I went to regedit and deleted all the occurances of geniusbox that I found there. There were several.
Still the "Windows Cannot Find Error" persists....
I don't know what else to do I've tried everything I can think of :(
Can somebody please try to help me? Any assitance anyone could offer would be great. This has been driving me crazy!!!
Thank You Matt
 
reinstall the software, and then uninstall using their own uninstaller of using revo uninstaller, then run checkdisk with the /r parameter until no errors are found.

If you other thread HERE, let us know if you find a different answer
 
ALSO:

Basically, many machines don't have a "Search Extensions" folder (It's usually "adware" related), and your case, the program that needed "Client.exe" has been removed but not the registry "call" that asks to start up the program.. If you've ever done any startup program or registry searching, you should be able to find it.. First, see if it's listed Start button-All Programs-Startup folder. If you see the shortcut listed there, simply delete it. The error message should no longer show up.

If there is no shortcut in the "Startup" folder, open "msconfig" from a Run line, then check the "Startup" folder for the "C:\Program Files\Search Extensions\Client.exe" line. If found, UNCHECK the box and save the changes.

If it's not listed there, then you'll need to do a registry search for the line mentioned. When found delete it.
Click to expand...

from here substitute genius box for the above names and when searching regedit search for the WHOLE path given in the error!!


see you have asked at cnet also. :)
 
Reply to Elizabeth23 - I checked msconfig under the startups tab and looked at everything there. I could not find "C:\Program Files\Search Extensions\Client.exe" there at all.
I'm not sure how to do a regisrty search. could you let me know? Matt
 
Reply To Elizabeth23

I'm unsure about reinstalling the software at this point I'm not sure what version it was for one thing and I Don't know where I got it. I didn't ask for it I think it just got bestowed upon me via another download of something else Don't you love when they do that?). Anyway I'm not surI would trust there uninstaller (If they provided one) , and I have tried like the dickens to get rid of alll traces of the program already apparenlty without much luck I did get some help from another forum where they gave me links to a progra that apparently lists every file on you sytem, Then they gave me some code snippets to try to eliminate traces they found of GeniusBox in the scans that I sent them. Then they told me to run a program called sytemlook or something like that and gave me a code snippet that essentially searched every were for genius box as well. And the report said file not found!!!! So WTF!!!! It's hiding really really well!!!
Anyway, I also ran dskcheck yesterday and it came out CLEAN. so More... WTF!!!!
Anyway I will keep the suggestion to reinstall and then uninstall again with there uninstaller or the one you mentioned in mind. It may actually be the answer after all, (it does seem like it could work). I'm just hesitant to do it yet, So I'm gonna hold off on that for a while.

Reply to Elizabeth23 - I checked msconfig under the startups tab and looked at everything there. I could not find "C:\Program Files\Search Extensions\Client.exe" there at all.
I'm not sure how to do a regisrty search. could you let me know?
Thank you for trying to help I'm sorry this has been so hard to fix. I really do appreciate your suggestions as well as your patience
Please let me know if you have any more ideas!!!!Matt
 
windows-xp-registry-hive-key-value-regedit-indx.png


and the below image shows find, under the edit, click on find and then in the box type what you wish to find, please note that regedit does not use spaces in most places, capital letters take the place of a space, and each time it highlights something read what it is carefully to be sure you are not deleting something important with a similar name, and then click on Find next and it will search for the next instance of what you are searching for., you can export the key, saving it to your desktop just in case you need to replace it. and/or you can use ERUNT to back up your registry.

xpregistry2.jpg


so I would type in the following:

GeniusBox

Client.exe

C:\Program Files\Search Extensions\Client.exe" there at all.

=====

search.jpg


when searching be sure all hidden folders are shown as per above pix, and when done make sure to put the settings back.
 
Thanks for your help Elizabeth... I was able to figure out how to check the registry late last night. I found no occurances of geniusbox but I did find some occurances of client.exe. Here is what I found.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\DirectInput\Compatibility\CLIENT.EXE35FEFABD00088200
This Folder contains:
(Default) REG_SZ (value not set)
MaxDeviceNameLength REG_BINARY 06 00 00 00
ReAcquire REG_BINARY 01 00 00 00



HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\DirectInput\Compatibility\CLIENT.EXE36DFF4810008E200
This Folder contains:
(Default) REG_SZ (value not set)
MaxDeviceNameLength REG_BINARY 06 00 00 00

I think these are the folders you want me to delete but I'm not sure.I know from what people tell me to be very careful about editing registry entries so I wanted to double check with you before I deleted them. Please let me know if they are to be deleted or not.

Thanks again for your help. Looks like we may be able to solve this soon.
Matt
 
from what I can find these are for direct x

see this thread

==

so exactly where is this still showing up on your pc??

Is there still a genius folder in your application data

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Application Date\GeniusBox\Client.exe

you should download Autoruns and run it to see what is loading on startup and you can disable it here also.
 
Last edited:
I did try autoruns as well as other ways of looking at what is loading at start up. Still I find nothing GeniusBox or anything that looks suspiciuos really at all. Which is very strange because yes I am still getting the same error as before I see it when my desktop opens loads befrore I open anything it's a dialog box. and then behind it I get a command line screen both go away when I click ok on the dialog box. Yoou asked if

there still a genius folder in your application data

C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Local Settings\Application Date\GeniusBox\Client.exe

I also ;looked there there was none.

I also reluctantly , tried to download the Geniusbox software again using Google Chrome and Google blocked the download because it said that it could interfere with my browsing experience. I could use internet explorer but I'm even more reluctant now!!! I hold off for a while on it. I really dont get this??? I've looked for it everywere and can't seem to find it anywere via a number of methods pretty weird. Matt
 
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/otl/go here and download otl save it to your desktop and run, then post both .txt msgs here with copy and paste, if they are too long then use two posts,

DO NOT download genuis box again, if it is blocked then it is not a good item to download, I am not an expert on otl but it will show if some thing is running somewhere it is not supposed to be, I can refer you to geeks to go

http://www.geekstogo.com/forum/forum/37-virus-spyware-malware-removal/

they are pretty expert at removal, but I am not sure if they are still working with xp.
 
I think this problem has been solved. At least for now!!!

Reinstalling GeniusBox and uninstalling it again with Revo uninstaller Seem to have actually worked at least thus far!!!!! I restarted and did not get the error anymore, If this happens to anyone else, make sure to preform a scan with Revo after the uninstall and remove the registry entries that are left behind by GeniusBox. Also for some reason after uninstalling and restarting I found that my desktop backgraound was changed back to it's default and that Google chrome was also set back to it's default but the desktop was easy to shange back in the control panel and I just signed in to Google Chrome to Sync my old setting back in that so Success!!!! At least so far. I will let you know if any more problems arise in the future surrounding this issue!!! Thanks SO much!!! Matt:)
 
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