"Stardock MCP not found"

from WinCustomize Forums
I'm getting this message when I try to load one of several different DesktopX themes :



I'm sure you've heard about this before... any idea how to fix it?
desktopx
15,135 views 33 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top
One of 2 things has worked for me:

1) download and reinstall SDC (Stardock Central Brower) on top of the one you have

2) go in to the Stardock Central folder, there is a 'restore' - double click it to restore to an earlier version, the allow it to update
Star Control: Origins
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top
also, are the dtx themes old ones or new ones?
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Im having the same problem, I've tried all you suggested but it doesnt stop it from happening. It does it to all themes. I have the lastest version of SDC and as I downloaded it at the weekend I dont have any previous versions to restore to.
Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top
did y'all have any antivirus running at the time of installation?
Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top
try reinstalling with it turned off
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
No joy... I uninstalled SDC, and reinstalled after disabling the anti-virus, but it still happens. Is there any way of contacting someone in the dev team? Is there even a search engine for these forums? This seems like a helluva clunky way to trouble-shoot what should be a fairly minor issue...

Posted via WinCustomize Browser/Stardock Central
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
An email to support@stardock.com will create a case that might be referred to a dev after they do their thing. Or you can go to stardock.helpserve.com . They've made soem nice improvements there lately.

Posted via WinCustomize Browser/Stardock Central
Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top
yes - AVG, now having said what I said earlier about it doing it to all themes, I found one that it doesnt do it too but that theme doesnt hide the system tray or task bar.
Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I found one that it doesnt do it too but that theme doesnt hide the system tray or task bar.


you can have it do so, if wanted, in configuration
Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Well, this is most odd... I've read numerous reports of this very same problem, by many different people, but there seems to be several ways to fix it, none of which fixes mine... The three files most people refer to as being possible culprits; mcpcore.dll, MCPStub.dll, and sdmcp.exe, are all conspicuous by their absence from my system, so how can I replace what isn't even there?!? What alarms me more however, is that this problem has been known about for at least 6 months, and yet it's still happening to quite a few people's systems...

Not good.
Reply #14 from Stardock Forums Top
I'm guessing it's tied to each person's configuration of their computer and/or AV
Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I agree, but what baffles me is why I don't even have any of the three files in question on my hard disk, when I have the full version(s) of the following installed? :

Window Blinds 5.01.006
Icon Packager 3.10.103
Theme Manager 2.24.040
DesktopX 3.10.042
Desktop Gadgets 1.00.004
Stardock Central 2.33.402 (build 130)

As far as I can tell, the three files come with, or as part of, either DesktopX or Stardock Central, so why aren't they even on my system? Most odd...
Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I have the same problem, have tried all the "fixes" that i can find and still the same problem exists. I have reinstalled so many times I have lost count also the 3 files mentioned do not appear to exist on my machine I purchased the object desktop just over a week ago and have not yet had it function as advertised I have even reinstalled a complete new and clean os xp pro and fully updated it no anti virus no other progs installed and the problem is the same have emailed tech support at stardock and was told to reinstall but still the same! no supprise to me. I hope you have more luck than I did with tech support as it seems they do not know how to cure the problem either. perhaps they should make the missing files available to registered users or simply fix the problem as I am sure that it is not my system that is at fault. wish you the best of luck in getting yours sorted out.
Reply #17 from WinCustomize Forums Top
...perhaps they should make the missing files available to registered users


Indeed. That would be the logical thing to do, although I'm amazed it's never yet been offered, as this problem is obviously not just a recent issue.

I emailed support four days ago, but no response yet... I'll wait a few more days and try again.
Reply #18 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Well, here I am as well with the same problem. Like the rest I've searched the forums tried the suggestions all to no avail. I may have arrived at this a little differently as I am running on a fresh install of Windows XP Pro and just purchased the full Object Desktop two days ago for $50. So they are not going to pull the old uninstall/reinstall approach on me.

I am going to try a different approach for a solution. I'm telephoning the SALES department of Stardock to demand a fix or a refund. Maybe hiting them in the bank acount will pry loose an "official" fix.

If I get anywhere, I'll pass it along. If I get my money back, well, I'm keeping that for myself!
Reply #19 from WinCustomize Forums Top

C:/program files/common files/stardock is where they 'should' be...

If they're not it can only be through a bad-install, and likely culprits there would be various AV and/or firewalls interfering....

Reply #20 from WinCustomize Forums Top
In addition to Jafo's suggestion above, has anyone tried my suggestion (#11) in this thread?

https://www.wincustomize.com/browser/forums.aspx?AID=68121

I don't have the problem so it's completely untested (but logical IMHO) & I'm not going to try it on my machine but if you have a problem, what have you got to lose?

Posted via WinCustomize Browser/Stardock Central
Reply #21 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Sigh... I'm really getting to the end of my tether now. I received an email on Tuesday from TravisG (tech support), suggesting I uninstall and reinstall everything, and verify everything by using odnt_zapper, which he gave me a link for. I did this, and after ensuring there was nothing left, I reinstalled SDC, DX, WB, IP, and TM, rebooted and tried to load one of the troublesome DX themes. Same problem, only now I seem to have inherited the "black menu = you're a thief" problem. How the hell did that happen?!? Since buying this software on 20-5-06, I'd never had that problem, but now, since uninstalling and reinstalling; I do. ...or rather, did...

I decided to uninstall the whole damn thing, again, and also, after running the zapper, I gutted every single reference of the software(s) from the registry, and I do mean everything. It took me over an hour, and there were a staggering number of entries left in there, even after a complete uninstall. Anyway, after having done this, I re-booted, and re-downloaded everything again, reinstalled SDC, DX, WB, IP, and TM, and tried again. Yup, you guessed it - "Stardock MCP not found or wrong version. Systray support disabled." Also, the three culprit files are still absent from my system.

I'm afraid my patience reserves are running low.
Reply #22 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Just as I thought...threaten their wallet and results will be had! When I told them I wanted my money back, I was immediately put through to tech-support where a weblink was emailed to me.

The provided link works perfectly, installs ALL of the required files, and resolves the Systray MCP error.

So by now your asking OK so what’s the link already. Well here it is…

http://sd.stardock.com/mcp_102.exe
Reply #23 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Yeehah!

Finally - it works...

Thanks kepinel, and whoever in tech-support compiled that exe, and to all others who offered suggestions.

...and it looks like my latest uninstall/reinstall solved the black menus problem. So far.



Now the hard part - deciding which of the super-cool desktop replacements to customise and keep using.
Reply #24 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Just as I thought...threaten their wallet and results will be had! When I told them I wanted my money back, I was immediately put through to tech-support where a weblink was emailed to me.


I don't know if I'd be so smug - you haven't solved the cause of the problem. To me it looks like you've been given a workaround. Next time SDC updates it could well break again until you work out why your (and admittedly suddenly quite a few others) have this problem.

There must be a common denominator (such as a firewall or antivirus). I seem to recall getting a false positive on one or more of the MCP files in the past, particularly because the startup method uses the WinLogon keys in the registry. Do you have an entry under: HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\Current Version\WinLogon\Notify\MCPClient ? If not then it's a possibility an antivirus program blocked it and also the files referred to.

Posted via WinCustomize Browser/Stardock Central
Reply #25 from Stardock Forums Top
hmmm...

maybe I'll stick with 2.29.370 build 115