[REQUEST] WindowBlinds 10 10.65 Update Issue

from Stardock Forums

Hello guys/girls.

Had a pretty serious issue happen with my system tonight, when I went to update WindowBlinds.  Upon completion of the uninstall from the previous version, a Restart was required.  So I restarted.  Everything went swimmingly, until I went to log back in.

The User Profile Service failed the sing-in.

User profile cannot be loaded.

The only option I had, was to press Ok, and it returned me to the sign-in page.  I then went to load into Safe Mode.  This time I received no error message, but the computer stuck in a never-ending hold.  Luckily, I had seen this once before, so I rebooted into the Command Prompt.

Upon successfully entering the Command Prompt, before Windows loads, I confirmed my suspicions.  I had a "<DIR>    Users" folder on my C: drive.  I know what you are thinking, however I moved my "Users" folder to my D: drive, and have on C: a "<JUNCTION>    Users [D:\Users]", instead.

This is not that uncommon anymore, as I have 128GB M.2 drive dedicated to Windows, and a 2TB RAID 10 Array for my files.  This way Windows "thinks" my Users folder is on C: drive.  Seeing as that is the folder, most likely to bloat in Windows, I keep it on my redundant array.  I also can reinstall Windows, and not have to back up all my files.

However, if that link (junction) gets removed, when I try to load in, I get the above issues.  As soon as I removed the "C:\Users" folder, and recreated my link, I was able to load back into my system, no problem.  A bit of a scare, but ultimately, no biggie.

I also noticed a "C:\Stardock" folder, which appears to be a caching folder, perhaps?  WHY is that there, are there no choices to have it live somewhere else?  I don't like when programs take over my computer, and place things willy-nilly.

[REQUEST]:

  1. Could you please make your scripts for updating, installing, uninstalling respect system JUNCTIONS?
  2. Could these programs have location options for additional folders it will create?

I don't expect too much of a reply, though it would be nice, but I am leery about reinstalling WindowBlinds.  Thanks for reading.

 

Regards,

 - Sven2157

 

UPDATED REQUEST:

I believe that the second issue, was directly related to the first, so I have struck it out for now.

windowblinds
17,197 views 7 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top

I'm sorry you had an issue and thanks for posting and letting us know.

I'll pass this along to the dev team for review.

Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top

Sven2157,

You may be the only person to ever hit this issue but, if possible, we'd like to handle it so I've created a bug for it (124663)

A few questions for you:

  • How did you make the junction? The command line, tool, and version(SysInternals Junction?)
  • What OS?
  • Is there anything in the c:\Stardock directory?  What?
  • Are you also redirecting c:\programdata ?

Thanks

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Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top

Oh wow!

Thanks for the replies and the bug report.

  • How did you make the junction? The command line, tool, and version(SysInternals Junction?)
  • What OS?
    • Windows 10 64-bit Home
  • Is there anything in the c:\Stardock directory?  What?
    • Yes. Will attach Screen Shot below
  • Are you also redirecting c:\programdata ?
    • No. The only folder that really bloats is the Users\<user_name> folder.

Below are a couple screen shots of Windows Explorer and Command.  All though Windows reports my Users folder on C:\, you can clearly see that it is a LINK (shortcut).  I then use command "ATTRIB +h +s D:\Users" to hide the actual folder, for sanity's sake.

C:\Stardock (click for large image)
C:\Stardock folder

C:\Users (click for large image)
C:\Users

Command Line DIR listing (click for large image)
Command Line DIR listing

Let me know if you need anymore information.

Regards,

 - Sven2157

Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top

Thanks for all that.

We'll follow up as we can/need.

Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top

Looking at those files in the Stardock folder, it would appear thats from Start10 which places those files %appData%\Roaming\Stardock\S10

Given their location in the root I can only assume the methods you have used to attempt to redirect the user folder elsewhere have negative consequences.  Did you perhaps also alter the location for those folders in the registry?

 

Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top

Bingo!  Good Call Neil!

When the uninstall broke the link, it must have created the new folder when it was in limbo, looking for the actual profile folder.  I can confirm this by the "Date modified" column on the "C:\Stardock" directory, as with the "%AppData%\Roaming\Stardock" directory.

I guess Start10, perhaps as a last resort, when it can't find the %AppData% folder - which resides in the "Users" folder - defaults to this location?  I guess it is better than crashing.  That makes sense; kind of a hail marry.

As for your question: No, as there is no need.  After a clean install, I boot to the Command Line, and run RoboCopy.  This is better than Xcopy, as it has a /MIRR(OR) switch.  This then creates the directory and hierarchy exactly where I specify, complete with the original Windows permissions and ownership.

Then when the process is over, and there are no errors, I remove the original "C:\Users"directory.  The MKLINK command line function, then handles creating the JUNCTION; or in essence, re-writing the relevant registry entries.

It works a treat!  When I am in my "%AppData%\Roaming\Stardock" folder, Windows show that I am, indeed in:

  • C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Stardock

However, I am technically in:

  • D:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Stardock

Utilizing this, and moving my page file (36GB as I have 32GB RAM) to the second partition of my Acceleration Disk (OCZ Agility 3 2.5" SDD), my 128GB M.2 Windows drive is only using 35.6GB!  If I included my "Users" directory (124GB), 159.6GB + Page File (36GB) = 195.6GB!  As you can see, it is quite beneficial!

Anyway, sorry to rant.  I will await, a response from the Team, but I think you got it right.  I believe I can delete that "C:\Stardock" directory, as it may have been created when I lost the link.  Thanks!

Regards,

 - Sven2157

Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top

Well, I didn't wait.  I was pretty sure that what Neil brought to light was correct.  So I went ahead and deleted the folder.  No issues, it just disappeared.  Had it been it use, it would have told me.

So I have updated the main post, and now it is just that the install, update & uninstall scripts respect the system JUNCTIONS.

Thanks again Neil! :beer:  5*  

Thanks as well ZubaZ and the Stardock Team! :beer:  k6  

Regards,

 - Sven2157