New Lenovo Toolbox

[jdhurst]

I downloaded and installed the new Lenovo Toolbox (based on the old PC Doctor).

It keeps popping up saying everything is OK. I am sure I have checked everywhere, and I have also disabled every option there was.

Is there any way to turn this thing OFF? , or must I just uninstall it?

Thanks, ... JDH

[ZaZ]

Turning on with Windows?

[jdhurst]

I think it must be starting with Windows but I cannot see in Start Programs, and it is not an obvious startup program in Startup Organizer (nicer than msiconfig). But after I have run for a while, it pops up in the system tray. It did not do this initially, but I do not know what I have changed or what controls.

It is boardering on typical evil vendor software and it looks like I will have to uninstall it (easily done).

... JDH

[richk]

What operating system?

[ZaZ]

You can take a look in the task manager to see what's running when the messages are occurring. Perhaps something will stick out. CCleaner is freeware other than the Yahoo toolbar, which is easily unchecked. If you want to try some other software that performs the same function. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to look in MSCONFIG anyway.

[jdhurst]

This is Windows 7 Pro 64-bit. I have have been through Task Manager, Services, and Startup Organizer (Modern Startup Cop or Msconfig). The only 2 Lenovo programs I could find were for the ThinkVantage Center.

I use Glary Utilities 64-bit and not ccCleaner.

What it might be doing is hiding behind rundll or something like that.

This is typical Lenovo and it turns me off them. They are deliberately trying to invade my PC. Further the Chinese Government (NOT the people) is untrustworthy and dishonest (pick up any honest newspaper). So they may be putting the spurs to Lenovo to invade our PC's.

I think I will just uninstall it. ... JDH

[jdhurst]

I found it. imstrayicon and Lenovo ThinkVantage Toolbox Updater are sitting in the notification area. Neither of them are startup items (and so says the Lenovo FAQ). Further neither of those two are sitting as services or processes by that name.

Now I can set the Notification Area to never show them.

However, that leaves them running and collecting information which Lenovo says it will not do (FAQ). But it IS happening. It does run, it does pop up, so you KNOW it is sending information back to the Chinese Government.

I am going to see if I can find the service / process and stop it. That will allow me to use the PC Doctor facilities.

.... JDH

[jdhurst]

I posted a note in the Lenovo Support forum. We shall see if Lenovo is willing to say how to turn off their program.

... JDH

[Radioguy]

However, that leaves them running and collecting information which Lenovo says it will not do (FAQ). But it IS happening. It does run, it does pop up, so you KNOW it is sending information back to the Chinese Government.

When some US government agencies decided to stop using them, I also became concerned, but I didn't necessarily believe it was happening compared to the bad PR of using a Chinese brand.

However, when an admin here makes a statement like that, I worry again.

[RealBlackStuff]

There are a few keys that you could check in Regedit (if that still exists in W7)
They are:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run-
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
and
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServices
Not all of these show up in M$config.

[jdhurst]

Please do not connect me being admin with my statements of concern.

Microsoft put hook in Windows ever since NT4 Workstation at the request of the US Government and I don't think it has been removed. Several nations have demanded keys to Blackberry security or no service. The Chinese government is as (or more) complicit in these acts, and the purpose of all of these acts is to spy on us.

For the most part, I can see what is going on in my computer.

It concerns me that the communications part of the toolbox is well and truly hidden.

... JDH

[crashnburn]

Post a screenshot of what you see.

[jdhurst]

First on Registry Keys:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
DUMeter
ITKnowledge24
(Both OK and applications I installed)

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run- <- No Key

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce <- No entries

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Access Connections
NVidia items (NvCplDaemon and nwiz)
Snappy Fax
Synaptics (SynTPEnh)
HotKey (TPHOTKEY)
Hard Drive Protection (TPShocks)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce <- No entries

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx <- No Key

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServices <- No Key

These keys match entries in Startup Organizer (Highly recommended)

Second the icon - I have not been bable to capture it. It disappears quickly. I will try again.

... JDH

[Bánh mì]

It's connecting to Lenovo servers so it can populate your warranty informatiion and also service messages. Just unintall it if you are paranoid. I think you are overreacting. Did you see the UFO in your backyard last night? lol. Seriously, no worry.

[jdhurst]

<snip>
Just unintall it if you are paranoid. <---- I may.

I think you are overreacting. <--- I do not think so.

I may have fixed it. I unchecked every possible box and then tested with CommView. I saw no outbound packets.

Then, almost accidently, I started the toolbar, and then quit it. On exit from the Toolbar, there was a question "Do you wish to continue receiving messages?" I checked NO. The Toolbox has not popped up since and that is afer several startups.

So I have stopped it popping up and I think I have ended outbound communication. I set the logs in CommView to go for a bit longer to check.

... JDH

[mpcook]

Sorry to resurrect this thread but I have been suffering from unwanted Toolbox popups on 4 of my 5 Thinkpads. I complained on some blog somewhere along with some other folks, and then heard back from a Lenovo rep and was asked if I would help Lenovo and PC Doctor troubleshoot. I had tried everything I could think of to fix this annoyance and now I am testing some solutions sent over from PC Doctor. I'll report back as soon as there is a solution. I am surprised there hasn't been more complaint on this, maybe it's a rare occurence. In my case, it has only been an issue on the Win 7 machines, T43, T400s, T410si and X60s. It was reportedly fixed in the latest version, but not in my case (or cases actually).

Mike

[ArtShapiro]

Sorry to resurrect this thread but I have been suffering from unwanted Toolbox popups on 4 of my 5 Thinkpads.

Join the party!

I spent a little bit of time trying to figure out just how this program gets initiated, and struck out. It isn't a service; it isn't in the normal registry RUN nodes, and it isn't in various startup folders. I've finally just uninstalled it, and have reinstalled it temporarily when I need some sort of diagnostic routines to be run.

There's enough stuff running on Thinkpads without this guy intruding. On my T61, for example, there's so much disk activity at boot that I can't get the fingerprint reader to log me on, and have to go to traditional text input.

Art

[Yacek]

The Toolbox activities are initiated via task scheduler, not service. It is not easy to find in the registry - you can't find it in typical "run" sections
The first task is entitled: PCDoctorBackgroundMonitorTask, getting started with the system as Lenovo ThinkVantage Toolbox Profiler \\program files\pc-doctor\uaclauncher.exe
the second one: SystemToolsDailyTest through \\Program Files\PC-Doctor\pcdrcui.exe -silentenumeration -st
You can disable both task throgh a number of ways... I recommend Autoruns by Microsoft (can be downloaded from MS website). Go to "scheduled tasks" tab, and disable PCDoctorBackgroundMonitorTask and SystemToolsDailyTest
You will never get the pop-up again

[ArtShapiro]

You will never get the pop-up again

Wow! Good detective work. That is a very useful post.

Presumably this will still allow the program to be manually initiated when the need arises.

How cold is it in Warsaw?

Art

[Yacek]

[quote="ArtShapiro]

Presumably this will still allow the program to be manually initiated when the need arises.

How cold is it in Warsaw?

Art[/quote]

Sure. I use it this way
not so cold.... about -2 Celsius with a little snow

[AJME]

Why not just uncheck the box "Show Lenovo Thinkvantage Toolbox status icon in the task bar", under "settings" on the Toolbox window?

Andrew

[mpcook]

Why not just uncheck the box "Show Lenovo Thinkvantage Toolbox status icon in the task bar", under "settings" on the Toolbox window?

Andrew

That didn't work for me, along with unchecking everything else I could find, which precipitated my original complaint. I was about to give up and uninstall, when I got the email from Lenovo to check out some fixes. I am in the middle of that right now so we'll see if PC Doctor has come up with a cure. I guess this has affected some but not all users. For me, it affected all my Win 7 machines, and none of the XP machines.

Mike

[jdhurst]

For what it worth, I realize that I put a new hard drive into my T61p and so rebuilt Windows 7. I did that in November after my September post.

I never installed the Toolbox and I have never looked back. I go to the support site when I need to.

... JDH