BSLoader help Win 8
 

As administrator, I installed "BSLoader only (improved) installer.exe" on my Windows 8 64bit machine. It changes the date back to 2005 but not back to 2013 after the set number of seconds. On top of that it leaves a process running that I have to kill in Task Manager: "BSLoader 8 second delay 32 bit".

Secondly Panda Cloud Cleaner thinks the loader is a virus/malware and flags the loader in 2 locations. One in the Program Files Bearshare folder and another in the Windows directory. Here's a link to the free Panda cloud scanner if someone else want to try it: Panda Cloud Cleaner - Panda Security

I'm curious if this loader was tested on a Win 8 64 bit install or only a 32?

Thanks,

Bob

Just an update. I found/ran BearStart v2-1 as administrator and that successfully changed the date to 2005 and back to 2013, so I'll use that in the meantime, but it would be nice if the BSLoader package worked as well, I like the idea of being able to pick the delay time.

Thanks,

Bob

As far as I know Windows 8 desktop only runs in 32 bit as a general rule. I can make a 64-bit version BSLoader. (BearShare 5 only runs in 32-bit mode AFAIK.) Some apps like Internet Explorer have the option to run in 64-bit.
Vital for Windows 8 is for the BSLoader to be set to Run as Admin. else it will not revert the date as you discovered.

Find the BSLoader in your programs folder and get Properties, Compatibility tab, check option to Run this program as an administrator. Tell me if this fixes the problem.
If you don't have immediate access to the program folder, then open the Run utility, copy-paste in:
%ProgramFiles(x86)%\BearShare Test

It is no surprise BSLoader brings up alarm bells in your security software. I suggest to give it an exception rule in your security software which is usually possible. BSLoader is based on batch scripting which most security software will treat highly suspiciously.

I was not aware BearStart would run in Windows 8, it did not work for me.

And yeah I never figured out how to include an error code to 'force' BSLoader to quit if it could not complete the reverting of date stage. :o I could re-look at the code to see if I can incorporate error code to run as smoothly as some other error code does in the same script. The force quit command I used is after BSLoader completes its tasks as an insurance for closing properly.

Edit: hour later: My testing of a new BSLoader with 8 second delay with an appropriate error handling without Admin privileges seems to work as hoped on Win 8. Seems to also work in Win 7, although it was able to find BS despite not being in the program folder. Seems to work in XP despite not being able to find BS to launch when BSLoader was not in the program folder. My original efforts a month or two ago at this kind of error handling did not work, so perhaps I've finally got it right.
So this even newer (lol) BSLoader was able to change date and revert back without admin permissions. But I cannot guarantee it will work that way for everyone. The test results might have been conflicted by already having BSLoader on the system. Though trashing the file and running the new BSLoader seemed to work fine even though it was not set to run as admin.

I've uploaded another version. This version also incorporates a better shortcuts handling (I hope) based off my later LimeStart work. Now only one location for the BSLoader.
https://hotfile.com/list/2069537/a7428e3

Uninstall the previous BSLoader before installing this version.

If it works as hoped then I will repackage the BearShare 5.1 beta for others to download.

Sorry no change for me. I had already set the compatibility tab of bsloader to run as admin and XP SP3 mode. I uninstalled the old version of BSLoader and downloaded/installed the new version and made the appropriate compatibility setting as you requested, but no change in behavior. It still doesn't change the date back to 2013 and it was still left in memory and had to be killed in task manager. Also, When Bearshare started up it popped up it's dialog boxes to get initial setup options. I don't think the old version of BSLoader wiped out bearshare settings. Did you do anything to the new one that would reset bear shares saved settings?

Thanks for all the help,

Bob

Here's what I would refer to as a test. Try each of the installers within this package BSLoader only (improved) Win 2k-8.zip

For what it is required to do in Windows 8 which is very permissions based, you will need to set the installers to Run as Administrator.

The reason for two options is the small chance the program might be making an error defining which OS and using the wrong approach.
I tried creating a 64-bit version but it did not run properly on my Win 8 at least.

If these versions of BSLoader are not working for other persons, then I guess I will remove it altogether. Yours is the first feedback I've received, which is highly appreciated. It is good news that BearStart does work on Win 8 for some people.

OK, some success!. The "BSLoader only (improved) Win 2k-7.exe" worked. The "BSLoader only (improved) Win 8.exe" however, did not change the date back to 2013 or unload itself.

Also could you point me to your latest connect.txt. hopefully a web page I can book mark rather than trying to remember which post on this forum points to it.

Thanks for all your help and let me know if there's any more Win 8 64bit testing you need done.

Good to hear. phew lol :D Strange because that technique of changing the date back does not work on my Win 8. And thanks for the testing.
I might try combining the two if one technique does not work.

Connection files can be found here (edit: removed, made an error with the url)

BTW it can be worthy double-checking your freepeers file if BS does not connect well; http://www.gnutellaforums.com/host-c...-gnutella.html. I periodically re-check those settings so BS does not misbehave after a test run or such. I already know the ports I use and check my ip so the UDP port is also set properly.

BTW the BSLoader itself probably does not need to be set to XP compatibility, only the BearShare.exe. Not sure.

As far as needing to do the set-up again, that happened when I tested it on XP, not Win 8 or Win 2K. I could revert back to the old style of doing the shortcuts.

Come to think of it, for BearShare I think there was a legitimate reason I used the Windows directory to replace that particular BearShare shortcut. I'll need to double-check.

The link you gave me to where the latest connect.txt was located didn't work however I see connect.txt listed in one of the earlier links you sent me. Is the connect.txt located at: https://hotfile.com/list/2069537/a7428e3 the latest available? Anyway I downloaded that and I'm fully up and running again. So thanks much.

Bob

Sorry I must have grabbed the wrong link. :o I'll remove it from my previous post. Glad to hear you're up and connected. 27th June is the last list I posted yes. A member called BearShare posts lists occasionally, but only seems to be very occasional. BearShare connection lists go out of date very quickly as you are probably aware. So I try to keep them updated every 3-5 weeks.

It would definitely be a bonus if someone volunteered to post some BearShare connection lists on the forum. Perhaps monthly. I might not always be around or as frequently. By next year I will probably spend less time connection-data collating and posting. (Once I've moved house.)

OK, one last question and then I promise to stop bothering you. As mentioned, I copied the connect.txt file I found from that previous link you posted and every thing seems fine. I connect fairly quickly usually with about 8 of 26 peers after a few minutes. My question is: Is there any benefit to running that "BearShare ConnectFix 27 June 2013.zip" you posted if I already seem to be connecting OK.

Thanks,

Bob

No, the connectfix is only intended for those with connection problems. Either first time users or those who have not used BearShare in a long time and their connection file is stale and cannot connect. Once you get connected you will be fine from there after.

A high percentage of regular BearShare peers use dynamic addresses, some are sticky and last for between a few weeks to a year. Some are highly dynamic and change daily. Some hosts try BS out and vanish a week or month later. This has been my observation at least. I'm not sure what percentage of overall BS hosts I get to see or whether I'm only in one bubble of the entire BS peer population. Over the past month I've seen a few hosts I had not seen for between 6-12 months which was a positive sign. The point being that BS's connection file can go stale if not used for a couple of months or more due to the dynamics mentioned above.

I did some testing with BSLoader last night. Trying to combine both methods (which I had tried in the beginning but it didn't work.) Similar issues. I discovered that the action of changing the date back to today generates an error code, which then sends the program to the error handling portion of code. I'm not sure how to work around this without setting up some kind of error log generation to find what the error is to work with it. I have at least cleaned up the error handling section and made sure the program closes and clears its memory at same time. But not sure how to deal with the dual options. When I get to close BS down next I will test the code on Win 8 to see if it will accept the dual options of changing date without hanging at one of the options despite the date-change working with the other option as happens on Win 7 & XP. Probably Win 8 is the only one that needs a dual option of reverting the date.
It would be handy if you could test out the program I've done so far since your Win 8 uses a different option for changing date. This version only changes date, I removed the launch BearShare for testing purposes.

Sure, I'll test it. Just post the link/filename. I appreciate all the work you do for the community.

Bob

I'll need to review how it works. Same issue as Win 7 & earlier for me on Win 8 with the combined option, although the date changes, it then hangs and does not close down properly.

Edit: I'm going to seek some advice, my script skills are too basic to sort this one out.

I would like to thank foxidrive who has provided an alternative Windows 8 approach to change and revert the date. Both bfollett and my testing of it worked and seems to be a universal Windows 8 approach. An added bonus for both of us was we did not need to go through the extra step of setting the BSLoader to Run as Administrator.

I will upload the newer BSLoader sometime over the next day or two. I might also add some more variation of the delays before reverting date back to today so people can use a custom delay to suit the speed of their system.

Edit: foxidrive provided a variation of the above to cater for various date formats which I may or may not end up using.
Edit: works for both bfollett and I so will be used instead.

I finally got around to re-doing the base BSLoader installer and re-installing BearShare to fully test it out on Win XP. The shortcuts seem fine except you do need to disable the Desktop shortcut in the original BearShare installer. Alternative would be for me to name the desktop shortcut BearShare instead. So I will re-upload the BearShare Beta package and the BSLoader within the next day. I had been wanting to test this out before re-uploading the BSLoader.

Removed my original shortcut design of one BSLoader installed into Windows folder and used specifically for shortcuts. That was a technique based on my early ignorance at trying to get shortcuts to work but solved the issue at the time.

If anybody has problems with the 2nd version supplied by foxidrive to use on Windows 8 then I will revert to foxidrive's first version. The second version caters for different date formats if using Win 8. Example dd/mm/yy or or mm/dd/yy or yy/dd/mm etc.

Edit: I have added a function to remove the BearShare desktop shortcut in case anybody did not unselect the option with the BearShare Beta installer. I'll upload the new version in next 24 hours or so.

Did you ever get around to putting up the last installer that removes the BearShare shortcut? If so can you post the link.

Thanks,

Bob

I did upload it yes. Find the BSLoader only (version 2).zip here https://hotfile.com/list/2069537/a7428e3 Tell me if it doesn't work. It worked in testing at least. It worked in testing on XP a few minutes ago also. (Alternative link here via mediafire.)
When installing it should simultaneously remove the 'BearShare Test' shortcuts from both common and user desktops and common & user Start Menus. If the shortcut is not called 'BearShare Test' then it won't work. From memory the shortcuts BearShare Test installer installs are called 'BearShare Test', if not my error.

The BSLoader installer does create a Start Menu shortcut called 'BearShare Test' which links to BSLoader. I guess I could now remove this since it was originally intended to replace the original BSTest shortcut if it existed.