Solved Unable to run sysinternals programs like autoruns.exe

zebal · Dec 3, 2023

TraderGary said:
The entire Sysinternals Suite is available in the Microsoft Windows Store. The complete Suite installs in a Sysinternals Suite folder in All Apps. The Windows Store always keeps the entire suite up to date without your ever having to think about it. It's completely problem free this way. I like to keep Process Explorer, Autoruns, and Process Monitor on my Windows 11 Start Menu.

I've been methodically going through the Kindle version of "Troubleshooting with the Windows Sysinternals Tools" by Mark E. Russinovich on my other laptop as I work through the examples on my main computer. The book is highly recommended. What fun and I've learned so much.

Hey Gary, that worked!
Running those downloaded by MS store works without any issues.
I'll certainly install the suite next time trough store.

Problem persists therefore only with self contained executables that are managed by user or installers downloaded from internet.
Yesterday I downloaded MS PowerToys from GitHub directly, the installer didn't run for 5 minutes until it opened but trough store it works.

zebal · Dec 3, 2023

Update,

I did system restore to a restore point created 3 days ago and that fixed the problem.
The restore point was created by system prior Windows update.
Windows update installed a bunch of MS provided drivers in addition to some other non driver specific updates.

I'm now updating Windows again after restore to see if that will make problem come back and will report when it's done.

TraderGary · Dec 3, 2023

@zebal Great! For these reasons I use the MS Store whenever I can. I installed PowerShell through the MS Store and I love it that it automatically updates itself whenever new versions are released!

zebal · Dec 3, 2023

johnlgalt said:
Which leads me to another thought:

You have an idea when this issue manifested? If so, check your WU History to see if there was a Windows update installed right around that time, also - maybe simply uninstalling that update may fix it?

It is indeed Windows update that is messing up, after system restore the problem went away, as soon as I updated Windows and rebooted the problem come back.

Updates that were installed are:

KB4023057: Update Health Tools—Windows Update Service components - Microsoft Support

Describes this reliability update, including improvements and fixes, known issues, and how to get the update.

support.microsoft.com

KB5017461: About Online Service Experience Packs - Microsoft Support

support.microsoft.com

I suspect it is the update health tools that is problem, and what's even bigger issue is that it can't be removed so I'm stuck with buggy WU.
I removed it from all programs and features in control panel but this doesn't make any difference even after reboot.

Any further suggestions on how to solve this?

EDIT:
A solution to this problem will be to reinstall 22H2 because 23H2 is obviously not working well on my computer.
And then I'll wait until Windows update offers me 23H2 to install it, so far it didn't offer it due to a "safeguard".

If we detect that your device may have an issue, such as an application incompatibility, we may put a safeguard hold in place and not offer the update until that issue is resolved.

How to get the Windows 11 2023 Update

Today, we are announcing the availability of the Windows 11 2023 Update (also known as Windows 11, version 23H2). We are providing a limited scope of new features and functionality delivered via a familiar, fast and reliable update experience. Versio

blogs.windows.com

x BlueRobot · Dec 3, 2023

zebal said:
I suspect it is the update health tools that is problem, and what's even bigger issue is that it can't be removed so I'm stuck with buggy WU.

You could try and remove the associated update using WUSA?

Remove Update Manually
1. Click on the Start button and in the search box, type Command Prompt
2. When you see Command Prompt on the list, right-click on it and select Run as administrator
3. When command prompt opens, copy and paste the following command into it, and press Enter
wusa /uninstall /KB:<kbnumber>

Your COMPONENTS hive appears to be okay, not sure why it is complaining about a version conflict to be honest? A Process Monitor trace filtered to those component names may have been helpful but since you've managed to isolate it to a particular update, then I'm not sure we'll be able to do other than remove that offending update?

zebal · Dec 4, 2023

x BlueRobot said:
3. When command prompt opens, copy and paste the following command into it, and press Enter
wusa /uninstall /KB:<kbnumber>

I have already reinstalled Windows to 22H2, and I've also tried this command to remove the update before reinstalling but it resulted in error saying the update was not found even though I input correct number.
I suspect this error is because the update can't be uninstalled (not all updates are uninstall-able), but MS is well known for non descriptive error messages.

I appreciate all the help so far!

x BlueRobot · Dec 4, 2023

zebal said:
I suspect this error is because the update can't be uninstalled (not all updates are uninstall-able),

They are, you just have to remove them manually using something like FRST, essentially you remove the packages from the associated deployment keys and then the packages themselves from the CBS subkey. It's how the WU Show/Hide tool works too.

zebal · Dec 4, 2023

@x BlueRobot
Thanks for sharing this, will be useful next time when I get buggy WU.
But I'm not sorry for having to reinstall, 23H2 also has some other problems from what I see like performance which I experienced to.

johnlgalt · Dec 4, 2023

Glad you were able to target it - and reverting to 22H2 - I may have to do that for my machine, too lol.

Almighty1 · Dec 4, 2023

johnlgalt said:
And then, every time you download a new version, you have to delete them again.

In this day and age if 4 MB is an issue - you've got bigger problems lol.

I'm with OAT though - WSCC FTW.

WSCC - Windows System Control Center - Downloads

www.kls-soft.com

I use the portable version of it, and the 64 bit apps from Nir Sofer, Michael Mutli, and SysInternals where available.

Have a question on WSCC, when you use the portable, are you supposed to download and install the apps inside wscc?

Almighty1 · Dec 4, 2023

TraderGary said:
@zebal Great! For these reasons I use the MS Store whenever I can. I installed PowerShell through the MS Store and I love it that it automatically updates itself whenever new versions are released!

I used to have PowerShell via the store as well since it was automatically updated but later learned from MS's page at Installing PowerShell on Windows - PowerShell that PowerShell installs using Microsoft Store has limitations even though I am sure there are people who likes the limitations compared to the other installation methods.

That was the only reason I am doing only Powershell installs using the MSI package but keeping everything else to Microsoft Store because it's hard to remember what I manually update should I add more systems later on.

Almighty1 · Dec 4, 2023

zebal said:
It is indeed Windows update that is messing up, after system restore the problem went away, as soon as I updated Windows and rebooted the problem come back.

Updates that were installed are:

KB4023057: Update Health Tools—Windows Update Service components - Microsoft Support

Describes this reliability update, including improvements and fixes, known issues, and how to get the update.

support.microsoft.com

KB5017461: About Online Service Experience Packs - Microsoft Support

support.microsoft.com

I suspect it is the update health tools that is problem, and what's even bigger issue is that it can't be removed so I'm stuck with buggy WU.
I removed it from all programs and features in control panel but this doesn't make any difference even after reboot.

Any further suggestions on how to solve this?

EDIT:
A solution to this problem will be to reinstall 22H2 because 23H2 is obviously not working well on my computer.
And then I'll wait until Windows update offers me 23H2 to install it, so far it didn't offer it due to a "safeguard".

How to get the Windows 11 2023 Update

Today, we are announcing the availability of the Windows 11 2023 Update (also known as Windows 11, version 23H2). We are providing a limited scope of new features and functionality delivered via a familiar, fast and reliable update experience. Versio

blogs.windows.com

Update Health Tools can be removed but you have to go to Control Panel -> Programs -> Programs and Features to do it as I had installed health tools as I never got the updated version (I had the December 2022 dated files while some people got the newer April 2023 dated files and now there is even a September 2023 dated files version but the manual download files is still the December 2022 version). but 6 months later, I still had not seen it reeinstalled yet atomatically as someone said if I uninstalled it, it will automatically get reinstalled by Microsoft.

johnlgalt · Dec 4, 2023

Almighty1 said:
Have a question on WSCC, when you use the portable, are you supposed to download and install the apps inside wscc?

You can download them anywhere. It maintains the list of folders that you want to use as the repository(ies) for the various apps it will download.

I, personally, used sub folders in the WSCC folder - but it is not strictly required, as it let's you set any user-accessible folder.

My setup

Built in apps manager in Settings

Apps location (by provider)

Also, even with the portable version, it will self-update (with the newest portable version), unlike some apps which insist on using an installed if you try to update from the portable version.

Almighty1 · Dec 4, 2023

@johnlgalt - I think I use the portable once in a blue moon that when I see a update, I will just unzip to a new folder and then let it download and reinstall all the apps again underneath the new wscc tree, maybe more to see if wscc is doing it correctly or not. LOL.

johnlgalt · Dec 4, 2023

I usually check for updates same time as when I check WU and Microsoft Store for updates. Not exactly every day, but most days.

I keep it on my E: (3rd NVMe) drive. Always there, even after clean installs lol.

Almighty1 · Dec 4, 2023

LOL, since I am on a notebook, I keep everything on the only NVMe in C: so it's there just that I always prefer having the newest WSCC as my folder in Downloads has the version number of WSCC in the name.

zebal · Dec 5, 2023

Almighty1 said:
PowerShell installs using Microsoft Store has limitations even though I am sure there are people who likes the limitations compared to the other installation methods.

There are indeed limitations, one limitation which I don't like is that it installs PS per current user and not system wide so you have to install it for Administrator separately if you're standard user like me.
Also if you delete and create new account often you need to reinstall it each time.

Some "Apps" however like MS PowerToys offer installers that are exclusively system wide, these are always installed system wide and you get UAC before MS Store is able to install them.

---

Anyway good news about my issue is that Windows offered me 23H2 to install yesterday, I'm now again on 23H2 and problem is not present for now.
I also noticed that the offending update was not offered so far to install and I truly hope it does show it's face again in WU.

I'm marking this as solved then.

Almighty1 · Dec 5, 2023

zebal said:
There are indeed limitations, one limitation which I don't like is that it installs PS per current user and not system wide so you have to install it for Administrator separately if you're standard user like me.
Also if you delete and create new account often you need to reinstall it each time.

Some "Apps" however like MS PowerToys offer installers that are exclusively system wide, these are always installed system wide and you get UAC before MS Store is able to install them.

---

Anyway good news about my issue is that Windows offered me 23H2 to install yesterday, I'm now again on 23H2 and problem is not present for now.
I also noticed that the offending update was not offered so far to install and I truly hope it does show it's face again in WU.

I'm marking this as solved then.

Thanks for the input, didn't realize it wasn't systemwide as I only have one account on the machine. PowerToys is something I manually install which is the only thing other than PowerShell, that one is probably because I always read the news here and just download and install.

As far as the offending update, can you check Control Panel -> Programs -> Programs and Features and see if you have "Microsoft Update Health Tools"?

zebal · Dec 5, 2023

Almighty1 said:
can you check Control Panel -> Programs -> Programs and Features and see if you have "Microsoft Update Health Tools"?

Oh it's there!
I missed it, the update KB4023057 is installed as well but not causing issues, I just tried running process monitor (unzipped) and it runs fine!

Looks like MS fixed the problem lol

Almighty1 · Dec 5, 2023

Glad to hear that... I just reinstalled it manually and will wait to see if it will actually update since the uninstalled method didn't work for something that is required. LOL.