Smartex.exe and mcpserver.exe load on startup.....WHY?!?!?!?!

The mcpserver.exe that stardock installs have nothing at all to do with the application on that link except for the name. mcpserver.exe is an application that they use to get the debuginfo into the SmartException reports.

So, that's why they are installed on your computer when you install the Drengin Game Manager. To be able to collect debug information to make it easier to help stardock with enough information so they can get rid of bugs. Nothing automatic tho, you have to send them the report manually.

On my computer the two processes takes about one megabyte of memory together, out of those 476MB that is available, including the swapfile. I can live with that - but sure - I can agree that it would be better if they were loaded when you start DGM or a stardock game/application and then unloaded when they are finished.

There is a name confusion. The MCPServer is not even a product, it's basically a process that upcoming products will use to do things that have overlap. (For example, rather than having code & memory consumption by 10 different apps to do something, the code is implemented in the MCP instead). Currently the MCPServer implements a hook chain that allows us to have less system hooks in use. SmartException is dependant on MCPServer. So basically, MCPServer has nothing to do with that page you posted, and is only used to some smartexception services. They do not take up very much memory at all, and do not consume CPU time when not in use.
-Ian

OK, I have no problem with the programs, thanks for the info. But do they have to be loaded on startup.

I found out XP has msconfig.exe just like 98. Love that program. I have used it to disable these two programs from startup. My question now is will I have to enable these to play Galciv?

Another question. Exactly how does Smartex.exe work or how do I enable it to send a bug report. A link to previous posts or info would be appreciated. I have recently had a "bug" happen early in a game where I recieved over 200 million "dollars", then suddenly went over 200 million in the red. Was wondering if I should use smartex to report this?

Thanks

Smartexception intercepts application crashes, so when you are having a crash which makes the game exit to the desktop you get a dialog box from Smartexception with some choices. From there you can choose to open the log-directory and open the report using notepad for example and post the content in the forum here.

So it's for application crashes, and only works if mcpserver and smartexeption is running when you start the game.

In short, they get information about failures in programs (all applications once it is started - I have seen reports for Netscape and NAV, for instance) that can NOT be solved without the report. In order to work well it has to be loaded during startup of the OS.

Cheers,
Jack

Unfortunately, in my Win2K system MCPServer self-terminates due to errors. Of course this prevents Smartexception from working at all.

After all of my efforts to get mine working I am still having the same problem you are. It is badly needed to provide the information needed for a lot of the crashes of GC that we are getting.

Cheers,
Jack

The update posted a little over a week ago fixes the MCP issues. Jack, I'm not sure what's up with your configuration, were you able to get the zip open?
-Ian

Ian,

I managed to get the zip to open and to copy the files over to the correct directory. Opening the zip file turned out to be simply double clicking on it. I had been trying to "extract" the folder.

Copying the files required other actions, like getting the "Startup Control Panel 2.7 by Mike Lin" and trying to figure out what the entries should look llike, both before and after successfully installing both the DGM and the SE fix. I had to "disable the startups of MCP and SE before I could copy the files and reboot. Even so, I think there is still something wrong there.

And I have tried repeated use of "unwise" to repair DGM, and to remove and reinstall DGM and the fix along with using the Startup Control Panel to remove the startups of SE and MCP. I can now do these steps in my sleep.

And SE still does not work. I no longer get the error messages that MCPsomethingorother fails during bootup but when I deliberately crash GC I don't get an exception report. I also now have two entries each for MCPSERVER ("1A - Stardock MCP") and SmartException all pointing through the correct path to the correct file), with one of each dissabled.

Cheers,
Jack

Could someone point to the files necessary to fix the smartexception and mcpserver problems? Thanks,

Frank

Frank,

First you need DGM_66b. Then add http://www.stardock.com/temp/mcprefresh.zip It may take some work to get it on.

Cheers,
Jack