How do I stop every AnyDVD update from forcing Autostart to enabled?

[dannyz]

I honestly have never understood why this is such a big deal

It's unclear to me why I need to justify my desire for AnyDVD updates, to respect my preferred settings. AnyDVD is the ONLY software I can recall using (except for adware/malware), that deliberately overrides customer preference settings.

Perhaps the reason there are not more complaints about this practice is that every request is met with absolute stone-walling. I searched on AnyDVD updates overriding customer settings several years ago, and decided it wasn't worth my time to pursue it. This time, I've decided to take a run at it.

Your example (autorun prevention) is another idiot-proofing example. I wasn't asking for "every single possible design reason", just any that are not idiot-proofing. In 7 years, no one appears to have been able to provide a single one. BTW, I am a developer.

 

[DrinkLyeAndDie]

It's unclear to me why I need to justify my desire for AnyDVD updates, to respect my preferred settings. AnyDVD is the ONLY software I can recall using (except for adware/malware), that deliberately overrides customer preference settings.

I'm not making you justify anything. I've merely replied with my responses.

Perhaps the reason there are not more complaints about this practice is that every request is met with absolute stone-walling. I searched on AnyDVD updates overriding customer settings several years ago, and decided it wasn't worth my time to pursue it. This time, I've decided to take a run at it.

That's one possibility or the possibility could be the reality of things and it's that the vast vast majority of people have absolutely zero issue and simply don't care.

Your example (autorun prevention) is another idiot-proofing example. I wasn't asking for "every single possible design reason", just any that are not idiot-proofing. In 7 years, no one appears to have been able to provide a single one. BTW, I am a developer.

Some might consider it idiot-proofing. Personally, I categorize it separately. Regardless, your opinion is your opinion and your opinions are your opinions which is perfectly fine.

The forums here are user-to-user support forums. Developers and Slysoft employees do read them but they don't necessarily see everything and reply at their discretion. You could submit your request to Slysoft directly. You may not be pleased with the possible outcome, however. IOW, no change being made.

 

[dannyz]

There are probably more people irritated, by having their settings overridden, than you realize. I agree that it's unlikely to be a big deal for the vast majority.

So let's look at this from the average customer's perspective. Imagine surveying all AnyDVD customers, and asking them which option they would prefer: 1) SlySoft will change you settings at each update to protect you, or 2) SlySoft will honor the settings you've chosen, but your risk may be higher.

IMO, the VAST majority would choose option 2, if they had the choice. But they don't have the choice.

Do you disagree?

 

[DrinkLyeAndDie]

There are probably more people irritated, by having their settings overridden, than you realize. I agree that it's unlikely to be a big deal for the vast majority.

So let's look at this from the average customer's perspective. Imagine surveying all AnyDVD customers, and asking them which option they would prefer: 1) SlySoft will change you settings at each update to protect you, or 2) SlySoft will honor the settings you've chosen, but your risk may be higher.

IMO, the VAST majority would choose option 2, if they had the choice. But they don't have the choice.

Do you disagree?

I posted in this thread merely to share the information from previous discussions and the response from a Slysoft developer. I disagree with your position. I've already noted that you could try directly submitting the request to Slysoft. I have no interest in partaking further in this discussion because, frankly, I see it as being nothing more than a cyclical discussion without end.

 

[mmdavis]

There are probably more people irritated, by having their settings overridden, than you realize. I agree that it's unlikely to be a big deal for the vast majority.

So let's look at this from the average customer's perspective. Imagine surveying all AnyDVD customers, and asking them which option they would prefer: 1) SlySoft will change you settings at each update to protect you, or 2) SlySoft will honor the settings you've chosen, but your risk may be higher.

IMO, the VAST majority would choose option 2, if they had the choice. But they don't have the choice.

Do you disagree?

As an "average customer", if it was that big of an issue for me, I wouldn't update AnyDVD until such time as a disc didn't work and I had to update. After the update, AnyDVD always pops up the Status window, so I would go to the Program Settings and uncheck those two little boxes again. Might take every bit of 5 seconds.

 

[fast eddie]

Default settings for software programs are there for a reason, in very general terms to keep the problems down to a minimum for the software developer and the customers, and to keep the software program working for inexperienced users when selecting the wrong options.

And, I agree with Slysoft default settings, with the two options you are arguing about.:agree:

And, if you don't like the default settings, don't be lazy, just takes a few seconds to change them.

And, don't ask the customer to pay an additional $10. when the default settings are currently the best choice.

 

[James]

... not force autostart with each update (especially for all IDs on the machine)?

Please elaborate. The installer will only enable autostart for the user, who installs the software (it adds a registry value to HKCU) . Other accounts are (should be?) unaffected.

 

[dannyz]

I always use AnyDVD from my standard user ID on a Windows 8.1 desktop, which works fine. When I later login to my admin ID on that system, I notice the AnyDVD icon in the tray. Autostart/autoupdate is set, even though I've set them off from the standard user ID. I change the settings again and exit AnyDVD, and am fine under the Admin ID until the next AnyDVD update I install. The behavior, for me, was the same on Windows 7. I recently bought a nice new i7 system and did a clean Win8 install (not upgrade) and the behavior remains the same for me.

The only thing I can think of, that I've done, which may be unusual, is I may have installed AnyDVD from my admin ID. And I have updated AnyDVD from my user ID.

I am a developer, but mostly program in Python. If I login to my standard user ID and regedit the current user hive, I find lots of entries with a find for 'anydvd'. Same when I login to my admin ID.

 

[James]

I always use AnyDVD from my standard user ID on a Windows 8.1 desktop, which works fine. When I later login to my admin ID on that system, I notice the AnyDVD icon in the tray. Autostart/autoupdate is set, even though I've set them off from the standard user ID. I change the settings again and exit AnyDVD, and am fine under the Admin ID until the next AnyDVD update I install. The behavior, for me, was the same on Windows 7. I recently bought a nice new i7 system and did a clean Win8 install (not upgrade) and the behavior remains the same for me.

I checked the code, and you're right, AnyDVD will create an autostart registry entry for the current user. I stand corrected.

 

[dannyz]

I checked the code, and you're right, AnyDVD will create an autostart registry entry for the current user. I stand corrected.

Thank you James! If you can fix that, it would remove my (and I'll bet many others) only big annoyance.

 

[rik1138]

100% wrong. Please don't invent garbage like this. Refer to my previous post.

No, I'm not wrong, and your post does nothing to prove otherwise.

Yes, they've said they aren't going to change it, that it's 'by design'... Which to me is like Steve Jobs telling people they are holding their phone wrong instead of admitting they screwed up the design of the device...

If they can provide a clear, concise _REASON_ for why they feel it's necessary to undo this setting every time I update my software, I'd be glad to read it. I've repeatedly asked WHY this is done, and the only answer I've ever gotten is 'We think AnyDVD should be running at all times on your computer.' I don't, so why I can't make that change on MY COMPUTER, and have it left alone? I guess we should be happy they chose to even give us the option to turn this off... I wish they would make a 'pro' version of the software actually, instead of dumbing everything down to the lowest common denominator, make a version (or some ridiculously complicated way to enable it) for people that do know what they are doing and want to change things for specific purposes... And want those changes left alone. No user-preference should ever be erased by an update to the software unless the software was changed in a way that requires it (and it should then tell you it's going to do that so you aren't surprised by the change).

'By design' or 'It's what we want' isn't a REASON, it's just basically telling you 'tough, we aren't changing it'. And, you know what, it's their software and they can program it however they want. I never said it was a big deal to undo the setting (I just consider it part of the install process- update, uncheck, close program.)

I'm just explaining _again_ to someone ELSE complaining about it that it isn't going to change, and they won't provide a valid reason for it.

As for my problem with the software verification, what's the point of having AnyDVD running if I disable it on my drive? What's it doing running at all if it has no access to the drives? That doesn't even make sense... I either turn it's access to the drive on and off, or I just close the program...

I'm not in the habit of leaving software running all the time that I don't use all the time...

On a similarly related topic, does anyone know _where_ this setting is stored? I've looked through the SlySoft registry entries, and there's nothing there for autostart... Nothing in the install directory seems to be it either. Where does it actually keep this setting?

 

[wowszer]

An easy way to get around to what you want is to create another user account in Windows and log into that every time you want to use your pc. AnyDVD will not pop up, auto start, in that account. Then when you explicitly want to use Anydvd, then log out of this account, into the account that you are complaining about, which will check for updates, AnyDVD will show up in this user account. Its up to you. Instead of everyone having to jump through hoops for what you want, the option was always there.

 

[dannyz]

I started this thread, and am satisfied that the issue I raised is closed. For any that disagree, start your own thread.

James acknowledged that AnyDVD was not acting as intended and I trust that we'll see a correction in a future update.

I was disappointed by the stone-walling and belittling of my initial post, prior to James's response. There is probably a lesson to be learned from this.

DrinkLyeAndDie - I have a specific suggestion for you. In msg #15 of this thread, you said "Here's the relevant parts of an old discussion:". In the future, please consider adding this:

Quote Originally Posted by James View Post
I answered this many times, here is the short version:

Support nightmare. People disable the autostart, they disable their notification icon, they disable the update check. And they don't remember how to revert it. Installing a new version will at least reset these essential settings.

 

[James]

I started this thread, and am satisfied that the issue I raised is closed. For any that disagree, start your own thread.

James acknowledged that AnyDVD was not acting as intended and I trust that we'll see a correction in a future update.

No I did not say that. My memory was just failing. AnyDVD is acting exactly the way it should.

 

[DrinkLyeAndDie]

I started this thread, and am satisfied that the issue I raised is closed. For any that disagree, start your own thread.

Agreed.

I was disappointed by the stone-walling and belittling of my initial post, prior to James's response. There is probably a lesson to be learned from this.

The discussion has been had in the past about why a few settings are reset. It's intentional. So, no stonewalling there and I merely referred to a previous discussion which went like those before it.

DrinkLyeAndDie - I have a specific suggestion for you. In msg #15 of this thread, you said "Here's the relevant parts of an old discussion:". In the future, please consider adding this:

Quote Originally Posted by James View Post
I answered this many times, here is the short version:

Support nightmare. People disable the autostart, they disable their notification icon, they disable the update check. And they don't remember how to revert it. Installing a new version will at least reset these essential settings.

Agreed but I'm not even sure where you came up with that quote in searching. Now that you mention it I do remember words along those lines and the quote but I can't find it offhand in a search.

With respect to everything else, James is one of the developers. He's given his input here. I have nothing to add.

 

[mike20021969]

I'm not even sure where you came up with that quote in searching. Now that you mention it I do remember words along those lines and the quote but I can't find it offhand in a search.

It's from here:
https://forum.slysoft.com/showthread.php?48487-Options-After-Install/page2&p=315037#post315037

 

[DrinkLyeAndDie]

It's from here:
https://forum.slysoft.com/showthread.php?48487-Options-After-Install/page2&p=315037#post315037

Thank you.

 

[dannyz]

James,

To recount, you said: "Please elaborate. The installer will only enable autostart for the user, who installs the software (it adds a registry value to HKCU) . Other accounts are (should be?) unaffected." and then you said: "I checked the code, and you're right, AnyDVD will create an autostart registry entry for the current user. I stand corrected." And you finally said: "My memory was just failing. AnyDVD is acting exactly the way it should."

My objective is to have AnyDVD be a standard user program only (and not one that automatically launches from my admin ID). I tried uninstalling AnyDVD and reinstalling it. But unfortunately, the uninstall process does not remove AnyDVD's relevant registry keys. I also tried using autoruns to disable the HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run entry for AnyDVD. But a new entry is created with each AnyDVD update.

So I have a simple question. If you're not going to fix the issue I raised, are you willing to provide a work-around?

 

[scotton]

This thread is BS

best way is to open red fox each time update go to program settings and uncheck what you do not want to load when stating etc. etc. this thread is much about NOTHING and should be closed.

 

[dannyz]

best way is to open red fox each time update go to program settings and uncheck what you do not want to load when stating etc. etc. this thread is much about NOTHING and should be closed.

You've repeated the same boring mantra that several others also have in this thread - change the settings each time - duh!

My central point is that having to change settings on multiple IDs with every AnyDVD update is a needless irritation. It doesn't reduce SlySoft's support costs and James made it clear, in this thread, that he was surprised that it was even happening. Is it a critical issue - of course not. But in some future release, it seems like a reasonable improvement, with no downside.

So unless you have a constructive idea - go away.