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PSPUG Message Board    Help and Discussion Forums    PSP v.X2 Evaluations and Problems  ›  Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 Spyware Moderators: D_Spider, Pete
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Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 Spyware   This thread currently has 246 views. Print
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cubano1
October 28, 2009, 10:45pm Report to Moderator
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I did some checking around and the following might be the reason, why you need another prg to remove all the parts of PSP X2. Doing a serach in Wikipedia I came accross the following articlew, could this be the reason why Corel can't or won't help me with my installation problem

Paint Shop Pro
Spyware allegations
Versions XI and X2 install a third party program named PSIService.exe, listed under Windows services as ProtexisLicensing. Written by Protexis, this runs in the background and collects licensing information. This program communicates with a remote host and is described in some posts as spyware.[citation needed] The Corel EULA does not reveal that installation of Version XI or X2 will result in the installation and continued background execution of this non-Corel program. Uninstalling XI or X2 will not uninstall PSIService.exe; and upon manually disabling the Protexis Licensing service, Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo will cease functioning, stating "This copy of Paint Shop Pro has been damaged or illegally modified. Please reinstall from your original source
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cwodave
October 29, 2009, 1:18pm Report to Moderator

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Use our search and type in Protexis for the search and you'll get a page that sort-of explains what it is.



Using PSP-8/9/X/X2
** Does killing time damage eternity?**
http://cwodave.topcities.com
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D_Spider
October 30, 2009, 7:56am Report to Moderator

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And, no, the presence of Protexis is not the reason you need Corel's uninstall program to uninstall PSPX2.


       PSP5       PSP10       Said Yoda: "Do or do not.  There is no try."     (The Empire Strikes Back)
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cubano1
October 30, 2009, 12:43pm Report to Moderator
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If not what is it? Why does Corel needs to install a prg into computer and don't mention this? I did not give me permision for them to do this.

And why won't they tell me where does X2 gets the info that there is another version installed when there are no PSP X2 folders or files left either in my HD or mention of Core, Paint Shop in my register.
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Tim
October 30, 2009, 12:45pm Report to Moderator

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You've been misinformed. PSIService.exe is not a third party program.
PSP is a large and complex program that is constructed out of some code that has been written by Jasc/Corel/Ulead programmers, as well as components and modules that are licensed from third parties. If you look through the PSPP X2 program folder, you'll find components that have been written by many other companies... Access Softek, AccuSoft, Microsoft, Kakadu Software, Eastman Kodak, Python Software Foundation, and several others including Protexis.
Protexis provides the software licensing component of PSP. This is the stuff that counts down the 30 day trial period, uses your serial number to convert the installation to a fully licensed version, and prevents serial numbers from being shared around.
In one form or another it has been part of PSP since the later, Corel branded, versions of PSP 9. It changed to running as a Windows service when Vista was released, and that version is installed as part of PSPP XI and X2 as well as the version 10.10, PSP X Vista compatibility patch. All Corel software released in the last few years contains Protexis components. Other software manufacturers use it too... ACT! and Crystal Reports for instance.
It isn't spyware, and is a very lightweight and innocuous program, that isn't worth worrying about. See http://www.protexis.com/support/support_PSIService.htm.

It also has nothing to do with the MSIClean utility. PSP normally doesn't need any special utility to uninstall it... the normal method through Add and Remove Programs works fine. The tool is made to cleanup damaged installations of PSP, and cleans caches, the registry and particularly the Windows Installer files. The "MSI" in MSIClean stands for "MicroSoft Installer". MSIClean.exe is actually a customised version of Microsoft's "Windows Installer Cleanup Tool".
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Tim
October 30, 2009, 12:49pm Report to Moderator

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Quoted from cubano1
And why won't they tell me where does X2 gets the info that there is another version installed when there are no PSP X2 folders or files left either in my HD or mention of Core, Paint Shop in my register.


From one of the MSI files in C:\Windows\Installer.
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cubano1
October 30, 2009, 1:00pm Report to Moderator
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Then why Corel won't or can't tell me where does PSP X2 gets the info that there is another version installed when there are NO files, folders, etc in my computer, somehow, somewhere in my computer there is something that contains this info.

Then why Corel does not make a mention of their forcing me to add additional prgs into my computer.  I have been using PSP since version 1.0 which has been a long time, and until now I have had all the confidence in it but now I lost all the confidence Corel and when someone asks me about it I mention that Corel will install additional prgs that has nothing to do with running the prg that they will buy

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cubano1
October 30, 2009, 1:17pm Report to Moderator
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I would like to know if those defending Corel work for Corel?

At least you have tried to answer. But even you guys can't answer why Corel original question can't or won't answer my question Where does X2 gets the info about the phantom version installed in my computer and how to fix this problem. I don't think that this an unreasonable request on my part.

After reading all your replies I started to believe that I better start using PHOTO SHOP ELEMENTS. At least as far as I know Adobe lets you know all the prgms that comes with their intallation. And when you unistall an Adobe prg with windows unistaller it is all uninstalled and don't need another prg and if in the future you try installing it again, you will not get the "THERE IS ANOTHER VERSION INSTALLED"
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Tim
October 31, 2009, 4:44am Report to Moderator

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I don't work for Corel. I am a Corel C-Tech Volunteer, which means, in theory, that I have access to channels for contacting Corel about problems that can't be solved by other users in the Corel forums. In practise, this ability has faded away to a large degree in the last couple of years.
This also means that I have signed an agreement with Corel that prevents me from revealing some information. Like all software companies, to avoid software piracy, Corel don't make public information about their software licensing process - neither how it operates, nor what information is stored on the computer. Otherwise, no one would buy the program... they'd just delete a few things once a month and use a succession of 30 day trials, or disable licensing so that the trial never expired. In fact, because of the Protexis Licensing Service, both of these methods are impossible with PSPP X2.
Despite all this, I also have a long record of being extremely critical of Corel and the way they develop and market PSP.

At this point though we seem to be arguing at cross purposes.
Despite having not a shred of evidence to support your view, you insist that the Protexis Licensing Service is a separate program, that it is spyware, and that because of the Protexis component, PSPP X2 needs to be uninstalled using a special tool. Not one single bit of that is true, so you're getting all steamed up about something that simply doesn't exist, except as paranoid and unfounded rumour.

Because Protexis Licensing is a component of PSP, and not in any way a separate program, it is covered by the normal Corel license that accompanies PSP.
Because it isn't spyware, doesn't collect information, doesn't transfer information to an external location, uses almost no resources, and is essential for PSP to run, there is absolutely no reason to worry about it.
PSPP X2 is installed using a Windows component called Windows Installer. Normally it is uninstalled from within the Add and Remove Programs section of the Windows Control Panel. This process also uses Windows Installer, and normally works perfectly well. Windows Installer keeps a large amount of information about programs that it installs, including their location and version number, in its own files. These are mostly in the folder C:\Windows\Installer, and in the Windows Installer sections of the registry and are mostly not in a human readable format. When you try to install PSP and you get an error message that another version is installed, the error message is displayed by Windows Installer and uses information found in the Windows Installer cache. This message only occurs if it thinks you have the original version of X2 installed and you're trying to install X2 Ultimate... and possibly the reverse as well. If you have already uninstalled PSPP X2, the error message indicates that there was a problem with the uninstall, and the Windows Installer cache data wasn't removed. To correct this, you need to run the MSIClean utility (which is a Microsoft utility that has been modified by Corel) and use the "Zap Application/Module" on any copies of PSPP X2, or PSPP 12 that you find listed in MSICleanup's list of programs. None of this has even the slightest amount to do with Protexis.
If something in a PSP installation gets damaged, Windows Installer might not be able to uninstall PSP completely. To correct this relatively rare occurrence, Corel provides a tool to clean up the important stuff that might get left behind. This would include the Windows Installer cache and some PSP files and registry entries, but not all of the Protexis Licensing stuff.
If the uninstall process can't determine if PSPP X2 was the only program using the Protexis Licensing component, it will not uninstall it. This is so that it doesn't mistakenly break another of the many programs that use Protexis for their licensing and activation. The bit that it leaves behind will do nothing except use a tiny amount or memory, which is preferable to potentially disabling multiple other programs.
Protexis do make a tool for removing the licensing service, but it should only be used if you're absolutely certain that no programs that need the service are still installed on your computer.

If you choose to install Adobe Photoshop Elements, you will also be installing a component that handles program licensing. Just as with PSP's Protexis based licensing component, it isn't a separate program and you will see nothing in the Elements installation that will announce that the licensing component is being installed. Just like Protexis, the Adobe licensing component will disable the program if you use a trial version for longer than 30 days, try to install it on too many computers, or damage or remove the program's licensing components.
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D_Spider
October 31, 2009, 5:10am Report to Moderator

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Cubano1, I have a very low opinion of Corel's corporate practices, and I find it regrettable and truly sad that Jasc sold out to them, and I do not approve of Corel's inclusion of a DRM in the PSP installation package.  (Look here for more about these ethically questionable but increasingly prevalent little entities.)  But don't think you can avoid them by turning to Adobe.  Or any software produced by a mainstream software-development corporation.   "O tempores, o mores," "Radix malorum est cupiditas," and other old sayings apply.  Oh, yeah, "Caveat emptor," too.


       PSP5       PSP10       Said Yoda: "Do or do not.  There is no try."     (The Empire Strikes Back)
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cubano1
November 3, 2009, 4:09pm Report to Moderator
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I don't have another choice than to switch to Adobe Photoshop Elelments since I am unable to intall PSSP X2 and Corel will not aid me
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Tim
November 4, 2009, 3:34am Report to Moderator

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Quoted from cubano1
... I am unable to intall PSSP X2 and Corel will not aid me
Are you trying to install Paint Shop Pro Photo X2 Ultimate Edition? Have you previously installed the ordinary version of PSPP X2? (Perhaps just as a trial version).

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cubano1
November 4, 2009, 4:10pm Report to Moderator
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I tried installing version X2 and due to an incopatibility between X2 and my NVdia (Sp?) grafics card the installation of X2 crashed, after I installed a new driver as per corel's instruction that is when I started getting the there is another version installed message.

Then I use windows uninstall I even edited my register and X2 still won't install, all I get is the stupid message and Corel won't or can't help me that is why I said to Hell with Corel and I am switching to PSE
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Tim
November 4, 2009, 11:36pm Report to Moderator

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Is that X2 or X2 Ultimate? What did you delete from the registry? What model is your NVIDIA graphics card, and what is the current NVIDIA driver version?
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