Hello,
We have a client who has a new HP desktop computer running Windows XP Pro on a Windows SBS2K3 network. When logging off the computer, an error message pops up that asghost.exe cannot close, push 'End Now', blah blah blah. This wouldn't be a big problem, except the user usually clicks 'Logoff' and then leaves his office. Later, when he tries to connect via RDP to the desktop computer from outside the office, he can't login as the computer apparently is stuck in mid-logoff.
I have replicated the problem by having him start the logoff process, get the error message, then I try to RDP into his computer.
When searching for asghost.exe, I find the most likely source for the app, but no information on what is really is, what it does on this computer, and how to either remove it or fix the problem with it not letting the computer logout.
Would appreciate some info on this one!
Thanks,
Jeff
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I'm not sure either as the Google information are not really great, except that I found a forum where an user has more or less the same problem as you ("End Now" box appears : http://discussions.virtual
According to Google, it seems to some user security software...
http://www.processlibrary.
maybe something related to DRM, etc. Maybe there is an help file somewhere on the harddrive ?
Here is what the editor has to says about it (buzz-words galore... it never is a good sign...) : http://www.cognizancesecur
As you know, the OEM OSes come preloaded with a lot of unneeded software that they were paid to put there in the first place.
Try to see if you can see something from this vendor in Add/Remove Programs and remove the program completely as this software may rely on a few services.
I've never heard of this product before and there are 99% odds are that it is not needed at all.
I tracked it down. Looks like it has to do with HP ProtectTools applications. This is standard issue software that works with the embedded TPM chips to allow you to secure your hard drive data, among other 'security' applications.
I am going to uninstall all the HP ProtectTools apps and see what I get!
Here's a theory on why this is an issue on this computer:
This computer is a clone of another HP computer (same model). We setup the original and then cloned it to this computer. I have a feeling that something like the TPM chip combined with the original HP ProtectTools software from the master created some sort of code on the clone that is now not matching up with its 'new' TPM hardware.
Does that make any sense?
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by: VorenusPosted on 2008-05-14 at 16:07:24ID: 21569419
HI Jeff,
I would disable the asghost process from running automatically at startup.
Either by using msconfig.exe (built-in to Windows XP) or the much more powerful Autoruns from SysInternals ( http://technet.microsoft.c