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sdmcp.exe

April 1, 2006 1:42:37 PM from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums
Since I installed Galactic Civilizations II, or probably already when I installed Stardock Central, there is a process called sdmcp.exe running on my computer. Searching for it on Google reveals it is a part of "Stardock Personalization Software". I'd like to decide when to run Stardock Central myself, rather than having it run at boot time, so I've been searching my registry and startup locations in the start menu, finding no trace of it. Hijackthis reported a dll under Program Files/Common Files/Stardock being run at logon time through some obscure method, and using Hijackthis to remove it does in fact stop the process from starting at logon.

What is this process doing when it is running, and why have you hidden it?
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syneris
Join Date 03/2006
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Reply #1 April 1, 2006 2:25:53 PM
from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums
It's something with Stardock Central. You can turn it off in your preferences.
Thanks to the irc channel for this info
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RichVR
Join Date 02/2006
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Reply #2 April 1, 2006 2:42:05 PM
from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums
What is this process doing when it is running, and why have you hidden it?


Shhhh! It's what Brad uses to steal pR0n from your computer. Give the guy a break.
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Bingjack
Join Date 02/2006
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Reply #3 April 1, 2006 2:51:56 PM
from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums
It shows up in task manager. It is not "hidden".

Not everythings a conspiracy, buddy. Well, except for American Idol.
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Reply #4 April 1, 2006 2:52:10 PM
from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums
Oh, I hadn't walked through the preferences in SD Central. I suppose it's "enable MCP SmartStartup" or "enable MCP notification area support"? Still curious about what they actually do. Brad is welcome to my pROn, however I'd like to keep the private stuff to myself .
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Reply #5 April 1, 2006 2:56:20 PM
from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums
Bingjack, I perceived it as "hidden" because I couldn't find out how it was started without resorting to Hijackthis. In fact there is no file called sdmcp.exe, so I was quite suspicious about where it came from.
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syneris
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Reply #6 April 1, 2006 3:22:22 PM
from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums
sdmcp.exe is in program files\common files\stardock and yeah it's one of the enable mcp things.
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Eogan
Join Date 05/2005
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Reply #7 April 1, 2006 3:26:42 PM
from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums
You can stop MCP SmartStart from loading at bootup. In Startdock Central, go to Options in the Tools menu and under General Settings, uncheck Enable MCP notification area support. Exit SD Central and reboot.


Edit - Wrong setting listed in original post. E.
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Reply #8 April 1, 2006 3:49:28 PM
from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums
Hmm, syneris is right, it actually is there. Strange that the find files didn't find it when searching C:, but only when searching C:/Program Files. It's the same for any other file under Program Files, so it must be a Windows bug (or intended feature).
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heyrespwn
Join Date 03/2006
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Reply #9 April 1, 2006 6:19:35 PM
from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums
Download "StartUp Control Panel" (use google) and you can check all boot startups very easy. additionally you can download sysinternals freeware tools like "process explorer" and "autoruns" (and maybe the registry/network/file monitors) to get almost full control whats running any time.

if you want the full package get the things above + hardware firewall, personal firewall and regulary updated antivir.

but one thing is needed that cant be downloaded: the experience what can be a threat to your computer and what not and some theory how viruses, trojaners and adware work.
if you do not know anything about that all tools are almost senseless. thats sad and the reason why the easy-to-use computer is still a dream. even with colorful windows you still need some technical knowledge to be somehow save.
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Reply #10 April 2, 2006 3:54:11 AM
from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums
Thanks, I'll look them up
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Mabowle
Join Date 08/2005
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Reply #11 April 4, 2006 6:32:52 AM
from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums
The whole thing with Stardock Central and especially a background sdmcp.exe ist still rather dodgy... Why do I need to execute an .exe that connects to the Internet to download patches for a game? Why not a simple download page with links that only work, after you have entered your serial number?

Anybody who is halfway aware of Internet security, knows that a .exe that has permissions to access the Internet (which Stardock Central needs to function properly) could do just about anything to your machine, esp. collect any kind of information from it. Why does Stardock force me to permit this?
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WarEagle
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Reply #12 April 4, 2006 6:45:41 AM
from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums
Stardock does not force you, because Stardock does not force you to use beta-patches. You can download all final-patches using the homepage. Beta-patches change more often, so you have to make shure it's the latest version, and for analysing this, you need a executable, shure this could also be a batchfile or a perlscript, but this time it's a binary.
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Peace Phoenix
Join Date 01/2004
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Reply #13 April 4, 2006 6:57:55 AM
from Stardock ForumsStardock Forums
Why do I need to execute an .exe that connects to the Internet to download patches for a game? Why not a simple download page with links that only work, after you have entered your serial number?

Well, using SDC to get the update will ensure that you download only the NEEDED files, and not all files since the retail version. So using SDC wollw you to have an incremental update while the download page offers you a full patch since v1.0
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Mabowle
Join Date 08/2005
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Reply #14 April 5, 2006 10:17:30 AM
from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums
Ok, incremental updates, cool, I can live with that. But, anyway, why doesn't the game .exe itself (or the loader) do the update? The auto-update function could also be an updateable component of the game. But then it wouldn't show me all the other shiny products from StarDock I am supposed to buy, right?

Ok, anyway, separate incremental update functionality in a separate .exe. Fine, argument settled. But why, oh why, a background process that loads at startup time? why? Why??? WHY???? *voice echoes, while camera zooms far out*
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Peace Phoenix
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Reply #15 April 5, 2006 3:22:41 PM
from Stardock ForumsStardock Forums
But why, oh why, a background process that loads at startup time? why? Why??? WHY???? *voice echoes, while camera zooms far out*

Are you sure you can't toogle it in the settings?
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AlTheFirst
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Reply #16 April 28, 2006 5:21:24 PM
from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums
no mater what you call it .
IT IS MALWARE .
if you did not choise to install your self. if it can not be turned off.
or if the website does not offer the remover software. !!!!
it would be spyware if they gave the remover.
it is not listed in the install licenseing page. so not by user choice
the program does not work if removed


it still looks like MALWARE to me. if it looks like a duck and sounds like a duck then it should be a duck !!!!!!
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Bichur
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Reply #17 April 28, 2006 5:49:24 PM
from Stardock ForumsStardock Forums

 

if you did not choise to install your self.


that would be 'install this' decision you made


if it can not be turned off.


sdmcp.exe can be turned off. in the tools > settings.  It's also what is used to get systray info to show in DTX, OD & OB (when it's on)


it would be spyware if they gave the remover.
 


doesn't make sense. you mean if they didn't give the remover?  I haven't had to use this, but maybe it will be what you want: https://www.stardock.com/files/odnt_zapper.exe


 


 
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Reply #18 April 29, 2006 9:36:06 AM
from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums
no mater what you call it .
IT IS MALWARE .
if you did not choise to install your self. if it can not be turned off.
or if the website does not offer the remover software. !!!!
it would be spyware if they gave the remover.
it is not listed in the install licenseing page. so not by user choice
the program does not work if removed



it still looks like MALWARE to me. if it looks like a duck and sounds like a duck then it should be a duck !!!!!!


You DID choose to intall it. Yes, it runs at boot up. I see it in Task Manager. It's not hiddem. It's not accessing the internet all day. It's not stealing my pr0n . It's not taking a lot of memory. If I want to run say, BF2, I can simply END PROCESS. And no ill effects are noticed.
I don't see the problem. I'd reather it not always be there BUT it's not bothering me too much.
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LordFu
Join Date 02/2006
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Reply #19 April 29, 2006 9:46:51 AM
from GalCiv II ForumsGalCiv II Forums
Jeez, the ignorance runs rampant. It can be disabled through SDC itself, msconfig, or third party software. I disabled it, as I do all services and startup items that aren't required to boot the PC. SDC still works, as does GalCiv2. Big whoop.
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Carsten_Sihm
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Reply #20 May 26, 2006 3:51:52 AM
from Stardock ForumsStardock Forums
Come on guys - you play to much conspiracy games!!!

Some of us Object Desktop users are having problems to get it installed - can't find the file etc.

'enable MCP notification area support' is a function that enables some of the OD programs like Object Bar, Object Dock and Desktop X to show the icons you usually have in your System Tray.

God I wish I had your problem

And by the way - if you are using Stardock Central you cna just 'disable MCP notification area support


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