Runservice.exe and license questions

RedRooster · 04-03-2002, 07:06 AM

Hi guys, let me say first, that this is the first time I've ever tried the OOTP series, and I've got to say that I'm NEVER going back to anything else!!!

What a beautie, but I'm sure you've heard all that before. ha

Anyways, I've got two quick questions.
1) I'm running WinXP, and I see Runservice.exe running in my process list(I like to keep it very clean, and get rid of anything I don't need). I've learned that it has something to do with the e-license thing, but I'm not too clear as to why it has to run all the time. What exactly does it do? And is there any way to safely get rid of that process, perhaps killing a registry key or two?

2) I haven't had trouble with the e-license yet, as I'm still on my first one, but eventually I'm going to be formatting and I don't have the shortcuts to "unlicense" the game. Where would I find them/it(my desktop is clear)? In my control panel I have the e-license group, but right clicking on the OOTP4 shortcut doesn't allow me anywhere to unlicense it there. I guess I'm just missing something(like a brain

).

Thanks for any help. I better get back to playing!

RedRooster · 04-03-2002, 07:10 AM

Oh brother, I guess I should do more research before posting blather.

One question is answered I guess.
If I right click on the OOTP shortcut, or on the exe itself, there's an option under e-license to "Unlicense". If I just pick that, it'll unlicense it and the next time I install the game it'll just ask for my order ID and get a new license(still counting as my first one), right?

marioh · 04-03-2002, 07:14 AM

1) You can remove the runservice.exe from the registry with no adverse effects. I too like to have full control over what gets loaded on startup on my PC. What will happen though is every time you start OOTP, the runservice.exe gets put back into the registry. I created a registry file that I run after I'm done playing OOTP which automatically removes the registry entry. Let me know if you would like instructions as to how to do it or the file itself (it's a puny little file, 1K in size).
2) Just go into Add/Remove programs in the Control Panel and the E-License stuff is in there and can be uninstalled that way (which should properly unlicense your copy of OOTP).

Enjoy the game !

Scott Vibert · 04-03-2002, 07:15 AM

[quote]Originally posted by RedRooster:
Oh brother, I guess I should do more research before posting blather.

One question is answered I guess.
If I right click on the OOTP shortcut, or on the exe itself, there's an option under e-license to "Unlicense". If I just pick that, it'll unlicense it and the next time I install the game it'll just ask for my order ID and get a new license(still counting as my first one), right?<hr></blockquote>

This is correct.

Runservice.exe is indeed an E-Liscence process, I believe its only supposed to get the liscence and not to continuously run when you start the program. You'll have to contact Via Tech (the e-liscence people) for more details.

RedRooster · 04-03-2002, 07:51 AM

Holy cow! Whata community!

It'd take a week to get these kinds of answers at any other board.
Thanks a ton for the info guys. marioh, if you could post that little reg file script here that'd be great, might help some other folks out too. When I searched for runservice in the registry it only found two entries I believe, and since both were under some e-license key I thought I better not touch it, at risk of wrecking something.

marioh · 04-03-2002, 07:54 AM

I'm at work right now, so I won't be able to post a link to the file right now.

If you're interested, check back tomorrow. I'll throw the file up on a server and make it available via a link in this post.

RedRooster · 04-03-2002, 08:03 AM

[quote]Originally posted by marioh:
I'm at work right now, so I won't be able to post a link to the file right now.

If you're interested, check back tomorrow. I'll throw the file up on a server and make it available via a link in this post.<hr></blockquote>

Not a problem. If you happen to remember that'd be great, if not, no worries at all. I'm just curious as to what keys you got rid of, I'd assume it's pretty much all the ones that contain "runservice".

marioh · 04-03-2002, 08:13 AM

No, not at all.

The only key that the registry file removes is the one located in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/MICROSOFT/WINDOWS/RUN or something like that.

I don't really remember off the top of my head though.

I only remove the value that causes RUNSERVICES.EXE to run at startup.
Any other registry key that references that program is left intact.

[ 04-03-2002: Message edited by: marioh ]

marioh · 04-05-2002, 07:34 AM

<a href="http://yourdemise.homestead.com/files/pics/OOTP_REGKILL.ZIP" target="_blank">Download file from here</a>

It's in ZIP format since I can't save REG files on homestead. Once you unzip the file, just right click on it and select edit to see what registry key it removes. Double click on it to run it (or right click, merge).
This should work properly on 9x PC's. Haven't tested it on ME, XP, or 2000.

[ 04-06-2002: Message edited by: marioh ]

04-03-2002, 07:06 AM	#1
RedRooster Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 21	Runservice.exe and license questions Hi guys, let me say first, that this is the first time I've ever tried the OOTP series, and I've got to say that I'm NEVER going back to anything else!!! What a beautie, but I'm sure you've heard all that before. ha Anyways, I've got two quick questions. 1) I'm running WinXP, and I see Runservice.exe running in my process list(I like to keep it very clean, and get rid of anything I don't need). I've learned that it has something to do with the e-license thing, but I'm not too clear as to why it has to run all the time. What exactly does it do? And is there any way to safely get rid of that process, perhaps killing a registry key or two? 2) I haven't had trouble with the e-license yet, as I'm still on my first one, but eventually I'm going to be formatting and I don't have the shortcuts to "unlicense" the game. Where would I find them/it(my desktop is clear)? In my control panel I have the e-license group, but right clicking on the OOTP4 shortcut doesn't allow me anywhere to unlicense it there. I guess I'm just missing something(like a brain ). Thanks for any help. I better get back to playing!

04-03-2002, 07:14 AM	#3
marioh All Star Starter Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: NYC Posts: 1,162	1) You can remove the runservice.exe from the registry with no adverse effects. I too like to have full control over what gets loaded on startup on my PC. What will happen though is every time you start OOTP, the runservice.exe gets put back into the registry. I created a registry file that I run after I'm done playing OOTP which automatically removes the registry entry. Let me know if you would like instructions as to how to do it or the file itself (it's a puny little file, 1K in size). 2) Just go into Add/Remove programs in the Control Panel and the E-License stuff is in there and can be uninstalled that way (which should properly unlicense your copy of OOTP). Enjoy the game ! __________________ RZA - "I'm me and the me that's me is me and is going to continue to be me"

04-03-2002, 07:15 AM	#4
Scott Vibert Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: My Computer Posts: 8,249	[quote]Originally posted by RedRooster: <strong>Oh brother, I guess I should do more research before posting blather. One question is answered I guess. If I right click on the OOTP shortcut, or on the exe itself, there's an option under e-license to "Unlicense". If I just pick that, it'll unlicense it and the next time I install the game it'll just ask for my order ID and get a new license(still counting as my first one), right?</strong><hr></blockquote> This is correct. Runservice.exe is indeed an E-Liscence process, I believe its only supposed to get the liscence and not to continuously run when you start the program. You'll have to contact Via Tech (the e-liscence people) for more details.

04-03-2002, 07:54 AM	#6
marioh All Star Starter Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: NYC Posts: 1,162	I'm at work right now, so I won't be able to post a link to the file right now. If you're interested, check back tomorrow. I'll throw the file up on a server and make it available via a link in this post. __________________ RZA - "I'm me and the me that's me is me and is going to continue to be me"

04-03-2002, 08:03 AM	#7
RedRooster Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 21	[quote]Originally posted by marioh: <strong>I'm at work right now, so I won't be able to post a link to the file right now. If you're interested, check back tomorrow. I'll throw the file up on a server and make it available via a link in this post.</strong><hr></blockquote> Not a problem. If you happen to remember that'd be great, if not, no worries at all. I'm just curious as to what keys you got rid of, I'd assume it's pretty much all the ones that contain "runservice".

04-03-2002, 07:10 AM	#2
RedRooster Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 21	Oh brother, I guess I should do more research before posting blather. One question is answered I guess. If I right click on the OOTP shortcut, or on the exe itself, there's an option under e-license to "Unlicense". If I just pick that, it'll unlicense it and the next time I install the game it'll just ask for my order ID and get a new license(still counting as my first one), right?

04-03-2002, 07:51 AM	#5
RedRooster Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Canada Posts: 21	Holy cow! Whata community! It'd take a week to get these kinds of answers at any other board. Thanks a ton for the info guys. marioh, if you could post that little reg file script here that'd be great, might help some other folks out too. When I searched for runservice in the registry it only found two entries I believe, and since both were under some e-license key I thought I better not touch it, at risk of wrecking something.

04-03-2002, 08:13 AM	#8
marioh All Star Starter Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: NYC Posts: 1,162	No, not at all. The only key that the registry file removes is the one located in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/MICROSOFT/WINDOWS/RUN or something like that. I don't really remember off the top of my head though. I only remove the value that causes RUNSERVICES.EXE to run at startup. Any other registry key that references that program is left intact. [ 04-03-2002: Message edited by: marioh ]</p> __________________ RZA - "I'm me and the me that's me is me and is going to continue to be me"

04-05-2002, 07:34 AM	#9
marioh All Star Starter Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: NYC Posts: 1,162	<a href="http://yourdemise.homestead.com/files/pics/OOTP_REGKILL.ZIP" target="_blank">Download file from here</a> It's in ZIP format since I can't save REG files on homestead. Once you unzip the file, just right click on it and select edit to see what registry key it removes. Double click on it to run it (or right click, merge). This should work properly on 9x PC's. Haven't tested it on ME, XP, or 2000. [ 04-06-2002: Message edited by: marioh ]</p> __________________ RZA - "I'm me and the me that's me is me and is going to continue to be me"