Probable bug in HP Support Framework or update to same

[BloomingAzaleas]

Since there does not appear to be a bug report forum so I choose this one.  This is an FYI report regards the HP Support Framework interaction with the browser Internet Exploder but since I do not use IE it has no effect for me.

Windows 8.1 latest MS patches as of 5 May 2016. 

HP Support Assistant 8.2.8.25, Framework 12.3.11.29, Config files 8.0.6056.1327.  Support Assistant recently updated itself.

Was researching an entirely unrelated Win networking issue using MS Autoruns.exe (https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb963902.aspx) when I noticed under the Autoruns GUI IE tab the following:

registry key "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Browser Helper Objects"

HP Network Check Helper            File not found: C:\Program Files (x86)\Hewlett-Packard\HP Support Framework\Resources\HPNetworkCheck\HPNetworkCheckPluginx64.dll       

An inspection of the install directory shows there is a "HPNetworkCheckPlugin64.dll" but not a "HPNetworkCheckPluginx64.dll" - the "x" in "x64" is the difference.  An inspection of the Registry shows at least one CLSID (and maybe multiple) having a pathname in Data ending in "HPNetworkCheckPlugin64.dll" but also several having "HPNetworkCheckPluginx64.dll":

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{E76FD755-C1BA-4DCB-9F13-99BD91223ADE}\InprocServer32

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TypeLib\{43724D8D-D2FF-457C-AEFA-69B7FB2C6558}\1.0\0\win32

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Wow6432Node\TypeLib\{43724D8D-D2FF-457C-AEFA-69B7FB2C6558}\1.0\0\win32

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{E76FD755-C1BA-4DCB-9F13-99BD91223ADE}\InprocServer32

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\TypeLib\{43724D8D-D2FF-457C-AEFA-69B7FB2C6558}\1.0\0\win32

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Wow6432Node\TypeLib\{43724D8D-D2FF-457C-AEFA-69B7FB2C6558}\1.0\0\win32

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Extensions\{25510184-5A38-4A99-B273-DCA8EEF6CD08}

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Classes\TypeLib\{43724D8D-D2FF-457C-AEFA-69B7FB2C6558}\1.0\0\win32

Several possibilities:

a) "HPNetworkCheckPluginx64.dll" should exist in the install dir but through filesystem corruption disappeared at some point.  Presumptively a repair of HP Support Solutions Framework via Control Panel->Programs would be a low risk action except that a Repair action is not offered for the Support Solution itself.  <editorial comment suppressed>

b) "HPNetworkCheckPluginx64.dll" was an element of the earlier version of Support Solution and was deleted as part of the recent upgrade mentioned above but the upgrade was not designed to perform or failed to complete good practice Registry hygene of updating or removing Keys holding now stale pathnames.  Stale pathnames in the Registry for software that typically runs with elevated priviledge offer yummy security holes.  Further, since this element is an IE bowser helper, presumptively IE interaction with the Support Solution is broken.  I have not pursued this as I avoid IE.

c) Support Solution build-time error: The Support Solution package install file contents (pathname template stubs) are not cross-validated against the the Registry edit functions and the Registry edit data has a filename typo.

BA

[Mrstenter · Accepted solution]

Hi @BloomingAzaleas,

Welcome to the HP Support Forums.

Thanks for sharing your information. Very helpful.

Thanks.