Problem installing Dropbox in a layer
Had problems trying to install Dropbox 0.6.567 in a layer using SWV Admin 6.1.4108. Dropbox is a file sync and online storage program. www.getdropbox.com
Here is a paste from a text file I created durring the installation:
I am an individual, non-business user.
Windows Vista Home Premium , SP2, 32-bit
Disabled AVG antivirus Resident Shield, Online Armor firewall, and Internet connection. I always disconnect from the Internet when installing software.
SWV Admin, Global capture.
Right-clicked the exe install file in Windows Explorer and selected 'Run as administrator'.
Got 'Welcome...' box. Clicked Install. Install began. After a few seconds, my screen went dark and then lightened again.
Got box 'MS Windows. Dropbox has stopped working. A problem caused the program to stop working correctly. Please close the program.' I clicked Close.
I noticed the SWV capture icon disappeared from the System Tray. I noticed the Dropbox icon appeared in the System Tray. When I moused over the DB icon, it disappeared.
SWV Admin was minimized on the Task Bar. I could not restore the SWV Admin program window to the Desktop. Right-clicking on the SWV Admin Task Bar Button did not produce a context menu which would have allowed restoring the SWV program window to normal size. The SWV Task Bar Button remained on the Task Bar, but I could not access the program window.
I typed Ctrl+Alt+Del to access the Task Manager. It showed SWV Admin was Running, but did not show any problem, like not responding. I chose to stop the SWV Admin program. Then, I got a box saying it was not responding. I chose to stop it.
I double-clicked the SWV Admin shortcut on the Desktop to start the program. The program window appeared, and showed the Dropbox layer had been created and the layer was activated. I tried to deactivate the layer but got error 'The layer is currently in an invalid state for this operation.' I also tried Resetting and Deleting the layer, but got the same error message as before.
I rebooted the computer. Shut down took about 5 minutes. When the computer restarted, I got a brief message saying the computer had been shut down improperly. The computer finally rebooted.
I started SWV Admin and noticed the Dropbox layer was deactivated. For some odd reason, I did not try to run the Dropbox program even though there was an item on the Start Menu to run it. I guess I was afraid of having mangled installation and of files escaping to the base file system. I deleted the Dropbox layer. The layer apparently deleted cleanly.
I think now that DB is the type of program that must (or should) be installed while connected to the Internet. I am afraid of unnecessary garbage being captured in the program layer.
Should I try to re-install while connected to the Internet? Should I use Single Program Capture instead of Global Capture? Is DB one of those programs that should not be installed in a SWV layer? Anyone else here install this program before? Most of the time, when I can remember to do so, I disable Vista's UAC before I install a program in a layer. I didn't do that this time. Could that be the cause of my problem?
Comments
First mistake: Global Capture
First mistake: Global Capture (to end it you have to right-click on the system tray icon) because it captured everything going on in your system which means a lot of stuff you don't want in your layer.
UAC shouldn't cause a problem if you give SWVadmin elevated rights (Which is required anyway).
As you stated you may need to be connected to the intenet for Dropbox to install, as long as it doesn't have a driver you should be fine capturing it.
If a forum post solves your problem please flag is as the solution
"Global Capture (to end it
"Global Capture (to end it you have to right-click on the system tray icon)..."
When trying to install Dropbox, Global Capture ended without me telling it to do so. I did not right-click the icon and choose to stop capture. It seems to me that Global Capture should not end before I give it instructions to do so. Even if I should have been connected to the Internet, it seems to me that fault should not have caused Global Capture to end.
I'm not sure if DB installs a driver or not. My understanding of how it works is that it creates a kind of virtual folder and any files moved into that folder are automatically synchronized with files on the web storage site. The program apparently starts automatically when Windows boots.
If I try installing DB again, this time using Single Program Capture, and have my Internet connection enabled when I install, and if DB does in fact install a driver, will that driver escape the SWV virtual layer and end up on my real, base file system, and will there likely be other changes to my base file system, such as changes to Windows Registry?
If that is the case, I wish there were some fail-safe process built into SWV that would prevent it. Perhaps by disabling the install process from copying files and registry changes to my real, base file system, or alerting me if it does happen so I could decide to let the changes remain or delete them manually.
"My understanding of how it
"My understanding of how it works is that it creates a kind of virtual folder and any files moved into that folder are automatically synchronized with files on the web storage site."
That may mean it uses NTFS Junction Points which we don't work with.
If a forum post solves your problem please flag is as the solution
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