New SupportAssist problem?

Question

The last few days I noticed when I try to open the Reliability Viewer, it takes a LONG time. When I click on the lower Blue icon for Information per day, I see a LIST of 139 programs that were "Windows Installer reconfigured the product. (139 different Product name and version) Reconfiguration success or error status: 0.".

This started on the 6/26 boot. What was installed on 6/25? Why Dell SA (SupportAssist), the NEW version.

Googling this I found this link and it is old, but does pertain to SA.

It does mention System Repair if on could be the problem, but mine if OFF in SA?

There is another LONG thread here (old) on this same thing, and it is only a year old. I checked the SCAN's and it is set to once a week, there is NO daily choice for any scan.

Anyone else see this?

ThomasAAT · Answer

This has been a problem in the latest updates to SA. My solution is described in this tread: https://www.dell.com/community/SupportAssist-for-PCs/quot-Successful-Application-Reconfiguration-quot-and/m-p/7870925/highlight/true#M91454

ThomasAAT · Answer

Defiantly a DELL/SA problem. I can only share the solutions in the tread I linked and my own workaround:

This is what I did.

I uninstalled Dell SupportAssist OS Recovery Plugin for Dell Update from Programs and features and restarted.
I then look into the Dell folder inside the Programfiles folder and found the folder for SupportAssistAgent. Inside this folder was the OSRecoveryPlugin forlder contaning the problematic DellUpdateSupportAssistPlugin.exe file.
Still after the uninstalling the plugin. So that's what have triggered the auto update I belive. So I renamed the folder with the DellUpdateSupportAssistPlugin.exe and removed it to a external HD.
After doing this the Dell SupportAssist OS Recovery Plugin for Dell Update has yet to be automatic installed on my system. And the "Successful Application Reconfiguration" has stopped. I have tested with several reboots.
The original folder where the plugin was placed looks like this now after I removed it to my external HD

ispalten · Answer

@ThomasAAT

Thanks, but that is the same long thread I posted, but you homed in on a specific page.

Yes, that solution is really a work-around. Nothing wrong with that. I'd like a FIX... that is something that doesn't disrupt the operation of SA (if that is possible) or having to wait for Dell to 'fix it'.

The effect to me is minimal, a little longer probably on boot and opening the Reliability Monitor.

If I missed the agreed upon fix (solution) with no loss of function of SA, then I apologize and if so, please give the the time stamp of the post that is what I'm looking for.

I assume since you'd had (and may have no) the problem, this IS an SA problem.

ispalten · Answer

Thanks, and that is what your link showed.

Since I'm not sure 'what' are the ramifications of messing with the Recovery Assist, I'm reluctant to make those changes?

Yes, it does stop the process from happening, but I'm not sure it should be stopped? Hopefully Dell can answer that, but it appears they have not.

I also used SFC and DISM to check for corrupt files and health, no problems...

I'm thinking it might be best to await a fix from Dell?

I may not mess with it as it is not a huge performance problem.

The folder, C:\ProgramData\Dell\SARemediation, is owned by the Trusted Installer. Yes, I can take Ownership as a Administrator, but it isn't always wise to mess with the ownership of those folders?

ThomasAAT · Answer

I have seen no harm in doing this on my stems (xps and alienware 17r3). I have done this the last five updates to SA. So wait for dell to fix SA might take a long time yet. And they undergoing installation issues at the moment, so this is not first priority for Dell I assume.

ispalten · Answer

Something changed today....

This was yesterday :

This is Today:

I'm not sure WHO? No SA update? No Windows Update, BUT the XPS8940 BIOS it says was installed? I was NOT. First, I was on that BIOS version. Secondly, I didn't see anything as I was booting, nor after that would indicate it was being installed. It DOES show in WU as installed today, but it was in MY Optional Updates for a LONG time and I never was going to install it?

Windows 'problem'?

What DID get installed this morning, 2 programs, Dell Display Manager (Dell Update put up a Dialog Box for it and I installed it) and RoboForm (which it's Update Check found and I installed it), but neither are listed (odd there are 2 listings which is the number of UPDATES I know happened?)?

Confusing?

Wait, this is CRAZY, just ran it again, 4th or 5th time this morning:

Broken again... showing 140 this time, as it added in the BIOS update (which is now gone from Optional Updates).

This tool is basically useless now. I assume the root problem is SA.

SupportAssist for PCs

New SupportAssist problem?

Was this post helpful?