ShowKeyPlus


  1. Posts : 3,453
    Thread Starter
       #1121

    Cliff S said:
    Latest MajorGeeks: Download ShowKeyPlus - MajorGeeks
    ShowKeyPlus 1.0.7060
    Yup, that is correct - that is the latest Desktop release (only Softpedia lists the Store version as well, AFAIK)

    The Preview will continue (as is the Insider way... LOL) - We still need to get the missing bits working (CLI, WinPE etc) in the new Desktop version before it goes live.
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 15,024
    Windows 10 IoT
       #1122

    Bree said:
    On a Windows 7 machine there is no key in the firmware, just a marker to say which OEM edition of W7 this machine is entitled to run (Home, Pro, etc). Your only W7 key is the one on the OEM CoA sticker.

    When you use the key from the sticker to install Windows 7 it looks for the OEM marker in the bios and will only activate if they are both for the same W7 edition.
    Actually, the way I understand it, it's only the factory OEM install media that looks for the OEM marker in the BIOS. The marker has to match a certificate file stored on the OEM media. If they match that PC activates with an OEM generic key.

    The key on the sticker is for use with standard install media. It works like an OEM system builders key. Or a retail key for that matter. With one exception. Any time I have ever used one of those OEM-COA keys I had to phone activate the first time it was used. After that it worked just like a retail key and activated online with no issues.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 3,453
    Thread Starter
       #1123

    alphanumeric said:
    Actually, the way I understand it, it's only the factory OEM install media that looks for the OEM marker in the BIOS. The marker has to match a certificate file stored on the OEM media. If they match that PC activates with an OEM generic key.

    The key on the sticker is for use with standard install media. It works like an OEM system builders key. Or a retail key for that matter. With one exception. Any time I have ever used one of those OEM-COA keys I had to phone activate the first time it was used. After that it worked just like a retail key and activated online with no issues.
    Correct. Your experience Alpha is a bit off... the COA is like System Builder - no need for phone.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 3,453
    Thread Starter
       #1124

    Got this:
    ShowKeyPlus-capture.png
    @Bree - you are not alone with this anomaly - I created a new Standard user account specifically to test if permissions were the problem, but it launched as normal after download from the Store.

    And so the mystery continues...
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 31,459
    10 Home x64 (22H2) (10 Pro on 2nd pc)
       #1125

    Superfly said:
    @Bree - you are not alone with this anomaly....
    Good, so I'm not going mad then

    I haven't tried to fix the one machine this happened on, so I can still investigate this. I signed into another administrator account on the machine and installed ShowKeyPlus there as well. That account also could only run it as administrator.

    When run without admin, Reliability History shows one of two different reports for the crash. Examples attached...
    ShowKeyPlus Attached Files
      My Computers


  6. Posts : 3,453
    Thread Starter
       #1126

    @Bree Will you test this version on the wonky install please - just a hunch I have regarding the failure

    Failure hits are alarming:
    ShowKeyPlus-screenshot_2019-09-07-health.png
    (Dunno why FF screenshot is so crap)
    For those that may be interested .. this is the what's causing the issues - an automatic GUID is not created - had to create a static GUID but that does not Mutex so multiple instances are alowd - at least the app appears to run
    Code:
    using Microsoft.Win32;
    using System;
    using System.Reflection;
    using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
    using System.Security.AccessControl;
    using System.Security.Principal;
    using System.Threading;
    using System.Windows;
    using static ShowKeyPlusWPF.App.Theme;
    namespace ShowKeyPlusWPF
    {
        /// <summary>
        /// Interaction logic for App.xaml
        /// </summary>
        public partial class App : Application
        {
            protected override void OnStartup(StartupEventArgs e)
            {
                Theme theme = new Theme();
                WindowsTheme newWindowsTheme = theme.GetWindowsTheme();
                this.Resources.MergedDictionaries[0].Source = new Uri($"/Themes/" + newWindowsTheme + ".xaml", UriKind.Relative);
    
                using (new SingleGlobalInstance(1))
                {
                    base.OnStartup(e);
                }
            }
    
    
            public class Theme
            {
                private const string RegistryKeyPath = @"Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Themes\Personalize";
    
                private const string RegistryValueName = "AppsUseLightTheme";
    
                public enum WindowsTheme
                {
                    Light,
                    Dark
                }
    
                 public WindowsTheme GetWindowsTheme()
                {
                    using (RegistryKey key = Registry.CurrentUser.OpenSubKey(RegistryKeyPath))
                    {
                        object registryValueObject = key?.GetValue(RegistryValueName);
                        if (registryValueObject == null)
                        {
                            return WindowsTheme.Light;
                        }
    
                        int registryValue = (int)registryValueObject;
    
                        return registryValue > 0 ? WindowsTheme.Light : WindowsTheme.Dark;
                    }
                }
    
            }
    
        }
    
        class SingleGlobalInstance : IDisposable
        {
            public bool _hasHandle = false;
            Mutex _mutex;
    
            private void InitMutex()
            {
                string appGuid = ((GuidAttribute)Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().GetCustomAttributes(typeof(GuidAttribute), false).GetValue(0)).Value;
                string mutexId = string.Format("Global\\{{{0}}}", appGuid);
                _mutex = new Mutex(false, mutexId);
    
                var allowEveryoneRule = new MutexAccessRule(new SecurityIdentifier(WellKnownSidType.WorldSid, null), MutexRights.FullControl, AccessControlType.Allow);
                var securitySettings = new MutexSecurity();
                securitySettings.AddAccessRule(allowEveryoneRule);
                _mutex.SetAccessControl(securitySettings);
            }
    
            public SingleGlobalInstance(int timeOut)
            {
                InitMutex();
                try
                {
                    if (timeOut < 0)
                        _hasHandle = _mutex.WaitOne(Timeout.Infinite, false);
                    else
                        _hasHandle = _mutex.WaitOne(timeOut, false);
    
                    if (_hasHandle == false)
                        throw new TimeoutException("Timeout waiting for exclusive access on SingleInstance");
                }
                catch (AbandonedMutexException)
                {
                    _hasHandle = true;
                }
            }
    
    
            public void Dispose()
            {
                if (_mutex != null)
                {
                    if (_hasHandle)
                        _mutex.ReleaseMutex();
                    _mutex.Close();
                }
            }
        }
    
    }
      My Computer


  7. Posts : 4,666
    Windows 10 Pro x64 21H1 Build 19043.1151 (Branch: Release Preview)
       #1127

    @Superfly

    I downloaded and tested this version. No issues on my main machine.

    What I could not test, was retrieving information from HIVE, because I don't have a copy anywhere that is not in use.
      My Computers


  8. Posts : 31,459
    10 Home x64 (22H2) (10 Pro on 2nd pc)
       #1128

    Superfly said:
    @Bree Will you test this version on the wonky install please
    Downloaded, extracted the .zip and unblocked the .exe. Ran ShowKeyPlus1.1.11.18662.

    Behaves the same as the installed Store app (1.1.11.0). Will only open with 'run as administrator'. Reliability History reports two critical events for the crash, reports attached.
    ShowKeyPlus Attached Files
      My Computers


  9. Posts : 3,453
    Thread Starter
       #1129

    slicendice said:
    @Superfly

    I downloaded and tested this version. No issues on my main machine.

    What I could not test, was retrieving information from HIVE, because I don't have a copy anywhere that is not in use.
    Bree said:
    Downloaded, extracted the .zip and unblocked the .exe. Ran ShowKeyPlus1.1.11.18662.

    Behaves the same as the installed Store app (1.1.11.0). Will only open with 'run as administrator'. Reliability History reports two critical events for the crash, reports attached.
    Thanx guys... the drawing board awaits...LOL
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 27,162
    Win11 Pro, Win10 Pro N, Win10 Home, Windows 8.1 Pro, Ubuntu
       #1130

    Hi Craig, I was just messing around with an idea for an icon.
    USB Key welded to a classic key.
    Here is .png with transparency:
    ShowKeyPlus-sk-.png

    Here is .jpg without transparency, but gold background:
    ShowKeyPlus-sk-.jpg
      My Computers


 

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