ESP NT System Service Launcher

Zander, I'm fairly certain that this problem is being caused by the security suite that is given out to Cox customers. Until Cox is contacted and the issue is brought to the surface I'm afraid it will continue to exist. That's why I need to go check out their site to see if they say anything about known issues with their suite and if not, then I'll need to contact them and see what they have to say. Unfortunately here for this area of VA we don't have very many options when it comes to ISP's and Cox is by far the dominator, not the best IMHO, but they own the rights around here. I'll certainly pass on whatever information I find out.
LPABF

 

I understand what you're saying but my thought were that perhaps the security suite contains some kind of IE browser add-on and if you could disable that you'd maybe still be able to continue to use the rest of the security suite. I could be wrong but from what wmergen said, running IE without any add-ons eliminated the error. So, if in fact there is an add-on involved, you could disable it and continue to use the rest of the security suite, whatever that is.

Have you given any thought to the possibility of just uninstalling it? My guess is you could get third party software that would do the same thing. What's all in this "security suite "?

 

Zander is correct. His fix is the only one that works so far...i.e. disabling the add-ons. I don't see the error message and I don't get the typing problem of dropping characters when I disable them. LPABF and I should follow Zander's advice until we can get Cox or Authentium to help us find out what their security suite software is doing to cause the problem. I plan to post whatever fix they help me find. Thanks to all who have tried to get involved here: Aries, Zander, Bill Castner, and LPABF.
Bill Mergen

 

Ah, I guess my problem then with the add-on's is according to Zander's post I won't be able to use it since I'm still running IE6 (I had IE7 on and DID NOT like it, so I reverted back to IE6). Also, in that same posting there was mention of dropped keystrokes, which I never had. I guess I'm still at square one, though I'm not getting the error as often as I was. Once every few days vs. once a day. Thanks to all. I'll keep moving forward with this here.

 

Just off the phone with Cox...

Apparently this is a known problem, just not widely known. I don't know yet if the fixes will work, but here's what they had me do:

Uninstall the Cox Security Suite.
Go to C:\Program Files
Delete the Cox folder
Go to Common Files folder, delete the following folders if they exist:
Authentium Shared
Common Software
Pest Patrol
Rules Space

Go to Start/Run, type in %temp%.
Delete everything in this folder.

Open IE and go to Internet Options, or if running IE7 I guess you should be able to access Internet Options through the Control Panel.
Delete Cookies.
Delete Files, check the box Delete All Offline Content.
Clear History.

Reinstall the Security Suite...

Now I'm just waiting to see if all of that fixed my problem...

 

It's Baaaaccccckkkk...

According to my last post time, it lasted all of 18 minutes. Back on the phone I go...

 

I called Cox and was passed to Authentium Tech Support about this problem. The tech took me through the same procedures that LPABF listed. I went away on an errand and came back to post that it was "fixed ". The error message appeared as I opened my browser! Same as LPABF.

Here is something to consider though. The Authentium tech asked me what OS I am using: He had me Right click on My Computer, Click on Properties, and the System Properties window showed mine to be: Windows XP Media Center Edition Version 2002 Sevice Pack 2. He said the minimum that they can work with is 2005 or above. He also said that people with problems like I'm having normally have old (outdated) OS software. He asked how long ago did I buy mine. It was a year ago (December 2005) when I bought my Dell XPS 400. It seems that Dell sold me outdated software!!?? I just wonder if LPABF happens to have the same situation as I do.

If, however, I open My Computer, click on Help>About Windows, I get: Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition, Microsoft Windows Version 5.1 (Build 2600.xpsp.050622-1524 : Service Pack 2) Copyright 1981-2001 Microsoft Corporation.

My wife's computer is running Microsoft Windows XP which I bought several years ago. (She, by the way, is not having any problems like mine.) Her System Properties shows: Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition Version 2002 Service Pack 2. Open My Computer though, click on Help>About Windows, and it reads very similar to mine. Hers is: Microsoft Windows Version 5.1 (Build 2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.050301-1519 : Service Pack 2) Copyright 1981-2001.

I've been keeping both computers updated with all MS recommended updates. Under About Windows, both of ours appear to be updated. I'm not sure what Authentium is referring to. I didn't know that there are various versions of MS Windows XP. I'm aware of Home, Pro, and Media Center "Editions ".

I'm going to call Dell and Microsoft to see if there is any substance to what Authentium is saying. All this about "Versions" and so on is probably something that needs to be discussed in a new thread, but I wanted to reach staff and LPABF with this information.

 

I would say that whoever you talked to didn't know what they were talking about. Your OS is as up to date as you can get XP.

 

Concur. I called Microsoft after I posted and he had the same opinion. And the main thing is that the problem wasn't fixed for me or LPABF by either of the techs. That will be the subject of my call to Authentium today. By the way, for any others out there reading these posts; Cox Authentium Tech Support (they are in Ohio) telephone number is: 888-265-1886. They seem very willing to help but...
Good Luck.

 

I am also using that version of OS. We do not experience this problem on our laptop, but we also do not have the security suite installed on it.

 

The latest in my error-message saga. I called Authentium. First of all, they have recently had a meeting regarding how to identify which MS Windows XP Media Center Edition is being used and it is NOT right click "My Computer" and select properties; it is "open Media Center, go to settings>software version and read it there ". There it shows that mine is "Edition 2005 ". They support Edition 2004 and up.
Secondly, the fixes that the tech took me (and presumably LPABF) through are all that the techs at that level know how to do. I have been put on the schedule for the techs that write the software for Cox Security Suite and they will be calling me Saturday (1/20) between 10:00 AM EST and 12:00 noon.
Zander/Aries/Bill Castner: If this thread is getting too long or too far adrift, please advise me and I will stop updating. If LPABF and I are the only ones interested in what is happening, I would be glad to exchange emails instead of BBS posts.

 

Also: the error message just popped up as I submitted that last post and I am running IE with add-ons disabled. So that temporary fix didn't help either. Disabling the add-ons did eliminate the IE typing problems, however. I will be posting that as a new thread soon, as suggested by Zander.

 

wmergen, I have another question. Are you getting the blue screen of death (BSD) at all? I wasn't getting it, until just now. I guess I'll go ahead and schedule my time with them also. It really makes me wonder how many other folks are having this problem...

 

By all means, keep updating us. I've run out of ideas and it appears nobody else has any either. If you find the answer, it will more than likely help somebody else sometime.

Having said that, with all the security programs that are available free of charge, if you don't get any satisfaction from them, I'd seriously consider uninstalling their security suite and replace it with some third party software. I don't know what they all include but I'm quite confident you can get the same out of a mixture of other programs without all the hassles.

 

The Authentium tech (escalated level) called me yesterday afternoon shortly after I was put on their schedule. He asked for "remote support" so he could look into my system. He checked a few things and decided that the security suite software is properly loaded and all the files are intact.

He asked if I had updated my IE to 7.0 (yes) and how that correlated to the start of the error message (i.e., EDP NT System ...). I said, as near as I could recall probably in the same time frame. His opinion was that my IE is at fault. Others who have updated to 7.0, he said, have also exerienced problems with the security suite.

We looked at Task Manager; I had 57 processes running; too many. He told me to review them to see if there was anything else I wanted to have running besides Start...as if I would know! He had me turn them all off except Start. Then I had 36 processes running. He said that was more like it.

He then had me run sfc /scannow. This was to check the integrity of IE. He ran it for about 45 seconds and said that was long enough to see that IE had no problems.

His job was done...my problem isn't with their program! I'm back living with the problem, and running with some processes turned off having no idea how that might affect other programs.

I'm not sure what the next step should be. Zander suggested going to some different Security programs. I bought Norton Internet Security Pro 2004 a few years ago and later updated it to 2005. I had problems the entire time I used it and getting Tech Support from Norton was nearly impossible. I finally uninstalled it and went with Cox Internet Security Suite. I've had no problems until this one we are currently working on. When I have a problem, they are vey anxious to help. I hate to have to go out on my own again.

Any opinions about re-installing Internet Explorer?

 

Well, I don't know. This is of no help but it seems to me that they should be updating their software to keep up with the times. Think about it. They've got who knows how many people using this software most of whom either have or will have IE7 eventually. I'd have a tough time swallowing the fact that they're just going to let everybody hang with no resolution to this problem. I doubt that MS will do anything about it. It's not their software causing the problem and if asked, they'd more than likely say something like we're not responsible for problems caused by third party software, contact them for support.

It's something in that security suite and in my opinion, Cox should figure it out and take care of it.

 

Absolutely concur.

I've asked Dell to send me a disk with my OS on it. Mine has the OS on the hard drive somewhere, but I don't know how to retrieve it. (The tech asked if I had my Media Center Edition OS disk when he was checking my computer.) I want to have my OS in hand when I call them back. I also want to read what results LPABF had.

About the only thing I'm able to do at this point is to reinstall the IE 7.0, and I may do that before calling Cox back.

I really do appreciate Zander's help, advice, and patience.

 

I have been experiencing the same ESP NT System problem.

I have just bot the latest whiz bang system you can imagine with Windows XP, IE 7.0, etc., and have updated everything thru the MS Update system..

I did a search on one of the corrupted files and it was associated with the Cox Security Suite system.. that was my first hint that it was a COX problem..

After reviewing the messages here.. At least I know its not just me with the problem..

Please guys.. keep investigating this error and posting till we find a solution.. I appreciate your efforts..

I will do my duty and complain to COX about the problem..

Semper Fi.

Don C

 

I've been getting the same error message "ESP NT System Service Launcher has encountered a problem and needs to close. "

Everytime I've asked contacted Cox to help with the matter, they say it is due to my Operating System (XP Media Center).

Has anyone figured out a solution to this error?

 

Follow Up as Promised

I called Cox technical services with my complaint about the ESP NT System Service Launcher problem.. the Cox technician gave me this number to call:
1 888 265 1886. After a few minutes, a technician responded.. I asked him who he worked for .. Cox or a software vendor.. he would not tell me..

Anyway .. we went thru the routine at the cox website for fixing the problem.. He asked me to call back if it doesn't work... THAT was YESTERDAY.

Presently I am looking at the same error message "ESP NT system service launcher, etc., etc.,...." and plan to call back shortly..

I will keep you posted..

Don C