Media Recorder takes 3 reinstalls after 2004 feature update to Windows 10

Question

After installing the 2004 feature update to Windows 10 Home x64, I started Jaksta's Media Recorder.  I got some message about some .dll that had its registration changed or stolen, and was suggested to uninstall and reinstall Media Recorder.  I did the uninstall, but kept the old settings (so I would have to wander through them again to set to my preferences).  I reinstalled Media Recorder.  It was already registered perhaps because I saved the settings, or your uninstalls leave behind a registry entry with the key.  Media Recorder worked.  Later I restarted Windows, but this time it complains "Error: Please select a network monitor on the Settings -> Internet Downloads tab".  I went there were 2 monitors were listed: Npcap Monitor and Network Monitor.  I cannot select either one, because both are grayed out (disabled).  Okay, so now how do I get Media Recorder working again?  I uninstalled Media Recorder again.  This time I had the uninstaller delete all my old settings and something to do with "library".  I rebooted after the uninstall completed.  I checked the installed apps list, and the uninstall did not remove the npcap 0.995 program, so I uninstalled that, too.  No reboot was indicated as required.  I reinstalled Media Recorder for the 2nd time.  This time, I saw Npcap listed as a component in the Recommended (default) list.  I don't remember seeing it during the 1st reinstall.  The "Jaksta Network Monitor (legacy)" was not pre-selected, and I did not select it as I recall Npcap was the better choice.  Now Media Recorder would load without stopping to complain about choosing a network monitor.  In the Settings -> Internet Downloads tab, Npcap was selected.  When I looked in the installed apps list in Windows, Npcap 0.995 was again installed.  This is the same as before, but when Media Recorder complained used to complain about me having to select a network monitor (but both were disabled).    Why did the 1st reinstall not reuse the Npcap program already installed?  For the 2nd reinstall, I first uninstalled both Media Recorder and Npcap, and the 2nd reinstall included an install of Npcap.  Why couldn't the 1st reinstall reuse Npcap but the 2nd reinstall could?  There seems a break in the integration of these 2 programs that can only be fixed if BOTH are uninstalled and BOTH are included in the reinstall.    Fixing Media Recorder to get it to use a network monitor (Npcap) was far more difficult than should be for  your typical users.  If a reinstall of Media Recorder will not connect to an existing install of Npcap then include an uninstall of Npcap with the uninstall of Media Recorder.   
    --- Import --- Author: VanguardLH Created At: 2020-10-23T16:02:49+08:00 Updated At: 2020-10-23T16:02:49+08:00 Views: 13 Votes: 0 --- Import ---

Answer

Ncap is downloaded and installed if you select to do so during the JMR installation from nmap.org. This is a normal installer and its uninstallation is available from the normal windows Add/Remove Programs widgets. Npcap is and can be used by lots of different network monitoring software, not just JMR.

Major windows updates are well renowned for not reinstalling drivers unless they are distributed via windows update, meaning they need to be reinstalled again. Ie The npcap software was installed but the npcap drivers had been removed, and therefore JMR could not connect to them.

--- Import ---
Author: CRS
Created At: 2020-10-23T16:02:49+08:00
Updated At: 2020-10-23T16:02:49+08:00
Views: 13
Votes: 0
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Answer

I wasn't aware the Npcap installation was global.  For ancillary but critical components, I've often used programs that keep their own separate installation of the ancillary software.  For example, VLC LAN installs codecs but not globally, just in its own installation folder for its own use (i.e., a private store of codec) versus, say, K-Lite Codec Pack which is a global codec install (because all it does is install codecs, not use them).  I've used several PDF printers (emulate a printer in software) that use Ghostscript, but some are private installs (only available to the PDF printer program) while some install globally (for use by any program that wants to use Ghostscript).  I have also seen software that installed the same driver (a shim) but manage it separately.  That is, each program that uses the shim installs its own instead of relying on a common driver to work with each program (I suspect the shim has to get tailored to the program and why a single common driver isn't usable).     When I first uninstalled Media Recorder, I elected to keep all the old settings.  Finding Npcap was still installed was no surprise since perhaps it was considered part of those old "settings".  On the 2nd uninstall of Media Recorder, I chose not to keep the old settings, but Npcap was left behind.  While ancillary software might be used by other programs, and since it should be considered part of Media Recorder's own install, the user should be offered the choice of also uninstalling all ancillary software that it installed.  It would then be the user's choice to include in the uninstall or not.  The user gets to choose between a dirty or clean uninstall.     If Npcap is going to get left behind after an uninstall of Media Recorder, why won't Media Recorder reuse the existing installation of Npcap when Media Recorder is reinstalled?  When Media Recorder reported a problem when it was ran after the 2004 feature update to Windows 10, it suggested to reinstall Media Recorder.  Would've saved time and frustration if it also said to reinstall Npcap, or to uninstall Npcap so the subsequent reinstall of Media Recorder would reinstall Npcap, too, to reestablish the drivers for Npcap.  There are dependencies between Media Recorder and Npcap, so those should be accounted for during uninstalls or reinstalls.  It took several scenarios to determine how to get both Media Recorder and its link to Npcap to work again.     I though I'd bring this up to note how difficult it can be for a user to get both Media Recorder and Npcap to resume normal operation after a feature update to Windows.  I did like that Media Recorder cited it needed a reinstall after the Windows 10 feature update.  What was missing was including a prompt that Npcap should also get uninstalled (and to let the reinstall of Media Recorder include Npcap).     Note that in the first uninstall of Media Recorder following by a reinstall, the installer screen showed Npcap was already installed.  No option to first uninstall Npcap and then reinstall it to fix any linkages between it and Media Recorder.  I followed what the installer suggested.  Only when Media Recorder said that I needed to select a network monitor and finding both were disabled (grayed out), and because I remember Media Recorder used Npcap, did I *guess* that I needed to uninstall both Media Recorder and Npcap, so a reinstall of Media Recorder would offer an install of Npcap to get the two to link together.     I did figure out.  I'm not sure what I had to go through should be considered typical installation/reinstallation expected by  most users.  I do appreciate your reply to reinforce that what I figured out was the solution.  It just seems a lot more work that it should be, and this stuff can be tricky to figure out by many users.     Again, thanks for the info.     
    --- Import --- Author: VanguardLH Created At: 2020-10-23T16:02:49+08:00 Updated At: 2020-10-23T16:02:49+08:00 Views: 13 Votes: 0 --- Import ---

Answer

Npcap is open source software I make it available for downloading and installing through the JMR installer and from the settings page. The npcap software installer appears and you progress through their installer to install it. I can't modify it in anyway or include it in inside JMR as it is commercial software.

Getting the prompts you did means that things were pretty messed up due to the windows update applied.

I take your point that the prompt to reinstall JMR, should also include to a message that a reinstall of npcap and/or my own network monitor may also be required. I see what I can do there to make it more clear based on what the errors that triggered the prompt are.

--- Import ---
Author: CRS
Created At: 2020-10-23T16:02:49+08:00
Updated At: 2020-10-23T16:02:49+08:00
Views: 13
Votes: 0
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From Support Migration @ 08 May 2023 02:05

Votes: 0

Answer

Despite problems with Media Recorder and Npcap, I consider myself lucky in that the 2004 feature update to Windows 10 didn't screw up my computer even worse.  I've read the horror stories.  When reading the release notes for the 2004 update, there are still lots of problems listed as "Investigating" which means they have not yet been resolved.  Microsoft didn't offer me the 2004 update until less than a month ago, and now 2010 ( aka 20H2) is out although its description is that it is mere GUI fluff.      The only other problem that I've run into, so far, is the playback device changed to the digital output which is not used.  I had to switch back to the analog RCA outputs.  Before I installed the 2004 update, I saved a full backup image as an escape route (System Restore is unreliable hence worthless since it leaves behind a hodgepodge of new and old versus an image backup that gets me back to exactly the same state as before).   If I had not figured out how to fix Media Recorder (but the program hinted in a popup to do an uninstall and reinstall) and also uninstall an reinstall Npcap (because I couldn't get Media Recorder to reuse the existing install probably due to the 2004 update breaking the driver as you mention), I was going to revert to the backup image.        Thanks for the help.  
    --- Import --- Author: VanguardLH Created At: 2020-10-23T16:02:49+08:00 Updated At: 2020-10-23T16:02:49+08:00 Views: 13 Votes: 0 --- Import ---

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Media Recorder takes 3 reinstalls after 2004 feature update to Windows 10