CCleaner64 v5.70.7909(Free) won't start - license file does not exist

[ErrorReporting]

Hi,

Downloaded and installed the latest (free) version of CCleaner from your website (today = 28-Aug-20)

Program installed fine. It won't start. Retried with /debug switch and got the following:

[07:09:02::291][INFO ] CCleaner v5.70.7909 (64-bit)
[07:09:02::291][INFO ] Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
[07:09:02::291][INFO ] Intel Core i5-9600K CPU @ 3.70GHz
[07:09:02::291][INFO ] 64.0GB RAM
[07:09:02::291][INFO ] NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti
[07:09:02::291][INFO ] Username: MyUserNameHere


[07:09:02::291][INFO ] Application Started
[07:09:02::427][DEBUG] Licence file C:\Program Files\CCleaner\CCleaner.dat doesn't exist.
[07:09:02::427][DEBUG] Licence file C:\Program Files\CCleaner\CCleaner.dat doesn't exist.
[07:09:02::436][DEBUG] Trial has ended
[07:09:02::437][DEBUG] Trial has ended
[07:09:02::439][DEBUG] Trial has ended
[07:09:02::440][DEBUG] OnTimer::Check update will be executed in 5 minutes
[07:09:02::440][DEBUG] OnTimer::Check update will be executed in 5 minutes
[07:09:02::447][DEBUG] Analytics::SendEvent - Category: SoftwareUpdater, Action: Activation, Label: ShepherdConfiguration, Value: 0, bInteractive: 1
[07:09:02::602][DEBUG] Licence file C:\Program Files\CCleaner\CCleaner.dat doesn't exist.

Uninstalled the program. Downloaded and installed the "slim" version.

The exact same thing.

How do I fix this?

Advance Thanks

 

 

[nukecad]

It looks like you have had a trial version of Pro which has expired, and for some reason it is now not allowing the Free version to be installed.

Try uninstalling the CCleaner that is currently on your machine, restarting the computer (Restart not shutdown), and then downloading the 'Slim' installer (3rd one down) from here and reinstalling.
https://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/builds

You say you have already done that, but did you do the Restart?

Just a question if that doesn't work, which AntiVirus are you using and is it up to date?

[ErrorReporting]

Hi,

I can't recall ever installing a pro version, unless it was part of a previous installation where CCleaner automatically installed as Pro for a certain period.

Can't recall if I restarted or shutdown previously. However, I did "restart" after uninstalling, then installed the downloaded "slim" version from your link.

Same result. Tried to start it a few times with the various debug switched /debug, /debug1 ...>...  /debug5

During one attempt (I think it was one of a few /debug5 attempts), it did show something different:

Quote

[21:06:45::842][INFO ] CCleaner v5.70.7909 (64-bit)
[21:06:45::843][INFO ] Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
[21:06:45::843][INFO ] Intel Core i5-9600K CPU @ 3.70GHz
[21:06:45::843][INFO ] 64.0GB RAM
[21:06:45::843][INFO ] NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti
[21:06:45::843][INFO ] Username: MyUserNameHere

[21:06:45::843][INFO ] Application Started
[21:06:45::925][DEBUG] Licence file C:\Program Files\CCleaner\CCleaner.dat doesn't exist.
[21:06:45::926][DEBUG] Licence file C:\Program Files\CCleaner\CCleaner.dat doesn't exist.
[21:06:45::933][DEBUG] Trial has ended
[21:06:45::934][DEBUG] Trial has ended
[21:06:45::947][DEBUG] Trial has ended
[21:06:45::948][DEBUG] OnTimer::Check update will be executed in 5 minutes
[21:06:45::948][DEBUG] OnTimer::Check update will be executed in 5 minutes
[21:06:45::956][DEBUG] Analytics::SendEvent - Category: SoftwareUpdater, Action: Activation, Label: ShepherdConfiguration, Value: 0, bInteractive: 1
[21:06:46::266][DEBUG] Licence file C:\Program Files\CCleaner\CCleaner.dat doesn't exist.
[21:06:46::421][INFO ] @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
[21:06:46::421][INFO ] CreateJetEdgeManager: Trying to unlock(T:\Users\MyUserName\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\WebCache\WebCacheV01.dat)
[21:06:46::423][INFO ] CreateJetEdgeManager: WebCache task running - counts=1
[21:06:46::439][INFO ] CreateJetEdgeManager: WebCache task running - requesting to stop - counts=1
[21:06:46::440][INFO ] CWebCacheServiceManager - attempt to unlock database
[21:06:46::442][INFO ] CWebCacheServiceManager - result = 1
[21:06:46::444][INFO ] CreateJetEdgeManager: Waiting on WebCache task to stop - Counts=2

My AntiVirus is BitDefender Total Security 2020 (Latest version) and it is up to date. BitDefender is not reporting or showing anything funny during install or attempt to start CCleaner. I have also tried starting CCleaner with BitDefender turned off.

Windows is also the latest version (2004 - Build 19041.450)

The only other funny thing about my machine is that I have moved by \User folders (about 2Gb in size) to a persistent 4Gb RAM drive using AMD's Radeon RAMdisk and a junction in c:\users points to the individual user folder int the RAM drive. This is why CCleaner is trying to unlock the non-existant WebCacheV01.dat file in T:\

I use Firefox and don't use IE or Edge which is why there is no ..[]..\WebCache folder or .dat file

Thoughts?

 

 

[nukecad]

The "Trial has ended" entries in the log seem to be showing that you did have a Pro trial at sometime, but that's not really important.

'CCleaner.dat' will not exist unless you have a pro licence so it would be a normal thing to see those lines at the start of the debug log.
(You would also see 'branding.dll' in the CCleaner folder if you had a Pro licence).

I'm no expert at the debug logs, but what you have there seems normal as far as it goes.
The problem with truncated logs is that they show what has happened and you have to know what should be next that didn't happen, which can be different on different setups.

Quote

This is why CCleaner is trying to unlock the non-existant WebCacheV01.dat file in T:\

I'm not sure, but anything out of the ordinary on a users setup is always something to suspect as a cause of an issue, especially if the app being used can't find it.

I do know that some users have had some odd problems with BitDefender and CCleaner installs.
Have a read down from this post from last month: https://community.ccleaner.com/topic/58734-ccleaner-56907865/?tab=comments#comment-321996

Another moderator has already elevated this thread for the staff to have a look at, but I'll give it a bump.

 

In the meantime:
I've seen similar 'hangs' a few times before when CCleaner is used for the first time on a computer that's been in use for a while.
It's usually simply because there is helluva lot to be cleaned that first time round.
Although that doesn't seem to be the case here you may want to try the following.

In each browser that you use run the browsers own inbuilt cleaning to start with.
Then run Windows Disk Clean-up, selecting 'Clean up system files'. (Which will take a long time).
Then try CCleaner to see if the blockage has been cleared.

You should only need to do that big clean once then CCleaner should run normally without hangs.

TBH though I suspect that it's the redirect to the RAMdisk that may be causing the issue.

[ErrorReporting]

Hi nukecad,

Thanks for your input and insight. As this is my personal machine and I've got a hectic week, I won't get to follow-up until the weekend.

This machine is actually a new build, as I only migrated to Win10 around May/June with all new hardware.

I will follow-up with the post you suggested on the weekend, and I've got a few thoughts as to how I can confirm or otherwise the redirect of my \User folder, but as I'm sure you can appreciate, that isn't a 5 minute thing and as I've finally got Win10 setup "just right", I couldn't cope with loosing it all now (even though I do have backup(s)),  but playing with the \User directories needs to be done quite carefully

Prior to my last message; as a first attempt, I just made sure that CCleaner was uninstalled -  Which it was because I removed it after it wouldn't start.

Then I re-downloaded the "slim" install using the link provided. "Restarted". Installed. No luck. uninstalled. Restarted, installed, no-luck.

Uninstalled again, "restarted", then I went over the registry very carefully and removed any and all CCleaner and Piriform entries. I didn't look for any AVAST entries though as I have never had any AVAST programs on my machine (s). ...

Then restarted, re-installed, no-luck Then I posted my message.

 

I've just done a quick search of my registry and there are AVAST entries:

Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\AvastAdSDK
LastCCBOffer (Qword) 5f437464
LastOfferAvast (Qword) 5f48a083

Computer\HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-1719665621-1812495502-3054914040-1001\SOFTWARE\AvastAdSDK
LastCCBOffer (Qword) 5f437464
LastOfferAvast (Qword) 5f48a083

I've tried a few other "tier-1" reg cleaners that I'm not really thrilled with, which is why I want to get CCleaner up and running.

Therefore, it may or at least should not be because the registry is full of crap or messed-up.

Anyway, as mentioned at the start, I will try a few things related to the \User folder on the weekend and get back to you with my findings.

Thanks again for your assistance, it is appreciated. Cheers for now.

[nukecad]

Those Avast reg entries look like simple datestamps for when Avast/CCleaner last offered you some bundled software.

When the installer offers you something else (AVG, Avast, CCleaner Browser, etc) it sets a datestamp like that so that if you install/update within a certain time it reads when you last had an offer and can say 'they had an offer only XXX ago, don't show another one yet'.

Before messing about with the working ramdisk setup I think I would try an 'Advanced' install of CCleaner, and on the second advanced screen make sure that it is being installed on your system drive rather than the ramdisk.

 

[ErrorReporting]

Hi nukecad,

 

Sorry that it has take a little longer to get back to you. I didn't get to retry anything last weekend.

 

I can now confirm that the issue is solely related to having my \Users directory on a RAMdrive with a Junction in the C:\Users

 

I confirmed this by doing the following:

To move or copy \users, you need to have a second Administrator user on the machine. You need to be logged in as the second Admin user to copy the primary user \User sub-directory to the RAM drive and create the junction with

mklink /J "C:\Users\Username" "T:\Users\Username"
(where "T:" is the persistent RAMdrive)

A few other things need to be done first. You need tot user tobocopy to copy the current sub-directory to the RAMdive and you also need to taker ownership of the sub-directory and use ICACLS to grant permissions for things to go smoothly so that all permissions are retained during the copy.

You can then "tweak": HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList for the user, or you can leave it alone and le thte Junction sort it out. I have tried both with CCleaner (without any difference being seen in either method)

Anyway, short-story cut-medium. This weekend, I moved my secondary user back to c:\Users (using my primary user account) and then installed CCleaner 5.70 slim. It installed and ran perfectly. When I then switched back to my primary (and only account I actually use), I got exactly the same issue. CCleaner would not start or run. The debug output was identical. Signing-out as the primary user (with the Junction-ed \Users\UserName) and signing in as the secondary user (with the C:\Users\UserName) numerous times, confirmed the behavior to be related to having \Users on any drive or location other than C:\Users, regardless as to the setting in: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList

I'm not sure if you guys will deem this to be an issue worth solving, although I hope you do.

I will check back to see what the general thoughts are with regard to addressing this.

Thanks for the help so far. I have appreciated your thoughts and suggestions, although this is definitely a self-inflicted wound.

 

Regards.

[Andavari]

From your above description it sounds like a confusing venture into tweaking the system. At least you found the cause.

[nukecad]

Thanks for the reply and the reason that you found.

CCleaner can be installed and run from directories other than the default, that's why the option is there in the Advanced install.

We have had people in the past who have had \users, and other directories, redirected to other drives than the OS drive (D: or E: drives) without giving CCleaner any problem finding it.

I believe though that a ramdisk is a bit of a step too far. (or maybe it's just that particular ramdisk?).

I'll point it out to the staff, but as you say I don't think that it will be a priority, in the age of terrabyte SSD's I doubt many people would use a ramdisk?
(Last time I used one was back in the 1980's on an Atari ST, 3.5" floppys were slow to access).

[ErrorReporting]

Hi,

FYI: I am using the AMD/DataRAM product you can find here: http://www.radeonramdisk.com/software_4.0.php

For home (non-commercial) use, it allows a 4Gb ram-disk with full persistence and backup. As my \Users directory is just under 2Gb, it is perfect for me.

While I have a good (fully tested) backup regime that includes recovering and restoring from a bootable USB stick, I just don't trust SSD drives.

It has taken me quite a while to craft Win10 to be what I want, and I know that the SSD has the potential to be a nightmare when things start to go flakey, so I prefer to write to them as little as possible - Yeah, I know about TRIM and all of that stuff, but when you actually see how many programs (including Windows and Microsoft programs) beat up so heavily on the \Users folder, it is really quite scary. With the constant smashing of \Users, it is not a matter of if the SSD will fail, it is more a question of when. Yeah, I know the math too, so call me paranoid

Another huge advantage of the Ram drive for \Users is speed.

While the M.2 SSD is just over twice as fast as a SATA3 SSD, the Ram drive is over 6 times faster than the M.2 SSD

To date, CCleaner is the only program that has had any issue with \Users being junctioned to the ram drive. Shame, but such is life.

 

BTW, the Atari ST was a nice machine, although I still have a very fond spot for my Atari 800

 

[nukecad]

2 hours ago, ErrorReporting said:

BTW, the Atari ST was a nice machine, although I still have a very fond spot for my Atari 800

Fond memories of that 520STFM, I taught myself to programme on it. (Drop down menus, wow).

I also remember de-soldering the ram chip and soldering in a new one, pin-by-pin, to take it up to a massive 4 MB of memory.
You get more Ram than that in a cheap watch now.