This program will not run while system debuggers are active

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We have 2 computers that are running Windows 10 and we have a problem! For many years, we have been using a program called http://www.messagepal.com. That program does not work in Windows 10. Both computers give me this error (see attached screenshot). Any ideas? I have tried this option https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/188296 to no avail. I checked this option https://forums.techguy.org/threads/debugger-error-messages.795965/ and debug is not checked, however, ‘Debug port’ is selected under Global debug settings, but is greyed out. It is that way on my Windows 7 machine though with no problems.

We use this program a lot so I need to figure it out before we upgrade all the computers.

41781-MessagePalError

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Have you contacted Messagepal support to see if it is Windows 10 compatible?

Joe

--Joe

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I just sent them a message.

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I sent them a second message with no reply and can’t find a phone number on their website. Is there a way to see what files or .dll’s are being used by a program? I am using https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896653.aspx but I guess I don’t know how to use it. All I can see is the MessagePale.exe file.

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Is there a way to see what files or .dll’s are being used by a program?

Try the free utility Dependency Walker 2.2. In my opinion it’s easier to use than ProcMon for just finding out what’s needed/called by a main executable.

Hope this helps…

EDIT: Unfortunately, whilst Dependency Walker does show what MessagePal.exe uses, the 2 errors and 1 warning gave no further helpful information.

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That is some pretty outdated software. The last revision was in March 2006. According to their specs info, XP was the last OS they supported. I highly doubt that you will get it running on Win 10 but you may be able to find a support forum for messagepal to see if anyone else has had any luck with it. Good luck.
42071-messagepal-1

Don't take yourself so seriously, no one else does
All W10 Pro at 22H2,(2 Desktops, 1 Laptop).

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@79schultz

In the view menu for process explorer turn on the bottom pane. Then click on the process you wish to explore. The bottom pane will fill with lots of information.

Joe

--Joe

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lumpy95, I’ve kind of wondered about that myself, but we really like it as an intra-office ‘secure’ way of instant messaging. It only stays on the LAN.

JoeP517, below is what it shows. I did a little digging and did find some references to ntdll.dll but haven’t figured out completely what it was referencing it for.

Type Name
Desktop Default
Directory KnownDlls
Directory KnownDlls32
Directory KnownDlls32
Directory Sessions1BaseNamedObjects
File C:Windows
File C:Program Files (x86)MessagePal
File C:WindowsWinSxSx86_microsoft.windows.common-controls_6595b64144ccf1df_5.82.10532.0_none_811719ae6c483ef4
File DeviceDeviceApi
File DeviceCNG
File DeviceKsecDD
File DeviceNsi
File C:WindowsFontsStaticCache.dat
Key HKLMSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionImage File Execution Options
Key HKLMSYSTEMControlSet001ControlSESSION MANAGER
Key HKLMSYSTEMControlSet001ControlNlsCustomLocale
Key HKLMSYSTEMControlSet001ControlNlsSortingVersions
Key HKLM
Key HKLMSYSTEMControlSet001ControlNetworkProviderHwOrder
Key HKLMSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionImage File Execution Options
Key HKLMSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionImage File Execution OptionsDllNXOptions
Key HKLMSYSTEMControlSet001ServicesWinSock2ParametersProtocol_Catalog9
Key HKLMSYSTEMControlSet001ServicesWinSock2ParametersNameSpace_Catalog5
Key HKCUSoftwareClasses
Key HKLMSYSTEMControlSet001ControlNlsLocale
Key HKLMSYSTEMControlSet001ControlNlsLocaleAlternate Sorts
Key HKLMSYSTEMControlSet001ControlNlsLanguage Groups
Mutant Sessions1BaseNamedObjects3F8::DAFD1F005D
Mutant Sessions1BaseNamedObjects3F8::DAFD1F005D
Mutant Sessions1BaseNamedObjectsMSCTF.Asm.MutexDefault1S-1-5-21-1691830371-3718757139-271380766-1000
Process MessagePal.exe(2852)
Section Sessions1BaseNamedObjectsLSI-2E86AA01
Section Sessions1BaseNamedObjects5209F20E::SharedIndexInfo
Section WindowsTheme1917083880
Section Sessions1WindowsTheme1354233970
Thread MessagePal.exe(1016): 3268
Thread MessagePal.exe(1016): 3268
Thread MessagePal.exe(1016): 1452
WindowStation Sessions1WindowsWindowStationsWinSta0
WindowStation Sessions1WindowsWindowStationsWinSta0

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The plot thickens……I just upgraded my Dell Precision T1700 to Windows 10 Pro and it works on mine, but not the Optiplex computers. We had decided we were going to abandon MessagePal and go with Lan Messenger http://lanmsngr.sourceforge.net/ as it does work on Windows 10. We had it installed on a mix of Windows 7 and Windows 10 with no problems.

Out of curiosity, I’m going to run the program from http://www.tweaking.com on one of the other Windows 10 machines (Optiplex) and see if that fixes anything. I had to run that before I could upgrade my Precision machine.

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Another observation: My test PC recently installed the Windows Insider Preview version 10457. MessagePal now works on that machine, after enabling UDP port 8473 found in these instructions Firewall changes. I am suspicious that Microsoft has a system debugger running in their Threshold 1 release to report bugs back to their development team and that debugger is what MessagePal doesn’t like. I’m not knowledgeable enough to figure out what that would be, but that’s what it looks like to me.

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More debugging and instrumentation enabled in the Insider Preview versions than the release.

Joe

--Joe

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More debugging and instrumentation enabled in the Insider Preview versions than the release.

Joe

Ok here is what you need to do
1.start/control panel/ windows firewall/ allow an app or feature through windows firewall
2.click on ‘change settings’ – now the gray box on the bottom ‘allow another app’ lights up -click on it
3.in the browse area- browse for your messagepal that you downloaded and click on it.
That should do it!

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I’m sorry to say, that didn’t do it for me. Interestingly, on the latest Insider version, MessagePal works, but I have to wait 2-3 minutes after startup before it works. If I try to open it on startup I get the message about the debugger.

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Hi there,

Im having the same problem with MessagePal. I get the debugging error. I have used this software for years… I need to have it run on my new windows 8 computers. What was your final resolution, was it just installing windows 10? I would hate to do that, but Im running out of options. Damm, I wish this software was still supported. All these years and there is no messaging system like this one.

Any help would be helpful
Thanks a million

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Hi there,

Im having the same problem with MessagePal. I get the debugging error. I have used this software for years… I need to have it run on my new windows 8 computers. What was your final resolution, was it just installing windows 10? I would hate to do that, but Im running out of options. Damm, I wish this software was still supported. All these years and there is no messaging system like this one.

Any help would be helpful
Thanks a million

This could be a fluke, but while on the path to a replacement for MessagePal I installed another piece of software called SideNotesIM. To my surprise, MESSAGEPAL STARTED WORKING AGAIN!

Still very interested in the new program, I kept it installed as a trial while keeping MessagePal in full function with the rest of our office. Having believed that the problem had been fixed (and with our office being resistant to change), I uninstalled SideNotesIM and “poof”, back to the same problematic error message!

I’m not trying to promote this other software nor step on any toes, but the solution to this problem (and future Intra-Office Chat programs, I imagine) is somewhere here. This program is possibly opening up a port on the computer? Perhaps some kind of network driver installed? Ultimately I’ll either have to keep Win 7 or look for another program.

Just thought I’d share my findings. Can anyone else verify this?

JohnnyKA

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Interesting. After reading your post, I tried that also and it works. We have finally decided to let MessagePal go by the wayside. It was a wonderful intra-office communications app. We have decided to use Telegram.

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