Hello everybody!
This video will tell you what do to if a program on your laptop or desktop computer doesn’t
start.
There can be lots of reasons why programs no longer start or work properly.
Unfortunately, many of them are exclusively specific and relate to certain program and
technical aspects of a certain application and they can require various approaches if
you want to restore their normal work.
In this video, we will show you what to do if:
• An antivirus blocks the program • The program is blocked by Windows SmartScreen
• The program is blocked by your browser security system
• The program doesn’t start but this process is represented in the Task Manager
• You need administrator rights to run a program
• The program can’t start because of compatibility issues
• A Net Framework component is missing • A Microsoft Visual C++ component is missing
• An up-to-date DirectX is missing • The program or game can’t start because
a DLL file is missing
However, before you do it, please remember that you choose to run blocked applications
at your own risk.
They may damage your data or your system.
If your antivirus blocks a program while it is downloaded, installed or started, and doesn’t
let it work properly, there is nothing to be afraid of, it’s OK.
Often, a program containing no virus still makes the antivirus react and block it.
In this case: • Open the antivirus (in our case, Eset
NOD 32) and disable it for the time of installation.
To do it:  Go to Setup / Computer protection / Pause
Antivirus and antispyware protection / Apply  Set the time interval to pause the antivirus
and click Apply  When this time interval is over, the antivirus
will start again, but the program you couldn’t start will keep on working.
• If the antivirus blocks an already installed program all the time, you can send this program
to the Exclusion list.
To do it:  Go to Setup / Advanced setup / Antivirus
 Find the line Exclusions / Edit / Add
 in the field “Exclude for paths” specify the folder with the application that is constantly
blocked.
 OK  Now the antivirus should not block and
prevent your application from starting or installing.
For other antiviruses, the steps should be similar.
Windows has a built-in filter that prevents suspicious programs from staring on the computer.
It is called SmartScreen.
Often, this filter is the thing that prevents a program from starting.
Sometimes its reactions can be false alarms, and sometimes you just have to start a program,
no matter where it comes from.
In this case, you may need to disable the SmartScreen.
There are several ways to disable SmartScreen, but they may differ for various versions and
builds of Windows: it can be Windows Defender Security Centre in Creators Update build or
Local Group Policy Editor for Windows Pro or Enterprise.
Let’s have a look at the method which is common for all versions and builds of Windows
- disabling SmartScreen with the Registry Editor.
To do it: • Run Registry Editor
• Go to the string HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer • Find the value SmartScreenEnabled and
double-click on it.
• It can have one of the following value data:
 RequireAdmin – require administrator’s confirmation
 Prompt — request user’s confirmation  Off — disable
• Set this value to Off • Ok
• Changes will take effect after the system restart.
If this string has no value named SmartScreenEnabled, you should create it and set its value data
to Off.
To do it: • Right-click on the Explorer string.
• Select New / String Value • Assign the name, SmartScreenEnabled
• And set the value data to Off • Ok
• Don’t forget to restart the computer • After that, the SmartScreen for applications
and files from the Internet will be disabled.
The program can also be blocked by your browser security system.
Talking of Microsoft EDGE, it has also got SmartScreen.
To show how it works, we will use a demonstration page that Microsoft provides for EDGE (find
the link in the description:).
When you try to run an unknown application from the browser, or an application known
as malware, EDGE won’t let it run and will show you one of the following warning messages.
If you are sure you want to run such an application, you will have to disable SmartScreen in EDGE.
To do it: • Go to the Menu / Settings / Advanced Settings
• In the line “Help protect me from malicious sites and downloads with SmartScreen Filter”
set the slider to Off.
• After that, EDGE will not prevent you from running suspicious programs and webpages.
All popular browsers have a similar function.
In Google Chrome, it is known as “Protect you and your device from dangerous websites”
(in earlier versions, "Malware and Phishing Protection”).
You can enable or disable it in the menu Advanced / Privacy and Security.
Sometimes, you double-click on the program shortcut, and the mouse pointer turns into
a small spinning circle and then back into an arrow, while no application starts.
In this case: • Start Task Manager.
• In the tab Processes find all processes with the name of the program that cannot start.
• Select them one by one and click “End Task”
• After that the program that refused to run before should start all right.
Many applications require administrator’s rights in order to start.
If you try to start or install a program and the system can’t start it or informs you
that it cannot work without administrator’s rights, try starting it as administrator.
To do it: • Right-click on the program shortcut
• Select “Run as Administrator.”
If you want a program to be always started by administrator:
• Right-click on the program shortcut • Go to Properties / Compatibility
• Check the box “Run this program as an administrator”
• Apply / OK
If you can’t start a program or game that are not too new and were created some time
ago, or if they refuse to start after you’ve migrated to newer version of Windows (for
example, from Windows 7 to Windows 10), these problems can be caused by compatibility issues.
In one of our videos, we were talking about running programs or games in compatibility
mode.
You will find the link in the description:
Some programs require NET Framework component to work properly.
Some programs work with specific versions, while others need the latest one.
If your computer lacks such component or it is different from the version that a particular
program requires, such program won’t start, and sometimes you won’t be able even to
install it.
That is why read the program’s requirements carefully.
For example, Windows 10 comes with some components pre-installed but they can be disabled.
In order to find out: • Go to Control Panel / Programs and Features
/ Turn Windows features on or off • Find NET Framework items in the list
• Make sure their boxes are checked If they aren’t, check them.
• After that, restart your computer and try running the faulty program once more.
If you don’t see any NET Framework items among Windows features, you can also install
them on your own.
They can be downloaded from the developer’s website.
Find the link in the description:
Microsoft Visual C++ is another important component required to install some programs
and run them.
Though latest Windows versions usually install necessary components automatically, some programs
may have installation issues if they lack a certain Microsoft Visual C++ component.
That is why an application may refuse to start or run properly if it lacks a specific Visual
C++ component.
You can download an up-to-date version of this component from the Microsoft website.
Find the link to this page in the description:
One of the possible reasons why computer games can’t be installed or run is that your computer
lacks the required or latest DirectX version.
As in both previous cases, you can download an up-to-date version of this component from
the Microsoft website.
Find the link to this page in the description:
Sometimes when you try to run a game or a program, you see an error message saying you
can’t start them because of a missing DLL file.
It happens because some game installers fail to install certain files completely.
In this case, the missing DLL file has to be restored to enable the program to start.
You can do it by using one of the many websites offering DLL files to download, or applications
created to restore missing DLL libraries.
I would like to remind you that we have not described all of the things that prevent a
program from starting.
We only tried to focus on the most widespread problems.
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more.
We’ll be glad to answer any questions in comments.
Thank you for watching and good luck!