MO only as background process

[Trustadz]

I've been using MO with the STEP guide for a while now. Recently I also bought Skyrim for my girlfriend to enjoy the same experience I have. She runs Skyrim on her own computer. I've been searching of transferring everything to her computer so I won't have to do the entire STEP project again on her PC.

 

However, I have encountered a problem with one the first things to do, opening MO. For some reason MO won't open on her computer. When accessing task manager it got clear that MO is opened as a background process. It doesn't initialize, it doesn't make the files it should and multiple instances can be open at the same time. I've tried uninstalling and reinstalling MO multiple times. Reinstalled Skyrim multiple times, both at the same time, deleted all mods, opened with compatibility and admin rights, cleared the registry with CCleaner after I was sure every instance of MO was gone from the PC. Skyrim and MO are installed on the E:/ drive so it shouldn't be windows bitchin about it. It's an ASUS laptop with some of their junk software still running in the background.
 

This is the process list during a normal workday.

 

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

Image Name                     PID Session Name        Session#    Mem Usage
========================= ======== ================ =========== ============
System Idle Process              0 Services                   0          4 K
System                           4 Services                   0        128 K
smss.exe                       380 Services                   0      1,048 K
csrss.exe                      596 Services                   0      4,236 K
wininit.exe                    712 Services                   0      4,792 K
services.exe                   784 Services                   0      6,416 K
lsass.exe                      792 Services                   0     14,572 K
svchost.exe                    892 Services                   0     22,972 K
svchost.exe                    960 Services                   0     12,880 K
svchost.exe                    868 Services                   0     50,620 K
svchost.exe                      8 Services                   0     17,988 K
svchost.exe                   1000 Services                   0     17,908 K
svchost.exe                   1116 Services                   0     29,760 K
svchost.exe                   1196 Services                   0     22,480 K
WUDFHost.exe                  1248 Services                   0      7,172 K
svchost.exe                   1356 Services                   0     12,008 K
svchost.exe                   1616 Services                   0     25,248 K
igfxCUIService.exe            1624 Services                   0      7,764 K
NVDisplay.Container.exe       1720 Services                   0      8,328 K
dasHost.exe                   1768 Services                   0     14,384 K
svchost.exe                   1572 Services                   0      9,872 K
WTabletServiceCon.exe         2064 Services                   0      5,716 K
WTabletServicePro.exe         2072 Services                   0      6,232 K
svchost.exe                   2184 Services                   0     12,092 K
svchost.exe                   2284 Services                   0     15,008 K
AsLdrSrv.exe                  2464 Services                   0      4,744 K
GFNEXSrv.exe                  2484 Services                   0      2,952 K
spoolsv.exe                   2580 Services                   0     12,400 K
EvtEng.exe                    2896 Services                   0     11,992 K
svchost.exe                   2904 Services                   0     23,760 K
DriverMFTService.exe          2912 Services                   0     10,320 K
DbxSvc.exe                    2920 Services                   0      4,876 K
armsvc.exe                    2928 Services                   0      5,712 K
OfficeClickToRun.exe          2936 Services                   0     27,968 K
AdobeUpdateService.exe        2988 Services                   0      7,248 K
AGSService.exe                2996 Services                   0     13,448 K
AdAppMgrSvc.exe               3016 Services                   0     15,244 K
HeciServer.exe                3132 Services                   0      6,332 K
nvcontainer.exe               3212 Services                   0     20,588 K
NvTelemetryContainer.exe      3220 Services                   0     10,736 K
svchost.exe                   3240 Services                   0      7,588 K
RegSrvc.exe                   3276 Services                   0      8,032 K
svchost.exe                   3284 Services                   0     29,172 K
MsMpEng.exe                   3344 Services                   0     96,268 K
Updater.exe                   3352 Services                   0     10,004 K
Ath_CoexAgent.exe             3424 Services                   0      6,540 K
ZeroConfigService.exe         3436 Services                   0     13,892 K
Memory Compression            3700 Services                   0    763,344 K
svchost.exe                   4448 Services                   0      5,684 K
SearchIndexer.exe             3900 Services                   0     48,828 K
NisSrv.exe                    5272 Services                   0     10,536 K
unsecapp.exe                  5576 Services                   0      5,832 K
WmiPrvSE.exe                  5612 Services                   0     10,704 K
DropboxUpdate.exe             3932 Services                   0      1,412 K
PresentationFontCache.exe     4888 Services                   0     16,888 K
audiodg.exe                   8024 Services                   0     16,372 K
GamesAppIntegrationServic     6344 Services                   0      6,864 K
IntelMeFWService.exe         13240 Services                   0      4,680 K
LMS.exe                      10188 Services                   0      9,644 K
csrss.exe                     6656 Console                    2      8,984 K
winlogon.exe                  9384 Console                    2      7,200 K
dwm.exe                      16344 Console                    2     53,780 K
nvxdsync.exe                 12320 Console                    2     19,568 K
HControl.exe                  5836 Console                    2      8,856 K
nvcontainer.exe              16200 Console                    2     23,832 K
sihost.exe                    7512 Console                    2     28,856 K
svchost.exe                   6356 Console                    2     26,592 K
taskhostw.exe                 1244 Console                    2     18,884 K
RuntimeBroker.exe            13656 Console                    2     65,124 K
ACMON.exe                      240 Console                    2      1,604 K
USBChargerPlus.exe            4512 Console                    2      1,184 K
explorer.exe                 15964 Console                    2    116,164 K
ATKOSD2.exe                  13812 Console                    2     11,260 K
DMedia.exe                   10384 Console                    2      6,924 K
igfxEM.exe                    7212 Console                    2     11,224 K
igfxHK.exe                    3468 Console                    2      7,984 K
igfxTray.exe                 13392 Console                    2      9,620 K
ShellExperienceHost.exe       3372 Console                    2     85,656 K
SearchUI.exe                  7820 Console                    2    151,104 K
Wacom_TabletUser.exe          4416 Console                    2      7,432 K
Pen_TabletUser.exe            9248 Console                    2      6,916 K
WacomHost.exe                 9752 Console                    2      9,740 K
SpeechRuntime.exe            10736 Console                    2     20,452 K
SkypeHost.exe                 8764 Console                    2        456 K
WacomHost.exe                13876 Console                    2      9,744 K
Pen_Tablet.exe               12652 Console                    2     28,424 K
Wacom_Tablet.exe             10716 Console                    2     19,688 K
Pen_TouchUser.exe            15080 Console                    2     13,764 K
Wacom_TouchUser.exe          14508 Console                    2     13,580 K
nvtray.exe                    8656 Console                    2     10,480 K
SettingSyncHost.exe          13468 Console                    2      3,700 K
AsusTPLoader.exe              7604 Console                    2      1,520 K
AsusTPCenter.exe              4432 Console                    2      4,048 K
AsusTPHelper.exe              8616 Console                    2        712 K
SetPoint.exe                  4696 Console                    2     26,848 K
KHALMNPR.exe                  7420 Console                    2     10,940 K
MSASCuiL.exe                 11532 Console                    2     11,316 K
LogiOptions.exe              13652 Console                    2     11,780 K
LogiOptionsMgr.exe            7200 Console                    2     17,968 K
SpotifyWebHelper.exe          6908 Console                    2      7,992 K
Spotify.exe                   6984 Console                    2     62,216 K
SpotifyCrashService.exe       2140 Console                    2      6,884 K
nvspcaps64.exe                6524 Console                    2     25,940 K
chrome.exe                    1344 Console                    2    106,184 K
chrome.exe                    8492 Console                    2      7,360 K
chrome.exe                    7064 Console                    2      8,764 K
chrome.exe                    6684 Console                    2     47,760 K
chrome.exe                    1820 Console                    2     43,796 K
Spotify.exe                  14888 Console                    2     25,324 K
chrome.exe                   14712 Console                    2     19,852 K
Spotify.exe                   4584 Console                    2     83,380 K
NVIDIA Share.exe             11860 Console                    2     37,264 K
NVIDIA Share.exe               392 Console                    2     39,856 K
NVIDIA Web Helper.exe        14924 Console                    2     33,912 K
conhost.exe                    328 Console                    2      4,868 K
acrotray.exe                  5700 Console                    2      6,612 K
CCleaner64.exe                5908 Console                    2     11,800 K
BambooCore.exe               14660 Console                    2     15,072 K
Dropbox.exe                   4616 Console                    2     75,784 K
chrome.exe                    7080 Console                    2     19,520 K
RAVBg64.exe                    752 Console                    2      1,648 K
RAVCpl64.exe                 15272 Console                    2        940 K
Creative Cloud.exe            9432 Console                    2     45,220 K
AdobeIPCBroker.exe           13180 Console                    2      9,760 K
fontdrvhost.exe              11604 Console                    2     18,992 K
Adobe Desktop Service.exe     1600 Console                    2     39,688 K
Adobe CEF Helper.exe          9944 Console                    2     22,636 K
CoreSync.exe                  1592 Console                    2     29,416 K
CCXProcess.exe                2880 Console                    2      2,316 K
node.exe                      5964 Console                    2     30,336 K
conhost.exe                   7864 Console                    2      4,812 K
CCLibrary.exe                15972 Console                    2      2,312 K
node.exe                      7436 Console                    2     31,340 K
conhost.exe                   1972 Console                    2      4,836 K
chrome.exe                   13520 Console                    2    150,180 K
chrome.exe                   11228 Console                    2    177,864 K
chrome.exe                   11828 Console                    2    112,488 K
RemindersServer.exe            708 Console                    2      5,096 K
ApplicationFrameHost.exe      2144 Console                    2     24,400 K
chrome.exe                   16208 Console                    2     41,044 K
dllhost.exe                   8724 Console                    2     11,948 K
chrome.exe                    1568 Console                    2     26,576 K
SystemSettings.exe           13808 Console                    2     39,516 K
Video.UI.exe                 15668 Console                    2     26,564 K
XboxApp.exe                  14400 Console                    2     28,392 K
WhatsNew.Store.exe           14796 Console                    2     22,116 K
LockAppHost.exe               5496 Console                    2     17,640 K
Microsoft.Photos.exe         14408 Console                    2    105,888 K
cmd.exe                       1908 Console                    2      3,372 K
netsession_win.exe           15428 Console                    2      9,228 K
netsession_win.exe           15620 Console                    2     15,580 K
SystemSettingsBroker.exe      5896 Console                    2     17,832 K
WINWORD.EXE                  14460 Console                    2    110,956 K
sppsvc.exe                    7448 Services                   0     11,332 K
FileCoAuth.exe               12512 Console                    2      8,920 K
TabTip.exe                    1392 Console                    2     14,312 K
TabTip32.exe                  5352 Console                    2      4,516 K
Illustrator.exe              11872 Console                    2    221,700 K
CS6ServiceManager.exe         9132 Console                    2      9,004 K
smartscreen.exe              10184 Console                    2     14,844 K
cmd.exe                       2648 Console                    2      2,960 K
conhost.exe                   5488 Console                    2     13,860 K
backgroundTaskHost.exe       15024 Console                    2     22,300 K
SearchProtocolHost.exe       16364 Services                   0      7,584 K
SearchFilterHost.exe         14504 Services                   0      6,276 K
backgroundTaskHost.exe        8600 Console                    2     24,512 K
svchost.exe                   9452 Services                   0      7,360 K
tasklist.exe                  6792 Console                    2      7,888 K
WmiPrvSE.exe                  8068 Services                   0      8,776 K

 

 

As far as I know there isn't an active anti-virus annoyance that should prevent MO to work.

 

So i'm not sure how to get MO to run. Any ideas?

 

I've searched the forum and the internet for a couple of days now. If I missed a similar post I'm sorry.

Edited February 16, 2017 by Trustadz

[GrantSP]

Since you're talking about STEP Extended I'm going to assume that this also about Skyrim, not Skyrim Special Edition. That being the case your MO should also be version 1.3.11 not one of the MO2 variants. If this not the case please provide some more detail.

 

Now I'm not sure what you mean by "It doesn't initialize".

Check that the laptop meets all the requirements to run MO found here.

Grab the latest archive version of 1.3.11 from Nexus and extract it to a location on the new computer. Running it should present you with a small tutorial dialogue with instructions to use MO effectively. Sometimes this dialogue is hidden behind other windows, it doesn't automatically grab focus nor does it appear in the tasklist so alt-tabbing will not bring it forward. Minimize everything that doesn't need to be visible or simply move aside every window until you find it. Dismiss the tutorial and proceed.

[GSDFan]

In the past there have been problems between MO and wacom hardware, usually just not being able to click in the UI . Not saying it is the problem, but I see Wacom_TabletUser.exe, Wacom_TouchUser.exe and WacomHost.exe running.

 

Look Here.

[Trustadz]

I'm sorry about the lack of details. I thought I had everything.

 

It's about Skyrim normal edition and MO 1.3.11. The "doesn't initialize" part means that MO doesn't make a Mod Organizer.ini file (for example) among other files which I've seen it do on my own computer. I'll go and see if the problem lies with the lack of .NET or Python. I'll also try to launch without the wacom processes. The tablet is not connected during MO launches but could be that it's still giving some interference.

 

To clarify it's behavior. When launching MO there is no window, there isn't even a splash image. It just launches straight to a background progress and can only be stopped through task manager. During normal use I noticed when I try to launch another instance of MO it gives an alert to avoid starting multiple processes. This doesn't happen either and I can easily run multiple instances of MO, although they are all background processes. I haven't seen the window of 'selecting a game' or to login to Nexus.

 

Does MO store files anywhere else then just it's own file directory?

I'll report back when having tested which is likely not till Sunday.

[GrantSP]

MO 1.3.11 stores all its settings in text files in sub-folders of the installation folder. The registry is only queried to ensure valid games are installed, nothing is saved to the registry by MO.

[Trustadz]

Ok, so update on the situation. I've found a topic which has a similar problem ( https://forum.step-project.com/topic/8604-mod-organizer-application-wont-start-afterr-running-the-exe/ ) but the given solution doesn't work in this case, at least as far as I understand it.

Skyrim folder was not moved, mod organizer has been tried to run in several different locations.

 

Python and .NET have been installed the whole time, as the installers I downloaded from the link in MO requirements told me that a newer version was already installed. Wacom and bamboo applications have been shut down.

ModOrganizer.exe still runs as a background process, ModOrganizer.ini won't be created (among all the other files). The log folder is still empty. Reinstalled MO and Skyrim several times. Running with admin rights doesn't change anything, compatibility mode doesnt change anything. I've validated my local files through steam but didn't change a thing.

 

I do get a UAC alert, which i can say yes to.

 

I forgot to mention it's a Windows 10 machine.

 

I've tried to just create a ModOrganizer.ini (empty) and see how that goes but it doesn't change.

I tried running the helper.exe which simply states "Untested windows version 10.0 detected!
Invalid number of parameters

-1"

 

I'm running out of ideas...

 

If nothing will present itself in the next week i'll do a clean install of windows and report back when I have updates

[GSDFan]

Just a quick question, which version of MO 1.3.11 did you use? The full installer or the manual installer or did you try both?

[Trustadz]

I tried both.

Due to some other issues with a different program I was forced to reinstall windows anyway last night. I'll try to run MO tomorrow, update this post when I have more information. As for what could be the problem I still think that there is some form of windows security not giving MO access to write in the folder or MO not recognizing the windows version. I'm not good enough with code to actually debug it.