"Other users on this computer are already using the ActivBoard or ActivHub."

[AngryTechnician]

All of our classroom machines were upgraded to Windows 7 this summer, and I deployed the ActivDriver 5.5.37.4 to them. Unfortunately, almost all of the computers show the following popup at logon:

"Other users on this computer are already using the ActivBoard or ActivHub. It is recommended they logout first."

Subsequently, the ActivDriver icon does not appear in the system tray and interactivity is not available.

I have found KB306228 which tells me to ensure no other users are logged on using Fast User Switching, however we are seeing this message even when only one user is logged on.

The machines are all connected via Serial, and the Serial components of the driver are installed. We are using Windows 7 x86. The users do not have administrator rights on the machine, but administrator accounts experience the same problem anyway.

Any suggestions gratefully received!

[TRobinson]

Hi,

The first thing I want to make you aware of is that the latest driver v5.5 does not contain any serial drivers - it purely has support for USB and wireless comms.

From this I can only assume that you have installed an older version that contained the serial drivers before rolling out v5.5, perhaps prior to the upgrade.

The only time we see this message is if ActivManager (the system tray icon) tries to run but discovers that there is already an instance of itself running. When this message presents if you have a look in task manager are there any processes running with the name ActivMgr.exe or ActivControl2.exe?

If so, could it be that the systems are set to return to the login window after going into standby because if so and another user logs on then they would see this message as there is still an instance running by another user - this is a form of fast user switching.

[AngryTechnician]

The first thing I want to make you aware of is that the latest driver v5.5 does not contain any serial drivers - it purely has support for USB and wireless comms.

Really? I've just downloaded the latest driver from ActivDriver & Firmware Upgrades - Promethean Planet, and this is what I see when I run it:



I've installed all the machines with the option selected, and I know one of them works, on serial, with this driver (though I can't work out why this one works and the others do not). These machines have definitely not had any other version of ActivDriver on them since they were reformatted with Windows 7.

I am going over to one shortly to check the process list, but I have already confirmed using both Task Manager and psloggedon that only a single user is logged on at the workstation.

[TRobinson]

Sorry if i misled you but I meant that if you deploy v5.5 using the msi it only installs the USB drivers - not the serial.

Let me know the outcome of the processes

Please could you also confirm the ActivBoard firmware on one of the systems exhibiting the issue - you can check this via the ActivManager > Control Panel if you can get it to start - you can manually start it from C:\Program Files\Activ Software\ActivDriver\ActivMgr.exe

[AngryTechnician]

OK, I think I've worked out what was happening.

I am installing remotely, using System Center Essentials, which deploys the software through WSUS. I did already know about the serial not being installed by default, and so am using the .mst transform listed on this thread.

When I examined the problem machines, I found that ActivMgr.exe and ActivControl2.exe were already running under the SYSTEM account. My guess would be that the .msi launches these programs automatically as part of the install, and since the install was a remote deployment, it was running under the SYSTEM account. Since the installer does not reboot at the end (and apparently the computers haven't been rebooted in over a week for any other reason), those processes stay running and interfere when the first user logs on. We'll see whether that guess is accurate or not by seeing if the problem recurs anytime soon.

[TRobinson]

Sounds promising.

ps. An Enhancement Request has been raised internally to have an option in the transgen to include the serial part of the driver.

[glennda]

Did you manage to fix this?

Just deployed the driver via msi but all the pc's are saying the whiteboards are in use - does the program need to run as an admistrator?

[cmssbrie]

Hello,

Can't advise on whether the poster managed to get the driver fully working, but the message you are receiving sounds like ActivManager / ActivControl 2 seems to think more than one user is attempting to "run" the process. You would normally see this when using "fast user switching" (which isn't supported in the driver).

Have a look in Taks Manager / Processes and see if there are any instances of Activcontrol2.exe / ActivMgr.exe are running, and if so, end the processes.

Then, try launching ActivMGR.exe from C:\Program Files\ActivSoftware\ActivDriver, and seeing if that then allows the service to run.

[AngryTechnician]

All I did was reboot the machines and the problem never recurred. I'm pretty sure my original diagnosis was correct, the MSI launches programs at the end of the install under the SYSTEM account, so you need a reboot to kill them.

[glennda]

I'll take a look - but still seems to be doing it - fast user switching is disabled here via GPO

[gybe78]

Just to add that I'm seeing this problem too. Deploying the Promethean MSI files using SCCM and forcing a reboot afterwards, but when logging on as standard user we get the message already described above. Any update on this Promethean?

[cmssbrie]

Hi,

Yeah - that message means that the driver components think that another user is running the processes - in the past where we have seen it, it was because another user was logged onto the machine at the same time.

Might be worth 1) Ensure your using driver 5.7, 2) Checking to see which "Activ" processes are running in Task Manager 3) End all "Activ" tasks and start run ActivMGR.exe from the ActivDriver directory.

If your still having issues, it might be worth getting in touch with support via PrometheanKB.com.

[adhutton]

Did anyone find a definite answer to this problem?

Just installed some Windows 7 PCs with Promethean software and whenever a new user logs on they see the 'Other users on this computer are already using the Avtivboard or Activhub. It is recommended they logout first' message.

There are no other users logged on. Also, the ActivManager icon doesn't appear....

I wondered if maybe the software was looking for a file (or trying to write to a file) which doesn't exist in Win7??

Any help greatly appreciated guys.

Cheers_ Andrew

[cmssbrie]

Hi there,

The driver (V5.7 Is the latest) is fully compatable with Win 7.

Where we have seen it, a driver process is running as another user.

Have a look in Task Manager - Processes, and look for ActivControl2 and ActivMGR. If you end these two processes, anc then restaart activmgr.exe from within the ActivDriver program directory (C:\Program Files\Activ Software\ActivDriver), that should restart the processes a fresh.

If still having problems, I'd try logging into the local machine, and seeing if you receive the same issue.

Good luck!