How to disable HP client security setup autostart?

Every time I start my new HP ProBook 420g0 laptop the HP client security setup application pops up asking me to set up a password, "SpareKey", fingerprints etc (see the screenshot below).

But I don't want anything of this right now in this particular case. Can I disable this application from starting up automatically? I couldn't find a corresponding record in usual system start-up lists. I wouldn't like to remove the application as I may want to use it later.

enter image description here

Ivan

Posted 2013-07-18T11:14:35.373

Reputation: 6 173

What operating system are you using? CCleaner provides simple as dirt interface to disable this application I would just use that. – Ramhound – 2013-07-18T11:50:49.870

The OS is Windows 7 Pro. I have indeed tried CCleaner but there are many programs in the start-up list and none of them is obvious to be the the one I am looking for. – Ivan – 2013-07-18T12:44:29.730

It would be published by HP and/or contain HP in the physical location of the service being started. A little trial and error is required on your part. We cannot tell you the exact service that would require somebody having the same laptop as you in the same configuration state as you. – Ramhound – 2013-07-18T13:10:51.143

I have found the actual file, it is c:\Program Files (x86)\Hewlett-Packard\HP ProtectTools Security Manager\Bin\DPClientWizard.exe and it is NOT in any start-up lists I could view through CCleaner, @Ramhound. – Ivan – 2013-07-18T15:13:28.730

If the process starts when you log into your user accunt then there IS a start entry. – Ramhound – 2013-07-18T16:19:51.607

@Ivan: Use MS/SysInternals Autoruns to locate and disable it from running at startup. – Karan – 2013-07-19T02:25:06.873

I believe it can be called indirectly by some other program that runs at start-up time. – Ivan – 2013-07-19T17:19:19.890

Answers

The way (not too pretty but working) I have found to solve the problem is to rename the c:\Program Files (x86)\Hewlett-Packard\HP ProtectTools Security Manager\Bin\DPClientWizard.exe file. Once it is renamed and the system is restarted, a dialogue window appears that asks whether you actually want to use it or not.

Ivan

Posted 2013-07-18T11:14:35.373

Reputation: 6 173

Launch HP Client Security -> Password Manager -> Administration -> Administrative Console -> Increase System Security : disable Windows Logon Security.

Antanas

Posted 2013-07-18T11:14:35.373

Reputation: 21

I know this question is old and has an accepted answer, but I found an alternate solution to renaming files. This HP suite is difficult to deal with and removing it can be difficult.

Disabling HP ProtectTools Service

Press Ctrl+Alt+Del and select "Task Manager."
Click the "Services" tab and select "hpqwmiex" without quotes in the list.
Click "Open Services" and right-click the same heading from the Services Window.
Click "Properties."
Click the "Startup type" drop-down menu and select "Disabled."
Click "Stop" from the "Service status" section.
Locate HP ProtectTools from the Services menu and configure it the same way. This should disable HP ProtectTools and keep it from running on start up.

Uninstalling HP ProtectTools

Go to Control Panel > Programs select Programs and Features, then choose Uninstall a program.
Select HP ProtectTools Security Manager from the list of programs.
Click "Uninstall" and follow all onscreen instructions to remove the program from your computer.

Source

CharlieRB

Posted 2013-07-18T11:14:35.373

Reputation: 21 303

I don't want to uninstall them actually - perhaps I am going to decide to use them in future. – Ivan – 2014-10-01T13:21:15.267

1In that case, stop after you disable the service. You can do the reverse to later enable them again. – CharlieRB – 2014-10-01T14:20:13.393

Launch the System Configuration dialog by running the program msconfig.exe. (You can find it by typing "msconfig" in the start menu search.)
Click on the services tab at the top of the window.
find and uncheck "Digital Persona" under services.
Click OK and restart the machine. HP Client Security will be disabled and inactive.

Trenton

Posted 2013-07-18T11:14:35.373

Reputation: 21

Can you elaborate on your answer? Provide a little more instruction for someone who may not be familiar with where and how to do this? Maybe mention what "Digital Persona" service is and what else, if anything, would be affected by disabling it. Thanks. – fixer1234 – 2015-01-28T20:53:11.880

"Digital Persona" is the service running on HP computers which IS the Client Security application in question here. Turning it off makes the application go away. I don't know how to make it more clear than that. It appears in "Services" under both services.msc and under msconfig. How can I make it more clear than that? – Trenton – 2015-02-02T19:29:43.757

If my grandmother encountered this problem and found this post through a Google search, she wouldn't know how to accomplish your answer. The upvoted answers provide a roadmap. CharlieRB's answer provides step by step instruction. Your answer would lead to her calling me with questions like, "How do I launch services.msc or msconfig.exe? How do I know which one to pick? How do I find and disable Digital Persona service? Is that exactly what it's called? What do I do after that? Do I have to do that reboot thingy?" – fixer1234 – 2015-02-02T19:58:38.337

With all due respect, that's a really garbage reason to downvote my answer for two reasons. 1.) HP protect tools only get preinstalled on ProBook, Elitebook, and other hp BUSINESS laptops. I kinda doubt "grandma" is buying those. Most people who come across this article will have some basic understanding of system services. 2.) It's the shortest, least-hacky, easiest solution to the original post. My answer is concise for brevity, but that all said, fine, I will edit it a third time for clarity instead of brevity. @fixer1234 – Trenton – 2015-02-04T15:36:48.557

Just FYI, I didn't downvote your answer but apparently, someone else agreed enough to pay for a downvote (it actually costs rep to downvote an answer). I was just giving you information to help you avoid downvotes and get upvotes. I'm upvoting your answer in its current form to offset the downvote. – fixer1234 – 2015-02-04T18:58:22.977

Open Client Security Manager => administrative console => application / settings or something like that => select "do not prompt...HP logon wizard"

qwerty

Posted 2013-07-18T11:14:35.373

Reputation: 11

Thank you for an answer, though I can't check it now. – Ivan – 2014-10-01T13:21:46.817

Open HP Client Security => Advanced Settings => Security Features => Uncheck Windows Logon Security

HP Client Security is very difficult to uninstall! I would recommend playing around with the settings before trying to get rid of it.

Iggy25

Posted 2013-07-18T11:14:35.373

Reputation: 63

I found a solution to this here:

Open regedit, go to [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon] and remove the C:\Program Files (x86)\Hewlett-Packard\HP ProtectTools Security Manager\Bin\DPAgent.exe, part from the UserInit key. Apparently the coma at the end is important, so the entry should usually read C:\Windows\system32\userinit.exe, afterwards.

Tobias Kienzler

Posted 2013-07-18T11:14:35.373

Reputation: 3 262

I found a link http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/99dfa3e4-7cf5-4435-81af-4d91f3968b4b/hp-laptop-and-...

and basically he claims the offending file was

C:\Windows\system32\DPCrProv.dll

which basically the biometric software binds itself to this file causing the computer to read it every time you log in, slowing down the startup massively..

so i renamed it to "nomore.dll" just to alter the registry, and voila, the biometric authentication system no longer bugs me when i log in. I wish i have been here sooner to help others, but I hope this will help someone else in the near future...

captain_a

Posted 2013-07-18T11:14:35.373

Reputation: 101

My problem was, that the HP Protect Tools wouldn't uninstall and caused a huge delay (and then some error message) in the logon screen of Windows 10 (after an Upgrade from Windows 7 to Win 10 Pro).

I removed the attachment to the userinit.exe under HKLM\Software\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon and removed the .DLLs from Digital Persona (supplier of the HP Protect Tools) under %systemroot%\system32 and %systemroot%\SysWOW64. The main culprit seems to be DPCrProv.dll, but I aso removed similar .DLLs from the same company, which all startet with DP* and had the same time stamp. After that I deleted all references to the DPCrProv.dll in the Windows registry. I don't know, if this is necessary, but I did it anyway! After that, the laptop finally had a "clean" lock/login screen and a fast logon.

Oliver Paul

Posted 2013-07-18T11:14:35.373

Reputation: 1