WinPatrol still works

[ky331]

I know WinPatrol hasn't been updated in years.   In fact, I still use version 32 from 2014 (the last version that BillP had his hands on).   
WinPatrol is not based on "signatures", so the lack of recent updates is not a disqualification.
Granted, there are new startup mechanisms of which WinPatrol is "unaware".   But for those that it knows to monitor, it still works!
Case in point:   Today, on two of my Win10 systems, it alerted me that a run-once item had been added, to be run on the next reboot.   That item was BCILauncher.EXE, "a program created by Microsoft that's made specifically to launch the Bing Chat Installer app BingChatInstaller.exe.

After BCILauncher.exe launches it, the Bing Chat Installer can make Bing your default search engine if you accept the change to Windows. This launcher appeared in the KB5033372 Windows OS update".

Scotty may be a "senior" puppy, but he is still a wonderful watchdog! :-)

[winchester73]

Good to know mate, I still have it on an old machine

[v_v]

Yes, I will confirm that WinPatrol is still working since I received the very same notice that ky331 did about "bcilauncher.exe".  I decided that I did not want the 'runonce' program.

I am still using WinPatrol 35.5.2017.8 (the last version by Ruiware LLC) on Windows 10 and it works just fine.  Besides Windows Security and TinyWall it is the only other 'real time' security-related monitor that I have on my system.  So while WinPatrol may be past its prime it is still the only 'real time' program that I am running that sends alerts about various changes that are going on 'under the hood.'

For me probably the greatest use has been to help control the many programs that want to 'startup when Windows launches.'  It seems that many programs want to be running in the background at all times even if they are not being used.  Some of these programs are not listed in the WinPatrol startup programs tab, but 'Scotty' still barks and sends an alert anyway when changes are underway.  For these unlisted programs I have found that I need to use the "autoruns" feature of Spybot's startup tools to disable the automatic startup entries.

So all and all I still appreciate 'Scotty' and his familiar picture in the green square located on the right side of my taskbar!

v_v

[darksurfer]

Yes, I still use Scottie already and it's alive and kicking. Sure wish there were other free programs like it.