Error while opening registry key
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I uninstalled Equalizer APO some days ago. Today I tried to install again but I'm having this error. After Clicking OK I don't have any Playback device to select.
I tried to install older versions (1.1.1) but the problem persists.
Anyone knows how to solve this?
No playback device
Have tried installing with full administrative rights?
Yes, I'm installing with administrator rights
how do you install with that
Through the right click menu which has a "Run as administrator" menu item. So right click on the installer with the name like "EqualizerAPO64-1.2.1.exe".
Browsing through this forum there were other people having the same issue. Reading these posts I don't know what causes this. It seems to be a rights issue. When I'm looking into the program code of Equalizer APO I see that during the startup of the Configurator, the devices are read from the Windows registry and then they are put into the "Child APOs" key (so Equalizer APO can do its magic if you select a device in the Configurator). Since this fails the Configurator is "empty".
I've noticed that some virus software and firewall software prevent reading some Windows registry keys. Or the writing of the "Child APOs" key is prevented. In both cases Equalizer APO can't be installed properly. It needs these access rights to the registry.
But perhaps something else is going on. I guess you can try the following:
1. Try uninstalling Equalizer APO
2. Delete this registry key (if still exists): HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\EqualizerAPO
3. Deinstall the audio device driver and let Windows install it again
4. Install Equalizer APO
Didn't work.
I have these registries. No Child APOs.
That's unfortunate. I wish I could understand what's going on. Perhaps adding the "Child APOs" key yourself and then install Equalizer APO.
I did it and didn't work too. I don't know what to write in the key, so maybe that's is the problem. Can you show me how is this key exactly for you?
You're in the right place. Right click on "Equalizer APO" -> in popup menu: New -> Key and enter "Child APOs" -> Ok
Your registry should look like the attached image.
Last edit: Peter Verbeek 2020-05-25
I did like you say and my audio devices showed up, but when I press ok I have the same error. After pressing ok the Child APOs disappear in the registry.
That's quite odd (and irritating) but it gives us a clue. Some program is deleting these keys which Equalizer APO puts in. It's your virus scanner or Windows doing this. It restores the registry to a former state when a program (in this case Equalizer APO) is changing the registry, thus deleting the Child APOs key
So Equalizer APO adds the devices to "Child APOs" or tries to. This action is immediately picked up by the virus scanner or Windows and prevented. What edition/version are you using: Home or Pro?
I'm using Windows 10 Pro
Last edit: Jonas Barbosa 2020-05-27
When I'm installing software my Comodo firewall prevents adding to and altering the Windows registry. It pops up with a message and I have to confirm the adding/altering. Perhaps something similar does happen on your computer but there isn't a popup message so you're not aware of it.
And it could be a policy matter. Being on Windows Pro you have a Windows system called "Policies". One policy can be "Don't add to the registry". I don't think this is it as this isn't a default setting. But it worth checking. This is done in the Policy Editor. This webpage explains how to do or check this. Scroll down to the section "Solution 2– Use Group Policy Editor".
Edit: Perhaps the Configurator needs full administrator rights. Not having them may cause the deletion of the keys in ChildAPOs.
Last edit: Peter Verbeek 2020-05-27
In theory I have full administrator rights, because I'm forcing it. The problem occurs even with antivirus off. I don't know what is happening.
Have you checked if it's just registry R/W access issue in question https://community.sophos.com/kb/en-us/13811
https://www.groovypost.com/howto/take-full-permissions-control-edit-protected-registry-keys/
Last edit: Juha 2020-05-28
I did it but didn't work
It seems you have all the rights you need. We can't seem to figure out what's precisely going on :(
Which exact OS you have there?
Do you see any registry entries for the audio interface you have there?
Do you have all needed rights for registry operations (try to make some modifications under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\EqualizerAPO).
Disable all security features temporarily (Windows own and 3rd party).
If someone (with same audio interface) could export entries found under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\EqualizerAPO to a reg and you then manyally add those ... .
I'm using Windows 10
Where can I see the registry entries for the audio interface?
I thought installing with administrator rights I would have the rights for registry operations
Stopping antivirus didn't work
Can you show me how your Child APOs is in the registry?
Sorry, but I'm not using Windows anymore so, I can't help you much on this.
You should be able to find registry information regarding your audio device by just using the searching option found on registry editor.
If possible, you could try back your OS to some restore point where EqualizerAPO was working.
I don't like what I read here, AT ALL.
I am also having the problem that after uninstallation, and attempting to install again I cannot due to this registry error.
When going over the developer doc, it is clear what the software attempts to do:
It mentions that it needs to replace the APOs for audio devices in the registry, and backups the original ones in the Child APOs key.
Something however must be going wrong, I assume when uninstalling Eq. APO.
At the next attempt of installing, the installer (to be more precise the configurator) can't see the Child APO key (this is the msg), and it also comes up with an empty list of devices, as mentioned.
I have reason to assume that Eq. APO overwrote the original APOs, and that it didn't properly restore the original ones. It corrupted these registry entries.
I have no deep enough knowledge of the Windows APOs and how important they are, but this is BAD. It likely means needing to reinstall sound drivers, or if no registry backup is on hand a Windows repair/reinstall
If you can, could you please advise how I can get my sound-related registry values to a state BEFORE I tried to install Equalizer APO. aka undoing the chances Equalizer APO did, by hand. Ty!
It is exactly like the guy above said. Yes you can manually make this subkey. Then configurator starts up and shows the devices. (This is already good). But afterwards, something is deleting the key again.
(Looking into this, processmon etc.)
Last edit: Georg 2020-06-21
It is Configurator itself which deletes the key, according to processmon.