Beta Offline decryption utility

[EEPhil]

My first thought was to use EEPhil's HFODU2 Java based solution. I downloaded his zip file, unzipped it but have been unable to get it to run from the directory the jar file is in - as per instructions. From reading I am guessing that is something to with the pathway to the Java files? But I couldn't resolve that and recently even EEPhil was suggesting to use Stripts.

I suggested using Stripts because it is faster and has been continuously supported. I don't have access to a HDR Fox T2 and relied on af123 to provide a suitably encrypted ts file to work with. I haven't revisited the program in years. Java is a pain for wanting the path to various files. Difficult for me to investigate because I'm using an old PC with an established Java path I don't want to ruin. I'm not sure whether I can investigate on an even older computer.
Maybe someone else can help with the Stripts setup.

 

[Black Hole]

Hi. Apologies to come to something that established so late but I'm trying to learn how to offline decrypt using windows on my laptop and struggling...

Instead of getting stripts or HFODU2 to run in Windows 10, you might find it more productive to try the Linux version by downloading and booting a live Linux – specifically Mint because I have recent experience of using stripts on Mint (although a lighter-weight distro should work too).

With a Live Linux booted from optical or USB, you will have access to your internal/external drives without interfering with your WIndows boot.

My recent experience is detailed from Post 436, but in summary:

• Download and unzip
  

  https://dl.dropbox.com/s/vu3whg47ph0teiu/stripts.zip

• Then you will probably need (command line)
  

  sudo apt install libinotifytools0

 

[EEPhil]

I would recommend using Stripts is possible. However, if you want to try HFODU2.

From reading I am guessing that is something to with the pathway to the Java files?

I'm not sure how you were trying to run the HFODU2 jar.
I'm using Windows XP (yes I know!) so paths on here won't correspond to paths on your computer.

I am not technically knowledgeable like you guys, so go slow, but not incapable.

So this could be a case of the blind leading the blind! If you want to try this then...

If you can open a command window anywhere (but in the place where HFODU2.jar is would be preferable) and type java -version
at the command line. If you get an error of the form "java is not recognized as an internal or external command" then Java isn't installed properly.
If the command gives the version number then try typing (this MUST be in the folder HFODU2 is in) javaw -jar HFODU2.jar and see what happens. There should be a short (2-3s maybe) when nothing appears to happen, then a window should appear. If it doesn't please post any error messages.

 

[hjug]

So I read up on Stripts, downloaded the stripts.exe file but on running got a cygwin1.dll missing error. I followed on and downloaded cygwin.dll from cygwin.com, then realising this had no effect alone, followed their instructions to run their set-up.exe. It ran fine - though it didn't offer me any packages to install and so I assumed it installed as default. This though has also not helped and I still cannot run Stripts.

So at present I have failed but I suspect there is just a small lack of understanding in both cases that has foiled me. Please can you help?

what actual error do you get when you run strips.exe?

I still have strips.exe and cygwin1.dll from when I last used it, both files are placed in the same folder and strips.exe is run from that folder

 

[alanofcleeves]

both files are placed in the same folder and strips.exe is run from that folder

That seems to be all that is required. I use it quite often on a W10 machine and it works perfectly for me.

I did encounter a problem after switching my internet security program to Bitdefender: it wouldn't allow stripts.exe to work until I had added it to a list of 'safe' exceptions.
I believe the problem may have been caused by stripts.exe not having a digitally signed version number. Might be worth checking.

 

[confabulator]

Instead of getting stripts or HFODU2 to run in Windows 10, you might find it more productive to try the Linux version by downloading and booting a live Linux – specifically Mint because I have recent experience of using stripts on Mint (although a lighter-weight distro should work too).

With a Live Linux booted from optical or USB, you will have access to your internal/external drives without interfering with your WIndows boot.

My recent experience is detailed from Post 436, but in summary:

• Download and unzip
• Then you will probably need (command line)

Thanks BH, I may try that in
due course.

 

[confabulator]

what actual error do you get when you run strips.exe?

I still have strips.exe and cygwin1.dll from when I last used it, both files are placed in the same folder and strips.exe is run from that folder

So stripts.exe was in c:\downloads with cygwin.dll inside the folder in downloaded in, that folder also in C:\downloads. Strips just said cygwin1.dll not found.

I've now copied cygwin.dll into C:\downloads rather than it being inside a folder. When I run stripts.exe now I still get error saying:

Your procedure entry point_locale_ctype_ptr coul not be located in the dynamic link library C:\downloads\stripts.exe

Any idea? Was there something I was supposed to select when downloading cygwin.dll?

 

[Black Hole]

that folder also in C:\downloads. Strips just said cygwin1.dll not found.

How would it know where to look, unless

I've now copied cygwin.dll into C:\downloads rather than it being inside a folder.

? You're just trying to make things difficult.

Is your target file also in the same directory, and that's your current working directory, so that your commands are all operating without redirection?

 

[confabulator]

I would recommend using Stripts is possible. However, if you want to try HFODU2.

I'm not sure how you were trying to run the HFODU2 jar.
I'm using Windows XP (yes I know!) so paths on here won't correspond to paths on your computer.

So this could be a case of the blind leading the blind! If you want to try this then...

If you can open a command window anywhere (but in the place where HFODU2.jar is would be preferable) and type java -version
at the command line. If you get an error of the form "java is not recognized as an internal or external command" then Java isn't installed properly.
If the command gives the version number then try typing (this MUST be in the folder HFODU2 is in) javaw -jar HFODU2.jar and see what happens. There should be a short (2-3s maybe) when nothing appears to happen, then a window should appear. If it doesn't please post any error messages.

Thanks EEPhil. I thought I'd done that based on my reading of your original thread on running HFODU because you are equally clear in both places. I must've cocked up though as it works now. I'm guessing I was in the system downloads folder and not the one for my user. My bad one way or the other, I knew it must be something basic. Cheers!

 

[confabulator]

How would it know where to look, unless

? You're just trying to make things difficult.

Is your target file also in the same directory, and that's your current working directory, so that your commands are all operating without redirection?

Sorry if my lack of understanding makes me difficult

I've started afresh, downloaded stripts.exe into it's own folder. Downloaded cygwin.dll, unzipped it and put it in the same folder. Running now I got a Windows Defender warning I had to bypass in order to run stripts. I said run anyway and that warning closed but then nothing happened. No error message, just nothingness. Rerunning stripts.exe there is no defender warning but still nothing happens. Is that right?

 

[Black Hole]

Just running stripts on the command line without any parameters should produce a help screen.

It might help if you post up your command console session (just copy & paste into a code section) so we can see what's going on that you haven't thought to tell us.

A thought: are you just double-clicking on stripts.exe in a file manager? It's a command line program, you have to run it in a terminal session.

 

[confabulator]

Just running stripts on the command line without any parameters should produce a help screen.

It might help if you post up your command console session (just copy & paste into a code section) so we can see what's going on that you haven't thought to tell us.

A thought: are you just double-clicking on stripts.exe in a file manager? It's a command line program, you have to run it in a terminal session.

Thanks BH. I said at the start I knew I was missing something basic. Cmd prompt stripts.

 

[confabulator]

Hopefully I'll be good from here one way or the other.