Samsung 2012 Series 7 Chronos (NP700Z3, NP700Z4 & NP700Z5 series) Owners Lounge

[Ganxxta]

Hi Kevin,
I have not the exactly same problem like you, but after I installed the new update like you my ExpressCache is completely gone and I couldn't get it back until now, so the chance that this update is somehow flawed is pretty big.
See my post in the exprescache thread.

@All WARNING:
DO NOT INSTALL THE NEW EASY SETTINGS IF THE OLD ONE IS WORKING FOR YOU!

[kevindebb]

Hi Kevin,
I have not the exactly same problem like you, but after I installed the new update like you my ExpressCache is completely gone and I couldn't get it back until now, so the chance that this update is somehow flawed is pretty big.
See my post in the exprescache thread.

@All WARNING:
DO NOT INSTALL THE NEW EASY SETTINGS IF THE OLD ONE IS WORKING FOR YOU!

Indeed, I downgraded easy settings and everything is working flawless now. Good tip, don't update easysettings.

[spincel]

Indeed, I downgraded easy settings and everything is working flawless now. Good tip, don't update easysettings.

I heard someone said that the new Easy Settings completely mess up with other component before. Did you try to reinstall the EC driver and SDK after install the new Easy Settings? Maybe when we upgrade the Easy Settings, it would not keep the connection with EC, therefore, we have to reinstall the driver again.

[LangoLango]

What is Phoenix SecureGuard ?

I found a driver with this name installed in the device manager, inside System Devices category. Based on this I'm afraid it is some kind of backdoor that samsung put into our computers, just like the old PhoenixNet that came built into the firmware of some motherboards in the past.

I proceeded to delete it and haven't noticed any impact in system performance.

[Luterin]

Phoenix is makes bioses, and I suspect that this laptop has Phoenix bios, which makes me think that this program us used to control (and protect) the bios settings from within Windows? Perhaps making it so Easy Settings is the only application who can change the settings using a special key or something?

[spincel]

What is Phoenix SecureGuard ?

I found a driver with this name installed in the device manager, inside System Devices category. Based on this I'm afraid it is some kind of backdoor that samsung put into our computers, just like the old PhoenixNet that came built into the firmware of some motherboards in the past.

I proceeded to delete it and haven't noticed any impact in system performance.

It is not a virus. Instead, it is a mechanism to protect your computer from damage of information on your system when the laptop fails. In other word, if some drivers or some components fail because of something like virus, malware, or by user, there might be a chance that it could damage the system or bios. This program will help to determine and protect that happen. It looks like a spyware or keylogger because it can track every component that had been loaded when we first start up the laptop.

[LangoLango]

It is not a virus. Instead, it is a mechanism to protect your computer from damage of information on your system when the laptop fails. In other word, if some drivers or some components fail because of something like virus, malware, or by user, there might be a chance that it could damage the system or bios. This program will help to determine and protect that happen. It looks like a spyware or keylogger because it can track every component that had been loaded when we first start up the laptop.

The SecureGuard plug-in also makes it possible for OEMs to add or remove management associated with objects even after the system has been deployed into the field. Updates are targeted to a specific model or even a specific serial number range so that those systems for which updates are not targeted will not be affected by the new policies. • SecureGuard can disable normal operation of the system if its information has been compromised and the system cannot be updated from the network or from a mass storage device.

SecureGuard Benefits
After-Market Revenue
• Increase upfront bounty payments and revenue-share payments from partners like Google™, Yahoo®, McAfee®, Microsoft®, etc.
• Increase sales of approved after-market hardware accessories, such as batteries, memory, docks, etc.
• Persistence for OEM customer service applications reduces support calls and related costs.

Based on the descriptions I have read, and coming from the same BIOS manufacturer that created firmware based spywares, I can't find any objectiveness on it's purpose, besides allowing the manufacturer to arbitrarily install propaganda or to retrieve user data on the computer after it has being sold. If it is there to protect something, it would have prevented me from formatting the whole hard drive, including the recovery partition and installing a different OS version. My guess is that your personal data will stay more secure without having this functionality.

[Luterin]

My brother just got his 700Z5C and when he closes the lid and opens it again the machine does not ask for his windows password. I don't know if my 700Z5A behaves the same way since I don't use that feature.

Either way, I was thinking that perhaps it's Samsungs Hybrid Sleep thingy that messes things up, and also that I've read something on this forum about someone having the same issues, but I don't know if it got solved.

Any feedback and/or ideas are very welcome.

[LangoLango]

My brother just got his 700Z5C and when he closes the lid and opens it again the machine does not ask for his windows password. I don't know if my 700Z5A behaves the same way since I don't use that feature.

Either way, I was thinking that perhaps it's Samsungs Hybrid Sleep thingy that messes things up, and also that I've read something on this forum about someone having the same issues, but I don't know if it got solved.

Any feedback and/or ideas are very welcome.

Hit the start menu key and type this:
Require a password when the computer wakes up

You should be able to enable this setting on the screen that will pop up. You may also want to change what closing the lid does on the same screen. Hybrid sleep is actually a Windows feature. Samsung is just putting their name on it.

[Luterin]

Hit the start menu key and type this:
Require a password when the computer wakes up

You should be able to enable this setting on the screen that will pop up. You may also want to change what closing the lid does on the same screen. Hybrid sleep is actually a Windows feature. Samsung is just putting their name on it.

He said that it works in all the other ways the computer sleeps, using power button, timeout etc, but just not when closing the lid...

Oh well, I'll make sure he have everything set to the same thing next time I talk to him.