lots of applications crashing

[electraboy]

Hi there,

I hope someone can help me...

I recently upgraded from XP to Vista because my computer was very slow even after a fresh install (which was eventually caused by an overheating CPU from dusty air-intakes).
So now my Acer Aspire 1714 is running smoothly again at 50-55°C apart from the fact that almost all smaller applications I've started have crashed.
Applications such as explorer, skype, sidebar, snipping tool, winamp, free download mgr but also a single time applications such as outlook, illustrator, lightroom.
Explorer is using almost 50% CPU busy restarting

I've been looking on many forums for this problem, checked the logs but nothing gives me any direction where or what to look for.

I did have a BSOD a few times but that was caused by installing Acronis Disk Director and after a system restore everything was fine again.

It is impossible to make anything foolproof because fools are so ingenious.

Murphy's Laws​

 

[franklin97355]

How much memory does this computer have and what speed processor?

The answer is "42"

 

[firewolfrl]

I have to say your machine is not running smoothly as you say it is...

sounds like a bad CPU or bad ram. you stressed the system already and now 32 bit apps are crashing...that is a bad sign

This machine is not going to get better by changing anything software related...it will get worse

Bring the machine to a shop with a diagnostic card or Diagnostics capable and have them tell you what component has failed. its too expensive to play the swap game.

And 1 am betting it is ram or the CPU.

 

[linney]

Do you see the same behavior from Safe Mode, if so, you probably can't do much better than the advice already given.

 

[electraboy]

Thanx for all these quick replies !!

It's a 3,4 GHz processor with 1 Gig of Ram
(although for some reason the processor is always reported as a dual processor (as well in XP) with one not doing anything
(because I physically have only one)

Xp is running smoothly as well as Linux (Ubuntu) although Ubuntu previously reported system running at decreased performance because of CPU overheating, which is now solved.

Also strange is that my Acer is recognised as being a 'Dell'.

The highest temperature the PC ever was is 82°C (it automatically shuts down) and I read somewhere that it can reach 90° without damage (because it's a laptop)
The RAM could be damaged because of that because it's sitting right next to the CPU and the CPU is not a Celeron, M-type or anything else that normally sits in a portable. It's just a conventional one (which gives a lot of performance) so maybe they can't take temperatures that high...


It is impossible to make anything foolproof because fools are so ingenious.

Murphy's Laws​

 

[firewolfrl]

Just from experience. bring the machine in has I suggested and have the components tested....even print out this thread so they know what you are looking for.

It is a 32 bit error you are getting when those apps crash and here is a list of what can cause that. and Linux (Ubuntu) is not a good test for the ram / CPU (Linux uses the ram architect different than windows and accesses the 16 bit process a bit more)

1. CPU (You got that baby hot and just because it says it can take a higher temp before damage does not mean you didn't damage it)
2. Ram (it is closely tied to the CPU)
3. Harddrive (heat can damage it too)
4. Motherboard Chipset (often overlooked...sometimes the heat sink has cheap misapplied heat transfer paste)
5. Video card

here is a different scenario. You installed the Vista while the CPU was hot and corrupted the install and the errors you are getting are from the corrupted OS install.

This is what I would do:
1. put in a new hard drive (remove the old drive)
2. Load the Vista as a clean install. This website will tell you how to do this in the event that you have the Upgrade version

http://windowssecrets.com/comp/070201/

this is more info on the subject

http://windowssecrets.com/comp/070208/

3. put the old drive as a secondary drive. copy over the data you need to have on the new install


just to let you know. I am upgrading my motherboard and I am installing Vista on the new board as a fresh install. I run a Multi boot system so I will still have XP and Ubunta.


So far as I have found upgrading to Vista is a bigger headache than just doing a clean install and transferring the settings and data to the new install.

 

[electraboy]

Hi,

for some strange reason all the crashes ended.
I did uninstall a little utility that lives in the tray and all crashes stopped !!
The only problem I still experience is the widely known Shutdown Problem (which occurred from the beginning, while a reboot works fine (and saves all settings))

thx anyway

It is impossible to make anything foolproof because fools are so ingenious.

Murphy's Laws​

 

[linney]

What was the name of this "little utility"?

Tell us more about your Shutdown problem, how does it compare if you Shutdown from Safe Mode?

Does this XP article give you anything to work with?

http://www.aumha.org/a/shtdwnxp.htm

Are there any clues in the Event Viewer?

Try running ChkDsk to check your drive for errors. Right-click your Drive icon/ Properties/ Tools/ Error Checking. Select both boxes.

Run the System File Checker program from the Command Prompt by typing.....Sfc /Scannow in it and have your Vista DVD handy.

HOW TO: Verify Unsigned Device Drivers in Windows XP

http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q308/5/14.asp

 

[electraboy]

That was Studio Zai's menu organizer.
Took me a while to find that back

Haven't checked that yet. Will do soon

thx

It is impossible to make anything foolproof because fools are so ingenious.

Murphy's Laws​