msgsvr32 stumper...

[Cybermage]

Hi all. This is a strange situation. I just reformatted and put Win98SE back on because my registry got totally deleted from a "registry cleaner" program. Before this happened, my Win98SE worked flawlessly. Now that it's back on, whenever I do anything on the computer like going into windows explorer or IE my mouse will randomly start turning from the pointer arrow to an hourglass off and on with about 2 seconds inbetween and will not stop. When I exit out of the programs it still continues to do this and I have to restart to make it stop. This hourglass to pointer loop seriously slows down my system and I can't do much not to trigger it every time I start my computer. I downloaded a program called WinTop that monitors system processes and it shows that every time my mouse turns into an hourglass, Msgsrv32.exe is taking 20%+ from my processor! So thats why my system was being so slow. Msgsrv32 is NOT giving me any error like all the other solutions about it on the internet, so I don't have a clue whats wrong with it. I installed Win98SE from the same CD as I did before when it worked great, put the same settings on, used the same drivers, and used the same software. Any ideas?
Brief system specs:
PIII 1.26ghz
640Mb ram
Via 694T Motherboard (AC-97 built in sound)
GF4 128mb vid card

 

[rockerfellerz]

When you look in the device manager is there anything that is yellow or red flagged? Msgsrv32.exe is supposed to load in device drivers you need when windows is started. Could be trying to load something that does not exist. The file could be corrupted as well; you could run a system file check and see if anything is corrupted, then extract the files needed from the windows cab files and replace them. Do you have up to date virus protection? You could be infected .

If you're going through Hell...keep going... (Winston Churchill)
RocKeRFelLerZ

 

[Cybermage]

Well i'm on a fresh OS install so its not a virus or a corrupted file or the OS pointing to something that doesnt exist. I went ahead and checked anyway and it wasn't. My device manager does't have anything yellow or messed up either. I narrowed the problem down to explorer.exe (windows explorer). I think its the culprit starting the mouse-hourgless loop. I looked around and found out that one of the things Msgsrv32.exe is designed to do is start up windows explorer.. hmm getting closer. I just have 2 remaining questions: Why after all the time i've used windows 98 (5 years) did it just start to do this..I've done probably 20 or more reformats in that time on different machines with no problems and a couple on this one without any probs. Of course my second question is how do I stop it from doing this. I just reformatted again this time putting on regular windows 98 instead of SE and it's doing the same thing. Ugh.. it could be *gasp* hardware related.. I hope not.. BTW thanx for the suggestions rockerfellerz...

 

[pudda]

If you happen to use VIA drivers, check to see if you are using the older drivers you previously used- worked for me on the same issues.

The test continues...

 

[jmatt]

http://www.generation.net/~hleboeuf/ermsgs32.htm

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;q169987

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Troy/6883/msgsrv32.html

http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000450.htm

Function of the Windows 32-Bit Message Server
This article describes the purpose of the Win.32-bit message server
(Msgsrv32.exe)

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;q138708

 

[Cybermage]

I THINK I have it fixed now.. I did a system file check scan and it found setupx.dll corrupt. Now it's not doing the hourglass cpu drain thing. We'll see if it lasts. Now I just want to know how after a fresh install the dll was corrupted when i've done fresh installs with the same cd with no problems and installed the same software....

 

[rockerfellerz]

glad to see you got it fixed (if you do...) I never install win98 from the cd because I've had similar problems(corrupt files) I always copy the contents of the win98 folder to a folder on the hard disk and then run the setup from there.It seems to install more reliably that way plus you don't have to ever "insert windows cd" anymore.

If you're going through Hell...keep going... (Winston Churchill)
RocKeRFelLerZ