Computer: Gateway 710X Performance
Operating System: Microsoft® Windows® XP Professional
AntiVirus Software: Norton AntiVirus
Processor: Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 3.00GHz with Hyper-Threading Technology and 800MHz FSB
Chipset: Intel® 875P chipset
Memory: 1024MB 400MHz DDR SDRAM (2-512MB modules)
Hard Drive: 250GB serial ATA hard drive w/ 8MB performance enhancing cache
Floppy Drive: 3.5" 1.44MB diskette drive
Additional Media Drive: Digital media card reader 3.5" drive
Optical Drive: DVD±RW/±R/CD-RW Recorder and 48x/24x/48x CD-RW with Pinnacle Expressions 2.0
Controller: Integrated Ultra ATA Controller
Expansion Slots: 5 PCI and 1 AGP
External Ports: (8) USB 2.0 (2 in front and 6 in back) Parallel, Serial and (2) PS/2
Certification: Energy Star Compliant
Monitors: 17" LCD Flat Panel Display Analog (17" viewable)
Video: 128MB ATI Radeon 9600G with TV out and DVI
Sound System: SoundBlaster Audigy 2 Audio w/ IEEE 1394 (FireWire)
Speaker System: 2.1 Speaker Solution with Subwoofer
Modem: 56K PCI data/fax modem
Network Adapter: Integrated Intel® 10/100/1000 Ethernet (Gigabit) adapter with communication streaming architecture (CSA)

The problem is that lately, sporadically, Windows Explorer and/or Internet Explorer...and occasionally other programs such as Dreamweaver or Paint Shop Pro...are crashing. I am providing info from Event Viewer below: it appears as though the memory addresses are coming up with the same few.

My question is: IS THIS A HARDWARE (I.E., MEMORY) ISSUE, OR DO I HAVE TO REINSTALL THE OPERATING SYSTEM???? If the latter (and I shudder at the thought...), is it possible to install over the existing, and/or repair the OS????

I will be in and out today, but will check for posts.

The info from event viewer follows. I have only taken entries from the last several days. This has been happening off and on since I got the machine in January:

JUNE 17:
Faulting application explorer.exe, version 6.0.2800.1106, faulting module ntdll.dll, version 5.1.2600.1217, fault address 0x00007ec4.

Faulting application explorer.exe, version 6.0.2800.1106, faulting module ntdll.dll, version 5.1.2600.1217, fault address 0x0001fca7.

Faulting application explorer.exe, version 6.0.2800.1106, faulting module ntdll.dll, version 5.1.2600.1217, fault address 0x00007ec4.


JUNE 16:
Faulting application explorer.exe, version 6.0.2800.1106, faulting module ntdll.dll, version 5.1.2600.1217, fault address 0x00007ec4.

Faulting application explorer.exe, version 6.0.2800.1106, faulting module ntdll.dll, version 5.1.2600.1217, fault address 0x0001fca7.

Faulting application explorer.exe, version 6.0.2800.1106, faulting module ntdll.dll, version 5.1.2600.1217, fault address 0x00007ec4.

Faulting application explorer.exe, version 6.0.2800.1106, faulting module ntdll.dll, version 5.1.2600.1217, fault address 0x00033aed.

Faulting application paint shop pro.exe, version 8.0.1.0, faulting module jasccmdproc.dll, version 8.0.1.0, fault address 0x0001491a.

Faulting application paint shop pro.exe, version 8.0.1.0, faulting module jasccmdproc.dll, version 8.0.1.0, fault address 0x0001491a.

Hanging application Paint Shop Pro.exe, version 8.0.1.0, hang module hungapp, version 0.0.0.0, hang address 0x00000000.

Faulting application paint shop pro.exe, version 8.0.1.0, faulting module jasccmdproc.dll, version 8.0.1.0, fault address 0x0001491a.

Hanging application Dreamweaver.exe, version 7.0.1.2181, hang module hungapp, version 0.0.0.0, hang address 0x00000000.


JUNE 13:
Faulting application iexplore.exe, version 6.0.2800.1106, faulting module unknown, version 0.0.0.0, fault address 0x00000000.

Faulting application svchost.exe, version 5.1.2600.0, faulting module unknown, version 0.0.0.0, fault address 0x00000000.


JUNE 10:
TrueVector engine: File "C:\WINNT\Internet Logs\S1099893914.ldb" was corrupt and has been copied to "C:\WINNT\Internet Logs\xDBC.tmp". File "C:\WINNT\Internet Logs\S1099893914.ldb" was corrupt and has been deleted.

TrueVector engine: File "C:\WINNT\Internet Logs\IAMDB.RDB" was corrupt, restoring from backup "C:\WINNT\Internet Logs\BACKUP.RDB".

TrueVector engine: File "C:\WINNT\Internet Logs\IAMDB.RDB" was corrupt and has been copied to "C:\WINNT\Internet Logs\xDBB.tmp". File "C:\WINNT\Internet Logs\IAMDB.RDB" was corrupt and has been deleted.

It sounds like you have bad memory.

Go here:
http://www.simmtester.com/page/products/doc/docinfo.asp

Download the Doc Memory program. Use it to make a bootable floppy diskette. Boot your PC from this diskette and run the burn-in test overnight. Let us know what it finds.

THANKYOU!!!! That's what I wanted to hear; I loathe reformatting as I have a ton of programs... Anyway, I will download and test; will report results as soon as they are finished.

Shoot!! This doesn't seem to want to work at all. It makes some mention on the website that it only works with Win 3.1, Win 95 and Win98 environment, then goes on to give a link for "version 2.0" which is supposed to work with ME, NT, 2k and XP, HOWEVER, it does in fact NOT work:

It makes the disk, then when it boots up, you can see the menus, but there is no mouse control, and no keyboard commands will work, including Enter.

Anyone know of something that WILL work with XP??

http://www.memtest86.com/

Your operating system should not matter with this or the one Ttech mentioned as it boots fron a floppy/cd before the o/s boots.Make sure you set your bios to boot from the floppy or cd whichever form of memtest you make.

For modern systems, theres Memtest86+

http://www.memtest.org/

It's been updated/improved to detect more processors and chipsets, and errors on them. It's based on the original memtest86 and is identical in operation.

I'll bet you have a USB mouse. Try going into the BIOS and enabling Legacy USB support.

The OS versions listed on the website are specific to creating the boot diskette, not running the program after the diskette boots.

I'll bet too...and keyboard.

>I'll bet you have a USB mouse. Try going into the BIOS and
>enabling Legacy USB support.
>
>The OS versions listed on the website are specific to
>creating the boot diskette, not running the program after the
>diskette boots.

There is a Windows Memory Diagnostic free to download from Microsoft.

Thanks all!! Actually, USB support IS enabled. The other one at least runs, but it looks like it will take quite sometime to run.

Thanks again; I'll post with what it finds out later.

Actually, as it turns out, Gateway already had something installed, "PC Doctor", that tests memory: it tested out OK usin that application.

The other one Grogan recommended just seems to run and run, and it doesn't give any indication when it's going to finish; it ran over two hours, though, and didn't turn up any errors. Anyone know how long that program SHOULD normally take?

Also, since PC Doctor passed the memory, do you think the problem might be something else?... :(

memtest never actually ends it loops the tests over and over to turn up intermittent memory problems.I usually let it run overnight to make sure.

Oh god help me!! I'm getting no where with Gateway's 'support' system. They so far have suggested:

1) doing a system restore (which is useless since it began this crashing nonsense almost immediately when I got it in January),

2) using System File Checker (which doesn't work since when I start SFC, the process goes along until a box comes up entitled "windows file protection" and the message says: "PLEASE INSERT THE WINDOWS XP PROFESSIONAL SERVICE PACK 1 CD INTO YOUR CD-ROM DRIVE". I click OK and I get the error "THE CD YOU PROVIDED IS THE WRONG CD. PLEASE INSERT THE WINDOWS XP PROFESSIONAL SERVICE PACK 1 CD INTO YOUR CD-ROM DRIVE". I AM using the only Windows CD that was given when I bought the PC from Gateway),

3) repairing the operating system (which I haven't attempted yet since I am pretty certain it will give me the same error in #2 above, and I wanted to check with you guys before messing with it.)

4) using Restore to Last Known Good Configuration


I'd like to try SFC, but I can't get past the error. Gateway suggested downloading Internet Explorer SP1. HUH?? My system currently is running Internet Explorer 6.0.2800.1106 (IE 6.0 SP1)and the operating system is: Microsoft Windows XP Professional Service Pack 1 (according to the information from AIDA32 system information utility).

Can some of you guyz/galz give me a hand on what I should do next about this problem? Should I run the memory tester longer (if you think that IS the problem) to see if it ultimately turns up something? Or should I fool with the OS and IE...and if so, HOW do I get past the error that it's the wrong CD??

PS: I've never done any of the Microsoft OS updates, mainly because there seem to be so many problems with them that I've been afraid to mess with it. I did recently get the free "security update CD", but again didn't install it.

Do you think going to Microsoft's site and downloading all the patches will make this situation worse, or better?

I just don't know for sure what to do. Like I said, I've NEVER in the years I've owned a computer ever done any updates from Microsoft, always just used whatever OS was in the box when I bought it, or bought a new OS and reformatted the drive and installed from a CD...but once the OS is on the machine, that's the way I've always left it, and never had any problems.

I did notice, however, when I got this machine, in the windows folder are all sorts of weird folders (see attachment).

Anyway, I'd appreciate some guidance here. Like I said, I trust you people much more that Microsoft or Gateway!

In the first place, Gateway is screwing you over and you need to demand to speak to a Tier 2 tech or higher. I hope you have some luck with them because my experience is they are a POS.

The uninstall files you see are for updates, so somebody has installed them. perhaps you have automatically DL and install activated. In any case, you just can't afford to not get the updates and install them. Most are designed for security and they are important.

The first time one of the so-called techs tells you something that you know is not true, stop them right there and tell them you want to speak to someone that knows what they're talking about.

Bob, I will NEVER buy a computer from Gateway again. They used to be a fairly good company, but I agree with you: their 'support' leaves much to be desired.

As for getting to Tier II, it's nearly impossible to get Tier I, at least by phone. I have been using email support because at least you get a response, but they just keep going off in all directions at once without giving me any real response to my questions.

For instance, the folders that were in the gif were installed when I GOT the computer, the system came from Gateway that way.

If you all think I need the updates, I will grudgingly install them (all the while keeping my fingers crossed it doesn't hose up even more on the system...), but:

Do you think I should do that NOW, or should I try to resolve my initial problem first? If the latter, what step should I do first?

I know what you mean about them going off in tangents. It's really the most un-professional service I've ever suffered. And the phone contacts aren't any better even if you can keep them in the USA. I've been switched to the person that can handle the problem and just end up back with a different beginner.

My last contact was on a billing problem where I was being charged for a warranty repair. It finally got to the place where I wrote a snail mail letter to Ted Waitte and to the Sr VP for support. Luckily, this did produce a phone contact with someone that did solve the problem but you can't do that with everything and probably wouldn't help you anyway.

I don't see why any of the updates would harm what you've got. I'd go ahead and see what's there on WinUpdate. At least install any critical ones. Don't install any Driver updates, they fail more often than not.

Thanks, I'll try this! Couldn't be any worse, I guess. I have the feeling I'm going to have to ultimately do a complete reformat. I've hesitated to do this because I'm leery since the OS was installed by Gateway, I may have reactivation hassles.

The phone support is atrocious. Last time I phoned, I got transferred to India and totally wasn't able to understand anything the guy said.

PC Doc is not a very good test of memory. I had it on my IBM and it was informational at best. The one Grogan recommended is good but you'd better run it overnight---no kidding.
Sometimes the best check is to take out all the memory modules except one and see if that one works. If that one works fine, take it out and try another. YOu might find one mem module that doesn't even allow the PC to boot and that's te bad one.

I'm going to do that just as soon as I can get time to let it run. I still think the errors it's giving indicate a memory issue, and I would rather deal with hardware than a reformat.

In the Event Viewer, have you looked through the Properties of those events for additional information - there is more provided & sometimes links.


EventID.net
<http://www.eventid.net/display.asp?eventid=1106&source=>

Windows 2000 Server Events and Errors

I don't have a "properties" option available on Event Viewer, just "description".

I can't find properties in XPPro. Must not have made it from W2K.

Yes you do.

Right click one of the entries, Properties.
Or choose Properties from the Toolbar.

After selecting one, you can then scroll up/down using the arrow keys on the Properties dialog box.

... or just double click the error in the list ;)

Would installing any of the windows updates perhaps put back any of the files that may be causing my problem, do you think??

Shucks, I was looking for a way to add a properties column to the task bar. :blusher:

What antivirus are you using? McAfee?

No, Norton.

Hmmm... Still going around with Gateway; it's actually starting to get fun.

The errors I sent referred to Explorer.exe; they want me to reinstall INTERNET EXPLORER. PCQ&A: Do you think that even though the error refers to explorer.exe that reinstalling IE will fix the problem?

Possible I guess, since they are entwined in the OS. Did they give you a procedure that gets around the fact that it's already installed, you can't uninstall, and it won't DL and install because of that fact?

Here's two sites that deal with repair of IE and OE

http://www.theeldergeek.com/repair_reinstall_ie_and_oe_6.htm

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=318378

Yes, they referred me to the Microsoft article 318378. I just finished editing the registry to try it, and the EXACT same error comes up! I am totally unable to use SFC. This is really pissing me off...

I'm VERY afraid to try and run any critical updates because this just doesn't smell right to me. The first time I got the computer and looked at the Winnt folder, I didn't like the look of all those whacky folders that were in it.

I really don't know what to do next.

Did you try the cd that you got from MS that has the criticle updates on it ?
I sure would.