Dr Watson is annoying - programs crash on start

Discussion in 'Software' started by LadyIanna, Apr 26, 2014.

  1. LadyIanna

    LadyIanna Private E-2

    Hi -

    Hope y'all can help me out.

    Here's my problem: When starting my Quicken 2011 program, I get an crash error. Program has encountered a problem and needs to close. yada yada...

    I get the same error when trying to run Skype, except that one lets the window come up and then crashes.

    I'm running WinXP home, sp3. on a HP laptop. 1G mem, 1.8G processor. I have had problems with some bad clusters and think I have that cleared up. I am running Zone Alarm and it gives me a security message everytime DW.exe shows up. (that's Dr Watson)

    I have uninstalled Quicken twice and re-installed and it continues to give me the same error. I uninstalled Skype also. I have tried to do a restore, but it wont let me. I suspect because a few of the bad clusters were in the restore file. I did try to do a FIX of WinXP, but it wouldn't let me do that either. I am only using half the hard drive so I could theoretically create another partition and install winxp again.

    I was having issues with the Zone Alarm for a bit, but that seems to be resolved and it was re-installed and it seems to be working fine now. (though annoyingly resetting all the alarms.)

    I really really need to get Quicken back up and running. I'm guessing this is a problem with XP and not the Quicken program. Any suggestions on what to do? I'm at a loss on what to try next.

    :banghead


    Lady Ianna
    (tempted to go back to my Win95 system)
     
  2. AtlBo

    AtlBo Major Geek Extraordinaire

    LadyIanna...

    Maybe a good place to start for you would be with the Event Viewer. Right click on My Computer and then select Properties->System Tools->Event Viewer. Look in the Application area for recent errors and then post anything that shows up there. You may want to go back awhile and look around the time you started having the problem (also the Zone Alarm problem) too. Just scroll down and look by the dates listed...

    For the Quicken installation crash, you should be seeing a MsInstaller error I should think...

    I wonder if you are having a .NET problem. Am I correct that you have used Quicken 2011, Skype, and other affected programs successfully on this machine in the past?

    For now, after you check into the above, I recommend running chkdsk. Click Start->click My Computer->right click main drive->select Properties->Tools->Error checking (Check Now)->place a check in both boxes and click Start. Then boot the PC. Chkdsk will run automatically and fix errors it finds...
     
  3. LadyIanna

    LadyIanna Private E-2

    Found this application error for quicken. I'm still searching through the log. I'll post more when I find anything.

    Faulting application qw.exe, version 20.1.2.23, faulting module gdiplus.dll, version 5.2.6002.23084, fault address 0x0000e4c9.


    btw - event viewer is under control panel / administrative tools / event viewer

    found it though. :)
    thanks
     
  4. LadyIanna

    LadyIanna Private E-2

    adding on to this message:

    looks like a lot of the error messages have to do with gdiplus.dll. I've done spot checks on error messages back to about January of this year and that seems to be the file that's mentioned the most.


    forgot to add that I have run several chkdsk's. I will be doing them periodically in the future to keep the cluster problem at bay.

    Should I try and replace the gdiplus.dll file? (Assuming I can remember how to do that... I used to know.. it's in this brain somewhere....) :p
     
  5. LadyIanna

    LadyIanna Private E-2

    :banghead :cry rolleyes

    okay..tried to do a file search for gdiplus.dll and explorer crashes when i do....

    seems you need gdiplus.dll for search to work. rolleyes

    guess I'll have to try and do an eyeball search to find out where the file is placed. (assuming it's even there.)
     
  6. LadyIanna

    LadyIanna Private E-2

    well this is interesting....

    found gdiplus.dll in system32 folder

    listed with it is gdi.exe (application) which has a modified date of 8/4/2004
    gdi32.dll which has a modified date of 10/9/2013
    and gdiplus.dll with a modified date of 9/5/2001

    should gdi32.dll have been updated? seems odd that it would have a date of october of last year when the others are evidently original files.

    the plot thickens....:confused
     
  7. AtlBo

    AtlBo Major Geek Extraordinaire

    Ladylanna...

    My mistake... My Computer->Properties->System Tools->Event Viewer should have been My Computer->Manage->System Tools->Event Viewer.

    I think there are several ways to get at all these control panel menus in Windows.

    I found this which seems to be a fairly simple fix:

    http://social.technet.microsoft.com...ing-for-only-one-user?forum=w7itpronetworking

    In this case, it looks like all that could be needed is to reregister the .dll. Perhaps the problem was caused by a cleaner. You found the file, which means it isn't missing, so I am guessing there is a missing reference to gdiplus.dll someplace else on the computer (in another file that your programs reference or use). Seen alot of this over the years.

    The date change would be a good place to start looking for errors in Event Viewer, but the problem could have been something around that time that you uninstalled or a cleaner you ran, etc.

    BTW...This is kind of interesting which says third party fonts could cause the problem somehow:

    http://www.instant-registry-fixes.org/resolve-gdiplus-dll-error/
     
    Last edited: Apr 28, 2014
  8. LadyIanna

    LadyIanna Private E-2

    Okay... checked your first link and followed Method 2 first. ran sfc /scannow. It didn't seem to do anything but i restarted anyway, just in case. No joy. same error.

    Then I did Method 1: Type regsvr32 gdiplus.dllin the command prompt, and then click Enter. and got this error -

    error message: regsvr32 gdiplus.dll was loaded but the DllRegisterServer entry point was not found. the file cannot be registered.

    whatever the heck that means.

    I did however find this new error in the event viewer: .NET Runtime Optimization Service (clr_optimization_v2.0.50727_32) - Tried to start a service that wasn't the latest version of CLR Optimization service. Will shutdown

    I think this appeared because I went into Services and turn on a few things that were disabled relating to the Network DDE service(s) including clipbook (set them to automatic) .Net runtime is set at manual. (dunno why)

    don't know if that's related or not.

    unfortunately, my event viewer files do not go back further than january 8 of 2014 so I can't go back to 2013.

    I will look at the rest of the link you sent. (I know I can't do system restore cause that wasn't working when I first had problems..)

    Lady Ianna grabs a bigger shovel and starts digging deeper.
     
  9. LadyIanna

    LadyIanna Private E-2

    on a side note... Zone Alarm came up with this trojan and quarantined it. Trojan.Win32.StartPage.dsfp. .. The Zone Alarm site didn't have any info on it. This happened today.

    Think this happened cause I was trying to download Open Freely so I could look at a few files that I couldn't identify.

    I'm Running another Virus Scan right now - a Deep scan.
     
  10. AtlBo

    AtlBo Major Geek Extraordinaire

    Ladylanna...

    This looks familiar:

    I installed Windows XP on another PC back in October. I ended up with a .NET problem that I think was associated with a faulty .NET update module that was installed after I installed XP on the PC. I remember in Nov, Dec, and Jan there were a large number of reports of problems that were usually associated with updates breaking. For me, it was trouble with the .NET framework (and v.2 too) and also the updates problem. I actually ended up manually fetching and installing 8 or 10 updates before finding a fix.

    For the updates problem this (for IE7):

    http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/confirmation.aspx?id=41442

    or this (for IE8)

    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2898785

    seems to have fixed alot of problems. You can see here:

    http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=282629&highlight=explorer

    I can't recall what I did to get things back in order, but I do recall having to restart all of the services associated with Windows updates manually. That fixed updates for me. I think I had to reregister some of the updates .dlls too.

    Something you could try is the .NET framework repair tool here:

    http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=30135

    I've been too scared to run it. I have one program that is broken called Comodo Programs Manager, and I am almost certain that the problem was the October updates, which I believe had a security update for .NET 2. CPM won't monitor program installations anymore, but I still use it, because it has monitored most of the program installations I installed before the problem started. I'm almost sure it's the .NET update that broke CPM.

    If you run the .NET repair tool, please let me know how it goes. You might first try setting the service to Automatic to see if that fixes the problem. Something may have turned it off. I have a cleaner that has a feature for turning off services that it recommends. So far it hasn't recommended any, but I wouldn't use that feature anyway as I am familiar with the services, and I don't see much to be gained by turning them off.
     
  11. LadyIanna

    LadyIanna Private E-2

    you know I stopped using IE ages ago... I always had so many problems with it. AND I tried to avoid doing any updates for IE.

    I really think all my problems started back when I did a bunch of windows updates sometime last year. Personally, I think MS deliberately put out a bunch of updates with bugs in them so they could make everyone buy new OS's.

    If I could afford it I'd go to a Mac system. I've thought about going to Linux also, but just don't have the time to learn a whole new system right now.

    I'm still waiting on that virus scan to finish. I'll look at the fixes you listed in the meantime. (Assuming MS hasn't removed them from the net.) :(

    I just tried to load IE and it crashed per usual. Don't know why I bother.

    Thanks for all your input.
     
  12. AtlBo

    AtlBo Major Geek Extraordinaire

    I have definitely been through this emotion many times, over updates and other issues. The biggest one for me was the Vista and W7 desktop gadgets scare back in 2012, just before the introduction of Windows 8. MS announced that it was pulling the gadgets from Vista and 7 over security issues. This response of MS in this instance was so poor from a business standpoint that I honestly can't find the right words to explain their decision. There was MS one step from being publically questioned for possibly having purposely created or maybe having even paid someone to create the security problem, and their response was to obliterate the feature. No fix whatsoever. Then comes Windows 8, which is in essence nothing but gadgets. Never have I ever seen a company take anything away from its customers without paying dearly for the mistake. This is the cardinal sin of business, and I am sure it will come back to haunt the company.

    Working very closely with Windows and studying the operating system, it is clear to me that some very good people have worked on the OS and within the Office project, too. I keep this in mind to sort of keep my sanity. I don't have any way of knowing if there are bad eggs at MS. If not, the bumbling is at a spine chilling level. It is difficult to believe there haven't been improprieties in there somewhere. There are just so many close to the edge occurrences over the years with MS.

    I know what you mean, but Mac has always seemed so terribly limiting to me in terms of software availability. I've always had the impression, too, that somehow Apple uses MS and PCs as a benchmark to beat. In this way, I haven't been able to justify the products as better overall.

    For the record, the IE update fix was something that was included to fix broken updates. It was recommended by plodr here, whose judgement is impeccable on these matters. I have installed all the updates for Windows XP and IE 8 on 3 PCs here, and I can say that you are safe to do so in that they aren't causing any problems. The only exception to this would be the problem I have had with the .NET framework in Windows XP. It's not affecting anything but the one program, and I have had the same problem with CPM before on a previous installation of Windows (meaning I think the program is sensitive to changes with .NET to a certain degree). I think in your shoes I would try installing all of the updates for IE. I don't use it either, but it is an integrated browser, and apparently falling behind with the updates can be a problem.

    I will take a look around the net for comments on the .NET fix tool and let you know what I find. I am curious to see if it finds any problems on this PC, and I will run it if I find the confidence to do so...

    EDIT:

    Very ironic. I typed in a Google search ".NET repair tool success", and this is what I found:

    http://support.quickbooks.intuit.com/support/articles/HOW12407

    This is the Quicken site I believe...
     
    Last edited: Apr 28, 2014
  13. LadyIanna

    LadyIanna Private E-2

    well I applied the fix for IE. Apparently, I had ie8 installed, because it wouldn't take the ie7 fix. It didn't help. IE still crashes before it gets loaded.

    I was browsing through my downloads file and it looks like everything was working up till December or January. I tried to install a Panda cleaner back in January, and re-installed Zone Alarm sometime in late February. I know I never got the cleaner to work. Wouldn't install. It was after that, that I started running the chkdsk's and think that's when I finally got ZA to update and re-install. (not necessarily in that order.) :)

    In early December I downloaded some pictures that I know I put on Skype so that was working. So whatever happened, happened around January- ish or late December. If it was 2000 I could blame it on the 2k bug...:-D

    The reason I mentioned the Mac is that my sister has one she uses for teaching at her school and she's never had any problems with it that I can recall. I did finally break down and order myself a Android Dell 7" tablet the other night. (it was on sale) I need to keep my finances in order and I also do my parents finances too, so I hope the tablet will enable me to use a Quicken app at least.

    getting off topic here. Back on track...
    The virus scan didn't come up with anything. I'm trying the Net framework repair tool now. We will see if that comes up with anything.

    I did try to download a new gdiplus.dll file from the ms website. dated 2009 I think. It didn't help either.
    I'd like to do some XP updates but MS website isn't letting me have any. (Any that I can find anyway.)

    Do you think re-installing XP over the previous version would help? Although, I don't have a copy of svcpack3 that I know of. It's installed on my system, but not on my disks that came with the computer. Another alternative I thought of is doing a fresh install on another partition and trying to migrate the programs over.

    Worst part is, I have about 3 other versions of my same laptop (HP pavilion DV1000) sitting next to me in need of various repairs. HD's and all. None of which I've been able to successfully transfer to this laptop. (though I have not tried to copy the previous HD's) Also have a IBM laptop in need of a fan. All have XP on them. :tas

    Guess I'm too stubborn and cheap to give up. :p
     
  14. LadyIanna

    LadyIanna Private E-2

    This is what the repair tool suggests... can't hurt as far as I can see.

    Reregister Windows Installer service
    Unregisters and re-registers the Windows Installer service using MsiExec.exe. Applicable regardless of the diagnosis results.

    Ensure Microsoft .NET Framework update registration consistency
    Ensures that the Microsoft .NET Framework update registration is consistent across Windows Installer product and update registry hives.

    Restart Windows Installer service
    Stops and restarts the Windows Installer service. Applicable regardless of the diagnosis results.

    I'll give it a go...
    If it doesn't go well...you might not see me for the rest of the night...;)
     
  15. AtlBo

    AtlBo Major Geek Extraordinaire

    Ladylanna...

    Did you try the IE8 fix?

    Don't give up yet. I kind of go around the edges of problems, but that's just the way I tend to do things, because I like to try to find out what's at the heart of the problem. You still have options like a Repair installation if you can get a Windows XP Home Installation disk (not a factory restore disk) with SP3 on the disk. You will need a valid XP Home key.

    .NET repair tool looks safe to use. You are having installation problems, so maybe this will resolve the problem.

    The timing of the beginning your problems makes it seem like it could be related to the problems I had with Windows updates. Also, you aren't able to get Windows updates to work. This is something that should be addressed first. One thing I would try is to check the following in services:

    Have you tried accessing the updates over the net? Start menu->Help and Support->Pick a Task->the first entry should be updates. Select Custom. I have had good luck with this jumpstarting the system tray updates icon. If you have a long wait, I would let it go for an hour, once you have made sure the updates services are turned on as in above. You should get through. I think the problem here can be if you don't use the service regularly, I don't know. If the problem persists, please let me know the error you get from the updates site.

    Just one word of caution here. Not that this likely caused a problem, but, just for a heads up, .dlls are reference files. The run time engine of Windows checks the the contents of these files to see what versions of what you have on your PC and this type of thing. Programs add to Windows .dlls during installation, sometimes, so to replace one of them can mean deleting a necessary reference. This could cause the kind of break you are having now and why I stay away from cleaners that remove .dlls as part of a registry cleaning. It's also I think where PC users have the most problems with cleaners.

    I think this covers it all:

    http://pcsupport.about.com/od/findbyerrormessage/a/gdiplus-dll-not-found-missing-error.htm

    The main ones to look at are 5 and 8. As a last resort before reinstalling Windows, I would try downloading Iobit Driver Booster here and try updating the drivers. Of course, you would then reboot to check to see if there is any improvement.

    Iobit Driver Booster download:

    http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/iobit_driver_booster.html

    Management at Major Geeks are really behind Driver Booster.

    Can't install Windows over Windows without destroying your files. You could do some partitioning, but you would need some aftermarket software, and it is not a picnic for sure. It's kind of complicated. I mentioned the Repair installation. It works many times, but, again, your installation disk will need to have SP3 on the disk, since you have SP3 on the PC.

    If you do find it necessary to reinstall XP Home, service pack 3 can be downloaded from Microsoft here. Once you have installed, you can Google download XP SP3 if you would rather do that than downloading the installer to a backup drive before the installation:

    http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=24

    Make sure you back up all of your files if you have to reinstall!
     
  16. LadyIanna

    LadyIanna Private E-2

    Yes - IE still won't load at all. I get a window then it immediately crashes.

    Three out of the five you suggested were on manual. I also noticed the .Net optimization was disabled again. (thought for sure I'd turned it on last night.) Set that back to auto.

    Did this.. it came up with an HP update window...then crashed. I went to HP.com support to see about running the Autofind HP updates app. It downloaded, tried to install, then crashed on install. Error message: "HP Support Solutions Framework There is a problem with this Windows Installer package. A program run as part of the setup did not finish as expected. Contact your support personnel or package vendor." It crashed on the configuration step.
    After the first time this happened I went to services and set Windows Installer and WMI performance adapter to automatic and tried to install the HP support framework again. No joy. Both services were previously set at manual.

    :tired

    i'm gonna look at the other stuff you listed, then take a break from this for a while. I have the hardware monitor running and the computer is overheating. (ordered a laptop cooler from Tiger and of course it's on backorder.) Temps hovering between 82F and 90F :(
     

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