svchost.exe error

I recently was having major operating system issues, so I did a repair re-install of my Windows XP Pro OS ad advised in an earlier thread. I updated to XP SP3.

Now with startup I am getting an svchost.exe Application Error which I know has something to do with registry issues but I don't want to touch the registry at all unless advised.

What other diagnostics should I run, and what other information might be helpful to you?

Thanks

Jeff

 

Download and run CCleaner, both the files and Registry cleaners.

 

Thanks. Should I accept everything that CCleaner suggests as a registry edit, or focus on certain recommendations first?

Thanks again,
Jeff

 

The consensus here is that CCleaner is very reliable - I've certainly never had any problems with it.

So, yes: I would recommend you allow CCleaner to fix anything it finds.

 

I ran a full CCleaner and am getting the same error.
Are any other registry fix programs reliable?
Any other diagnostics?

Thanks again.
Jeff

 

Take a look at your Event Viewer, see if there are any flags that might correspond to the error.

Also, do you get the same error when booting into Safe Mode?

 

I'm sorry, can you please how to instruct me how to find the event viewer, and what am I looking for?

I now notice that CCleaner did so something, but not for the better. When I click into Windows Explorer and click MyComputer it takes FOREVER for folder contents to show, though eventually it does. Would this make sense to be due to a registry change?

 

Is this the same machine that is involved in all of your other problem threads? If so, it would seem that you have multiple issues going on.

When you receive the 'svchost.exe Application Error', is there any other information given?

 

It is the same machine yes. I know I have multiple issues, but I am not sure what to tackle first. I read that it should be one post per problem?

When I get the error it also states "The instruction at 0x00000000 referenced memory at 0x00000000. The memory could not be written." Every once in a while the first set of numbers will be different, not just all zeroes.

Thanks
Jeff

 

I know I should always be starting in Normal mode. But just to experiment I used MSconfig to turnoff all Startup items. You are correct, the error did not occur. So now I might need to turn items on and off in group to see what is causing the issue. A lot of these names don't make sense to me, so I am not sure what they run.

The list is:
NvCpl
ctfmon
CTDVDDET
ctfmon [yes, again]
CTHELPER
CTSysVol
CTXFIHLP
tfswctrl
dwtrig20
egui
ehtray
hpqSRMin
iaanotif
ISUSPM
iTunesHelper
KHALMNPR
Quickcam
TivoNotify
NvCpl
NvMvTray
nwiz
qttask
jusched
TiVoTransfer
TranscodingService
TrayServer
dumprep 0 -u
HP Digital Imaging Monitor
HP Image Zone Fast Start
Windows Search

 

I take it back, error still occurs even with startup list shutoff. However, it does not occur in safe mode.

Interestingly, the second copy of ctfmon is now absent, no duplicate.

 

Also, msconfig does not show all startup items.

You can find many more startup items with Startup Inspector (http://majorgeeks.com/Startup_Inspector_for_Windows_d4075.html).

You can find a lot more startup items with Autoruns (http://www.majorgeeks.com/Autoruns_d4686.html). Users should be very careful using this tool; always make a System Restore Point before using it!

 

When I posted elsewhere on Majorgeeks a while back, I was advised never to fiddle with Startups using msconfig. Should I turn some of these things off only using one of the programs you advise, as PCpitstop sometimes recommends turning it off with msconfig?

Also, once I am through this can you help me figure out a run of Hijackthis to see if orphan registry keys are an issue?

Thanks
Jeff

 

So I also intalled and ran WinPatrol as suggested: it shows so much info (including hidden processes) that it blows my mind. How to I process this and troubleshoot using this program, but not cripple the system?

Also, I disabled many of the recommended Startup program and I am still getting the svchost.exe error, which prompted the original post.
Any other thoughts?

Finally, through every stop of this process I encounter the same (?hardware) error - in the process of shutting down or logging off windows to restart the system often stalls. I let it go about 20-30 minutes and then have to do a hard restart by holding down the power button. I know this is not a long term solution, but does this give any hints what could be going on?

Thanks again
Jeff

 

So I used WinPatrol to disable all stated Startup items.

I am still getting the svchost.exe error in Normal startup but not Safe Mode so there is still some process I am missing. When my computer is running I still hear a constant hard drive turning noise as if something is continually running or accessing. I run ESET NOD32 antivirus which is an ongoing process but don't think that is it.

Also WinPatrol is constantly telling me that ctfmon is trying to restart itself. I keep saying no but that startup item won't leave me alone - how to fix it?

Finally, there are many many Services listed, some running and some stopped. My current list of Running services is:

• Apple Mobile Device
• Bonjour Service
• Canon Camera Access Library 8
• Creative Audio Service
• Creative Service for CDROM
• ESET Service
• FABS - Helping agent for MAGIX media databse
• hpqcxs08
• HP CUE DeviceDiscovery Service
• HP Network Devices Support
• Intex Matrix Storage Event Monitor
• InstallDrive Table Manager
• iPod Service
• Java Quick Starter
• Process Monitor
• Net Driver HPZ12
• Intel NCS NetService
• NVIDIA Display Driver Service
• Pml Driver HPZ12
• PS3 Media Server

Incidentally, Wireless Zero windows process occasionally stops and I need to go to services.msc to Start the process again to allow myself to use wireless networking. Is this relevant to the problem at all?

I was saying hardware because it was always getting hung up with shutdown and I had to manually shut off the tower, but it just sounds like some program is unable to go through its log off procedure

Thanks again
Jeff

 

Any follow up thoughts on this?

I have followed all advice to date and things are improved.

But I still get a svchost.exe error on startup.

And despite clean malware logs things seems to overall run a bit sluggish in responsiveness. Would a new thread post be helpful?

Thanks
Jeff

 

Is this a new symptom?

Just to be safe, you might download your hard drive's OEM diagnostic tools, run some tests to verify the drive's physical status.

Also, try this real quick: open a command prompt as administrator, run sfc /scannow, reboot and see if there are any changes in symptoms.

 

I did as suggested and no errors or problems found. Funny thing is that when I restarted the svchost.exe error did not occur. When I started again later it re-appeared.

I tried going into msconfig (temporarily) and only enabling groups of 10 services at a time to try to troubleshoot since sometimes the error is there and sometimes it is not. Perhaps it is a Windows system service causing the problem? WinPatrol seems to be a good managing program but there are a number of services listed in msconfig that are not listed in the WinPatrol list...

The spinning hard drive seems to be OK, not sure what that was from. Sometimes the system runs faster, occasionally slower.

Even though I was told I had clean logs could this all still be malware or a registry error? I can more or less use the system OK but the startup error and occasional slow response can be frustrating.

 

So the deal is that some service must be starting and causing the bug.
Not all of the services are listed in WinPatrol so I am unsure how to manage them.

When I go into services.msc I see the following lists of Started services (see screen shots). Can of these be an obvious culprit?

There is another issue but I am unsure if related - so should I create a new post or detail it here? (it is about how my administrator account on my windows XP OS seems not to have full read/write/access privileges on file transfers, saves, itunes, etc)

Thanks

 

BlackViper.com has a good rundown on what services are required for normal operations - you might try comparing the lists, see if anything stands out.

IMO, it would be best to start a new thread about the admin account problems - a new thread might help with keyword/topic searching, and might tend to avoid confusion.

 

Thanks for the reference, this does seem to be a helpful list. I turned off all the Microsoft .NET framework stuff in addition to what he recommends. I think mine is buggy since I cannot properly update it anyway - will worry about that later.

For now the svchost.exe error has not reappeared on multiple restarts so I think I might be good for now! Will start a new thread on the other issues, but thanks for your help here.

In case another user has similar issues, I would summarize as follows:

1. Go to msconfig, enable everything and use normal startup.
2. Do a sfc /scannow in the Run box and restart.
3. Download and install Winpatrol. Turn off as many startup items as possible while still retaining essential program function, so as Antivirus.
4. Go to BlackViper.com and use the recommendations for services.msc
5. Turn of .NET framwork unless you either need it or know what it is.