PC is a complete disaster!

MPN · 03-21-2006, 04:02 PM

I am having a whole bunch of problems with this machine! At times, something will come up like "(realplayer related DLL) is not a valid Windows image", or "exception 0x000000 at address 0x000000 the memory cannot be 'read'", or "insufficent system resources to complete this task" (i'm on XP!). While these come up, text in various GUI elements will disappear, the start menu is all just a gray box with the exception of "control Panel" (when I click this, it asks me to put a shortcut on the desktop?), IE and outlook. Clicking on IE or outlook gives me the system resources error. Right clicking on any tray icon gives me half of the menu that comes up. Only 1/4 of my desktop icons appear. This is only alleviated after i do a reboot by doing a reset without selecting it from the Start Menu (Because it's not there). And that only happens once a day.

The other problems I have are applications crashing at the slightest provocation, and some that don't start at all and some that take almost up to an hour just to get past the splash screen. VMWare won't start at all at times, and when it does, the emulation is slooow. SimCity hangs randomly when I start it. The main problem is that task manager won't kill these hung apps (it will just say "you chose to end the nonresponsive application..." but the app won't close), forcing me to do another power cycle. I haven't shut the thing down properly for almost 20 times because the applications just keep hanging and task manager won't close them.

I just put a brand new hard drive in the computer back in August. Everything was running fine up until now. I did a spyware scan already. I have not installed anything to cause this, it just started acting real screwy real fast, and it seems to be getting worse.

I suspect it's a problem with the SDRAM, should I open up the system and reseat them and dust it out?

**forcifer** · 03-21-2006, 04:24 PM

could you please list your system specs with psu?

MPN · 03-21-2006, 04:34 PM

I can't remember what my PSU ran at, it may be 250 or 300.

I have a compaq presario 5310US with 2 120GB hard drives, 1.2 Ghz Intel celeron, 512MB SDRAM, and an nVidia geforce 5700. Windows XP with servise pack 1.

**Doby** · 03-21-2006, 07:30 PM

Hi,

Yes that is a pile of problems that could very well be related to ram, so download http://www.memtest86.com/ and follow the instructions to create a bootable floppy.

Then insert the floppy and reboot, let memtest run for 3 hours, note how many passes it has made on the lower line to the right and post back the number of passes and how many errors.

memtest should only be run on one ram stick at a time so if you have more than one test them separately before posting back.

Rick

MPN · 03-26-2006, 09:22 PM

Never mind...I found the problem. I disconnected my SanDisk ImageMate 12-in-1 media reader and the whole entire dilemma seemed to resolve itself. The thing is back to normal. Until I plug it back in. Is there something i can do so the computer and imagemate peacefully coexist?

**Doby** · 03-27-2006, 05:24 PM

Sounds to me like the device is bad but if it requirers drivers I would try removeing them and reinstalling

03-21-2006, 04:02 PM	#1 (permalink)
MPN Registered User Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 31 OS: Windows XP MCE 2005	PC is a complete disaster! I am having a whole bunch of problems with this machine! At times, something will come up like "(realplayer related DLL) is not a valid Windows image", or "exception 0x000000 at address 0x000000 the memory cannot be 'read'", or "insufficent system resources to complete this task" (i'm on XP!). While these come up, text in various GUI elements will disappear, the start menu is all just a gray box with the exception of "control Panel" (when I click this, it asks me to put a shortcut on the desktop?), IE and outlook. Clicking on IE or outlook gives me the system resources error. Right clicking on any tray icon gives me half of the menu that comes up. Only 1/4 of my desktop icons appear. This is only alleviated after i do a reboot by doing a reset without selecting it from the Start Menu (Because it's not there). And that only happens once a day. The other problems I have are applications crashing at the slightest provocation, and some that don't start at all and some that take almost up to an hour just to get past the splash screen. VMWare won't start at all at times, and when it does, the emulation is slooow. SimCity hangs randomly when I start it. The main problem is that task manager won't kill these hung apps (it will just say "you chose to end the nonresponsive application..." but the app won't close), forcing me to do another power cycle. I haven't shut the thing down properly for almost 20 times because the applications just keep hanging and task manager won't close them. I just put a brand new hard drive in the computer back in August. Everything was running fine up until now. I did a spyware scan already. I have not installed anything to cause this, it just started acting real screwy real fast, and it seems to be getting worse. I suspect it's a problem with the SDRAM, should I open up the system and reseat them and dust it out?

03-21-2006, 04:24 PM	#2 (permalink)
forcifer ole' Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Kansas City kansas Posts: 3,631 OS: Vista Premium 32 My System Blog Entries: 1	could you please list your system specs with psu? __________________

03-21-2006, 07:30 PM	#4 (permalink)
Doby Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Central PA (USA) Posts: 8,109 OS: XP sp2/ Vista My System	Hi, Yes that is a pile of problems that could very well be related to ram, so download http://www.memtest86.com/ and follow the instructions to create a bootable floppy. Then insert the floppy and reboot, let memtest run for 3 hours, note how many passes it has made on the lower line to the right and post back the number of passes and how many errors. memtest should only be run on one ram stick at a time so if you have more than one test them separately before posting back. Rick __________________ Would you like to help TSF fight cancer and other diseases??? JOIN TEAM TSF

03-27-2006, 05:24 PM	#6 (permalink)
Doby Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Central PA (USA) Posts: 8,109 OS: XP sp2/ Vista My System	Sounds to me like the device is bad but if it requirers drivers I would try removeing them and reinstalling __________________ Would you like to help TSF fight cancer and other diseases??? JOIN TEAM TSF

03-21-2006, 04:34 PM	#3 (permalink)
MPN Registered User Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 31 OS: Windows XP MCE 2005	I can't remember what my PSU ran at, it may be 250 or 300. I have a compaq presario 5310US with 2 120GB hard drives, 1.2 Ghz Intel celeron, 512MB SDRAM, and an nVidia geforce 5700. Windows XP with servise pack 1.

03-26-2006, 09:22 PM	#5 (permalink)
MPN Registered User Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 31 OS: Windows XP MCE 2005	Never mind...I found the problem. I disconnected my SanDisk ImageMate 12-in-1 media reader and the whole entire dilemma seemed to resolve itself. The thing is back to normal. Until I plug it back in. Is there something i can do so the computer and imagemate peacefully coexist?