JayBG needs help: System Crash when Video Starts

Hi JayBG,
Welcome to WTT

Software today has increased the RAM requirments of Computers since P3 and P4's. For playing Video without crashing, you need more RAM.

Go to http://www.crucial.com/systemscanner/ and install the scanner. It will then scan your system and advise what ram you can upgrade to.

It is not necessary to buy what Crucial recommends, just take a note of what type of ram it is.
You probably have 2 x 256 MB sticks of RAM installed (1/2 Gb total). RAM is very cheap nowadays and you might consider replacing the RAM you have with 2 x 512 MB (1 Gb total) or even 2 x 1Gb sticks. Just make sure you sellect the correct type of RAM as there are several.

Cheers,
Lee

Hello Lee, Thanks for your help. I have been unsuccessful running CrucialScan. I can download it easily, but each time I start it, a Google chrome window pops open and the system immediately crashes. (another symptom of the problem possibly? .. it's as if it is behaving the same as when video begins) After restarting, there is a file on the desktop called "sysprofile.htm" and the contents are included as an attachment (renamed as a text file to upload). But there is nothing else changed that I can tell, and no results. Meanwhile, I have looked into my computer requirements and the RAM it takes 184pin PC-2700 333MHZ DDR Ram with a 2GB maximum in two slots. Question? I'm sure CrucialScan does not require much memory to run and I never get any memory warnings … so I'm not so sure memory is the root cause, or that adding more would fix it. Is that still your main concern? (maybe the following two symptoms in the next paragraph will help as well) Remember that when I was trying to rid my system of malware, I was deleting any software that I thought was unnecessary .. and I suspect I or one of the several other free malware fighters, did damage to the system … at the time I thought is was malware causing the crashes, but I'm clean now and that crash/restart still occurs whenevever video plays. I realized since my last post that there were two other actions which also cause the crash/restart situation: 1) when my son is signed on as the user in Windows, and leaves the system to timeout, his security setting has the windows go back to the user sign-on menu with his ID showing apps running … but if he or anyone else then tries to sign in, the the same crash/restart occurs. 2) when the same son tries to change the system setting that caused the wake-from-sleep to be back at the sign-on state, then the crash/restart occurs - net result is that he cannot change that setting. Maybe those symptoms are clues for you .. they mean nothing to me as far as being linked together Thanks again for your time and brainpower. Jay

After reading your last post there does seem to be other issues going on besides your RAM. I really do think though that you should give your PC a little memory elbow-room, as 1/2GB for playing videos can be really pushing the envelope when you consider you have other processes also taking up RAM space such as Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, an Anti-Virus program, a Firewall and probably some Adobe software as well.
XP and a !/2 Gb of RAM can be OK, but all other added software has to be carefully thought out. Your start menu too.

2 x 512Mb Kingston sticks of RAM is available here to suit you PC and at a low price.

Could you please provide a link to the thread on the site where you were being assisted with Melware problems. Thanks.

Cheers,
Lee

Ken was very patient and helpful .. I am highly appreciative for the extensive instruction and direction that he provided.
http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=64395

Hi JayBG
until Lee or one of the other Techs gets back to you then you need to consider some first aid…
its always your call of course, but if this machine was in my workshop I would uninstall IOBit before doing anything else and then reboot your machine

1 As your machine is around 6 years old this is the time hard drives start to fail, so check your back up is 100% up to date, accurate, reproducible, and with an extra copy kept safe on removable media offsite.
2 Next run chkdsk /r
Start>Run then type the above command and press enter
Note the space …it needs to be there
You will get a warning …press Y press enter and reboot you computer
Chkdsk will run and attempt to fix any file system errors/bad sectors on your disc
Dont interupt it……….. let it run…it may take an hour or two
When it has completed all 5 passes it will reboot your computer
3 Now run the Windows Protected System File Checker this will scan your system for missing, damaged or incorrectly located protected system files. it will replace any problem files from elsewhere within your machine… if it can't find good clean copies then it will ask you to insert your Win XP installation disc so that files can be copied to the dll cache. If it asks you for the disc then you know you have missing/damaged files, so have your disc handy…if you can't find it or don't have one then borrow one from a chum….just make sure that its the correct version (Home, Pro or Media Centre and with SP2 included. its Ok to do this)
4 Your logs indicate you have not installed Service Pack 3……. Microsoft no longer support Win XP with earlier Service Packs so you should install SP 3 as a matter of urgency you will then find you will have a large number of extra Windows Updates to install…maybe even a 100 or so, so install all of then and keep running Windows Update until all updates have installed satisfactorily.
5 Now try your machine and see if it still crashes when watching certain videos (etc)
6 if it does then download VL Player from here:
http://www.videolan.org/
its free and very very good!
install it and see if it can run your videos with no problems….. it VLplayer can't run them then you have big troubles with your machine, so make sure that your back up is a s good as it can be!
Regards
paws

Thanks Paws

I was busy on another thread and by the time I arrived here, hey presto, you saved me some typing

I'll defer on this thread until we hear back from JayBG, but getting rid of that (snake-oil) program IOBit is very good advice.
Those type of programs cause more faults than fixes.

Cheers,
Lee

I misrepresented my computer. I'm REALLY sorry .. your job is hard enough doing remotely without getting disinformation!
The info I gave you was for our model in the basement .. slightly older and only a half Gb RAM (but generally runs videos fine).

My computer that we have been discussing is actually the following with 1Gb RAM
http://www.docs.sony.com/release/specs/PCV…Y_Spec_rev1.pdf

I have unistalled the IObit Advanced System Care 5 and Smart Defrag also .. and about to reboot ,

Hi .. IObit software no longer shows up in installed progams list … good that worked.


Trying to update Windows to SP3 ..

went to: http://www.update.microsoft.com/
it noted that I need to update to SP3 and seemed to be installing, but when done said:

********************************************************************************
*** START of paste

Installation Summary

Successful: 0
Failed: 1
Remaining: 1


——————————————————————————–

Successful Updates


——————————————————————————–


Failed Updates
For help installing an update successfully, see the solution under each problem description.


Problem: End User License Agreement (EULA) Not Accepted
Solution: Check for updates again and wait while you install updates. You will be asked to accept the EULA before any updates with a EULA can be installed.

Problem: Not Enough Disk Space
Solution: To make more space available, run the Disk Cleanup tool or uninstall any programs that you don’t use. For directions, see Help and Support on your computer.

Problem: Automatic Updates is currently installing updates
Solution: Please wait until Automatic Updates is complete and then check your update history. At that time, if the update has failed to install, you can try installing it from the website.
Note: To view Automatic Updates progress, click the updating icon in your System Tray.

Problem: Please check your update history for a description.

Problem: A problem on your computer is preventing updates from being downloaded or installed
Solution: To fix the problem, try installing the updates again. If that doesn't work, use the Troubleshooter to try solve the problem.

Microsoft Windows XP
Windows XP Service Pack 3 (KB936929)


——————————————————————————–


Remaining High-Priority Updates
Your computer might be at risk until you install all high-priority updates. These updates help protect against security threats and performance problems.


Microsoft Windows XP
Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool - November 2011 (KB890830)


——————————————————————————–



To review all updates you’ve installed from this website or by turning on automatic updating on your computer, see your update history.

********************************************************************************
*** END of paste


BTW there should be over 70 Gb free on HDD C:; when prompted I DID accept the EULA for updates/
ANY SUGGESTIONS?

Problem: Not Enough Disk Space
Solution: To make more space available, run the Disk Cleanup tool or uninstall any programs that you don’t use. For directions, see Help and Support on your computer.

The specs on that machine say 160GB Hard Drive, Please check just how much free disk space you have.
Start / rignt-click My Computer / manage / Disk Management.

I am not at home with that computer now, but the other day when I was looking into backing it up, the system said there was 77 Gb free of 143 Gb available. I can confirm this evening, but I know there is quite a abit. I have a 250 Gb D: drive where I keep much of 'valuables' like family photos and certain other documents.

Oh, brain freeze this morning .. I forgot to mention that on powering down last night Windows said that it was installing 1 of 1 updates .. and took quite a while to power down (not sure how long because I went to bed). Anyway, I would bet that SP3 installed .. Sorry again for disinformation, but if anything had said that I needed to reboot to implement the installation, then I missed it. Again, this evening I will confirm SP3 is installed as well as the HDD space available. BTW if there is something you would like me to do this evening as well, please let me know Thanks for you patience and efforts ..

Up until now I thought we were dealing with a video problem on a P4 with 512Mb of RAM. Now a second and very different PC has emerged with one upstairs and the other downstairs.
Naturally, this has all become rather confusing as I'm not sure which PC the various bits of information you have been providing belong too

We need to re-establish:

1.The PC involved..

2. The Operating System and amount of RAM.

3. The free Hard Drive disk space

4. Whether the OS is fully updated.

5. Is this the PC Ken was helping you with?

6. What is the problem?

Cheers,
Lee

We need to re-establish:

1.The PC involved..
First, forget the computer in the basement. Our main computer has been the ONLY focus of discussion. I did once mistakenly mix up the model numbers, and therefore the spec sheets that I provided; but I quickly corrected that info. I have ONLY worked with Ken on forums.spybot.info on our main computer (http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?p=416009#post416009) and I have only written to you about that same main computer. That computer is a Sony VAIO PCV-RS613G (spec sheet http://www.docs.sony.com/release/specs/PCV…_Spec_rev1.pdf).

2. The Operating System and amount of RAM.
Windows XP Home Edition version 5.01.2600Service Pack 2 build 2600 (service pack 3 was not updated, like I described last evening)
RAM: 1GB PC-3200 400MHz DDR

3. The free Hard Drive disk space
Total Space: 143 Gb
Free Space: 76.7 Gb

4. Whether the OS is fully updated.
No, my attempt to update last night to SP3 and 29 other noted critical updates failed, as I had posted last night about 10 pm,
I will try again after answering these questions and will re-post if successful.

5. Is this the PC Ken was helping you with?
Yes, as noted abovein 1, Ken on forums.spybot.info helped be with that PCV-RS613G (our main computer) and that computer only.

6. What is the problem?
The system will crash and restart at various times:
A ) when most forms of video begin to play - exception seems to be WMV files OR
B ) when my son is logged on and the system times-out back to the Windows User Sign-on menu, and anyone, including that son, tries to subsequently sign-on OR
C ) when that same son tried to change his windows setting to not time-out back to Sign-on menu.
D ) there may be other times when on the internet that it crashes .. I have assumed it is because some side frame had a video ad starting, but I am uncertain of this.


I'm sorry to have caused confusion, but I quickly corrected the only mistake that I had written.

If you need any further information, then I will gladly provide it.

Now, I will continue with the steps that Paws laid out …. if you have other steps to advise that I take, please let me know.

Thanks again for your time and efforts!

Windows Update identified the following as needing to be done:

Install Updates Download size (total): 0 KB *
Estimated time at your connection speed: 0 minutes *
(*Downloaded; ready to install)

Restore and Check Again Only selected updates will appear the next time you check for updates.


High-priority updates
This update can have system-wide effects or address more than one problem. It must be installed separately from other updates.
We recommend you install it and then return to our home page to check if your computer needs other high-priority updates.

Microsoft Windows XP

Windows XP Service Pack 3 (KB936929)
Download size: 0 KB , 0 minutes (Downloaded; ready to install)
Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) is an update to Windows XP that addresses key feedback from our customers and is a cumulative update that includes all previously released updates for Windows XP, including security updates. Windows XP SP3 contains a small number of new updates and should not significantly change the Windows XP experience. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer. Details…

I then clicked the INSTALL UPDATES button and accepted the user agreement .. almost immediately the "Installing Updates" window popped up and within seconds, that window displayed:

Some updates were not installed
The following updates were not installed:
Windows XP Service Pack 3 (KB936929)

The only button choice was to close the window, which I did. The system returned to the IE window of update.microsoft.com and displayed:

Review Your Installation Results

The software upgrade is complete
You can now use the website to find and install the latest updates for your computer.

Continue


More high-priority updates are available
Your computer might be at risk until you install them. Check for the remaining updates and install them now.



Restart now to finish installing updates
Your computer will not be up to date until you restart it. Please save any open files, photos or documents and restart now.



Installation Summary

Successful: 0
Failed: 1
Remaining: 0


——————————————————————————–

Successful Updates


——————————————————————————–


Failed Updates
For help installing an update successfully, see the solution under each problem description.


Problem: End User License Agreement (EULA) Not Accepted
Solution: Check for updates again and wait while you install updates. You will be asked to accept the EULA before any updates with a EULA can be installed.

Problem: Not Enough Disk Space
Solution: To make more space available, run the Disk Cleanup tool or uninstall any programs that you don’t use. For directions, see Help and Support on your computer.

Problem: Automatic Updates is currently installing updates
Solution: Please wait until Automatic Updates is complete and then check your update history. At that time, if the update has failed to install, you can try installing it from the website.
Note: To view Automatic Updates progress, click the updating icon in your System Tray.

Problem: Please check your update history for a description.

Problem: A problem on your computer is preventing updates from being downloaded or installed
Solution: To fix the problem, try installing the updates again. If that doesn't work, use the Troubleshooter to try solve the problem.

Microsoft Windows XP
Windows XP Service Pack 3 (KB936929)

——————————————————————————–

Remaining High-Priority Updates
Your computer might be at risk until you install all high-priority updates. These updates help protect against security threats and performance problems.

——————————————————————————–


To review all updates you’ve installed from this website or by turning on automatic updating on your computer, see your update history.

I am going to restart to complete the installation now and will post again with the system information regarding OS version