The Steel Guitar Forum

Depending upon how much I use the computer I het 10 to 20 hangs a day, more of less. I go to Help & Support\Tools\Advanced System Info, Error Log which shows the date but not the time, the source, which just shows "Application Hang", and Description, which is almost never the same. Sometimes the Desc. shows "Fault Bucket" followed by a 9 digit number which changes, maybe a counter. For the most part, for example, Desc. shows,"hanging application your program.exe, version 1.23.0.0.hang module hungapplication version 0.0.0.0. hang address 0x00000000. The last two #s, ver. and addr are always zero.
The hang usually occurs when going through a sequence of opening a file or making a different selection while in a folder. Just now I was backing out of the Help and Support to see the path I went in on and it hung right there and hanged again negotiating the Forum\Computers folder. I've about worn the letters off the Ctrl, Alt, Del Keys. Thanks, Al

Al;
If the event reports name a particular executable you should uninstall and reinstall that program. If it is a device driver check the manufacturer's website for updated drivers.

Some software is simply incompatible with XP. Many older hardware cards do not have XP drivers at all, such as older tablets, modems, sound cards, NICs and some old video cards. If the computer is relatively new and all the drivers are current, you are most likely going to have to track down the offending program and uninstall it. Look for a newer version before reinstalling it.

You can also use the Msconfig.exe utility to disable various startup files, restart and try operating as you normally do. If the crashes subside you should begin a process of elimination hunt for the startup item that is interfering with your apps.

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Bob "Wiz" Feinberg
Moderator of the SGF Computers Forum
<small>Visit my Wiztunes Steel Guitar website at: http://www.wiztunes.com/
or my computer troubleshooting website: Wizcrafts Computer Services,
or my Webmaster Services webpage</small><font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Wiz Feinberg on 23 January 2006 at 11:04 AM.]</p></FONT>

Al, I don't remember how much memory (RAM) you have, but with XP, 256MB is "real world bare minimum" and a better memory value is 512Mb. That's one area to look at, although as Wiz pointed out it can be many other things.

512 Mb
Al

Al;
Why don't you begin a test process by opening MSconfig and deactivating various sundry startup programs? Go to Start > Run and type in the word MSCONFIG then press enter. When the Msconfig window opens click on the Startup tab. There are checkboxes for all startup processes that can be controlled manually. You will be able to grok the associations of some of them by their prefixes and avoid deactivating your firewall and anti virus program. Try unchecking one item at a time, rebooting and opening the program that has been crashing. Use it as you normally would and see if it hangs. If so try unchecking another startup item, etc. Hopefully you will find one item that when unchecked allows your program to remain active. If not, the program itself my be corrupted, or poorly coded.

------------------
Bob "Wiz" Feinberg
Moderator of the SGF Computers Forum
<small>Visit my Wiztunes Steel Guitar website at: http://www.wiztunes.com/
or my computer troubleshooting website: Wizcrafts Computer Services,
or my Webmaster Services webpage</small>