Application Error

[Guest]

Recently I start getting an Appplication Error message whenever I'm shutting
down my computers, same error on both my computers. Upon shutting down, I'll
receive a notification that Dr Watson (drwin.exe) is unable to start because
Windows is shutting down. After this message, I'll get an error message
telling me that "sw: AcroRd32.exe has an error. 0x5ad71531 reference memory
at 0x00000014 could not be read".

I tried uninstalling and reinstalling my Adobe Reader 7.0.8, but it doesn't
work. I would appreciate if someone can give me some light on this matter.
Does the fault lies with my windows or the reader? Not likely to be hardware
problem cos the same problem happens on both my computers.

Thank you.

 

[Bert Kinney]

Hi,

Does the error go away after uninstalling Adobe Reader and rebooting a
couple of times?

If so, try Foxit Reader Free.
Welcome to Foxit Software Company -- Telnet Server, Secure Shell Server
and Serial Port Server for Windows XP/2000/NT
http://www.foxitsoftware.com/download.htm

 

[NewScience]

Does this only occur AFTER you viewed a PDF file on the Internet or local.
And then when you shutdown, you get the error?

What happens if you reboot, do nothing, and then shutdown? Do you get the
error?

When the error occurs, bring up Task Manager (CTRL+ALT+DEL), and check under
processes for a process called sw.exe (or something).

Your error message that you stated was 'sw: AcroRd32.exe has an error.
.......'. Try searching on your system for a 'sw.exe' file. Maybe that will
help you to figure out, if something is called at shutdown.

Just checked under Google. Look for C:\Windows\System32\sw.exe. According
to Google, this is a Spyware program from Greatis Software or it can be a
SmartWhoIs application from yahoo.

If you find it, right-click, Properties and see if it has a Version tab. If
so, then see you owns it. If no Version tab, then most likely it is
Spyware, most spyware apps leave the version info out so that you cannot
track them.

If found, search your registry for 'sw.exe'. Somehow, this is being called
at shutdown by something.

 

[Kalepa.Point]

I am having the same problem - i don't even start up acrobat and i get
this error.

i stopped error messages from dr watson but the sw application error
still hapens.

any updates?

 

[Bert Kinney]

Do yourself a favor, and uninstall AR and install Foxit Reader Free.
Welcome to Foxit Software Company -- Telnet Server, Secure Shell Server
and Serial Port Server for Windows XP/2000/NT
http://www.foxitsoftware.com/download.htm

 

[NewScience]

So you don't bring IE up at all, either.

Did you follow my instructions and look for SW.exe or try the Task Manager
option?

And uninstalling it, I assume, will not solve the problem. According to the
original poster, the problem remains.
Adding a new vairable onto the system, while trying to solve a problem, is
not the answer.
If it's malware/spyware, I'm assuming a person would like to know prior to
adding a new possible problem onto the system.

 

[Guest]

Hi NewScience,

Thnx so much for your information. I did a check under Google as well but I
did not find any sw.exe in my computer. However, I found something related to
the spyware. Here's the removal instructions.

http://www.symantec.com/security_response/writeup.jsp?docid=2004-061111-5712-99&tabid=3

I found the 2nd set of registry values and deleted it. I hope it'll work.
Although I didn't managed to find sw.exe running in my task manager, I found
my Adobe Reader still in the running applications even after I close the
application. If I end the program from the task manager before I shutdown, I
won't get the error message.

Actually this happens after I update my Windows recently, could it be
anything that got to do with the update? Lets hope we can solve this mystery
soon.

Thanx to Bert as well for offering the new software, I'll be trying it out
but I would like to solve this problem as well. Primarily, I still prefer to
use Adobe as my default PDF reader.

Thank you very much everyone =)

izaac.