Explorer.exe Crashes - The memory could not be written - Complete Details!

[John Corson]

LOTS OF DETAILS BELOW!!

At random times when trying to open a folder (directory), I receive the
following popup: "Application Error: The instruction at "0x77f57ec4"
referenced memory at "0x00000067". The memory could not be "written".
A similar popup appears reading: "Application Error: The exception unknown
software exception (0xc015000f) occurred in the application at location
0x77f6fca7."

When going to the event properties in the Administrative Tools, I see under
application events that the following
notation appears: "The shell stopped unexpectedly and explorer.exe was
restarted." It is a winlogon event with
event number 1002.

When this error occurs I have to click as many as three popup notices.
Following that, all icons on the desktop
disappear for a few seconds, the screen is refreshed, icons re-appear and
most applications running in the background (anti-virus, etc) do not appear
in the toolbar until logging off and back on.

I am suspecting one major area that I haven't tried -- Changing out memory.
Six weeks before I started having this issue I upgraded to ABIT KD-7 RAID
m/b with Athlon XP2700+ CPU; 2048 mb DDR PC2700 ECC non buffered RAM. Would
adding an extra wait from the cycle between memory and CPU help? I.e using
Registered ECC RAM? Before I go to the added EXPENSE of getting registered
RAM I would like to have confirmation.

Other things I have done to try to correct the issue:
1) Running sfc/scannow to restore original .dll's, etc.
2) Re-installed SP1 (to restore possible corrupt explorer.exe file)
3) Flashed BIOS
4) Dropped down to 1024 mb and checked each memory module;
5) Tried various RAM settings withn the BIOS; and enabled Shadowing and
Caching;
6) Gone back to several system restore points (even before the last four
critical updates from Microsoft);
7) Uninstalled the various pieces of software that I added since the time
this issue started to occur.
___

Only one hardware update since this issue started and that is going from a
2mb cache harddrive to an 8 -- same disc size, RPM, ATA-133, etc. Old drive
was imaged over to the new.
_____
For those techies needing a rundown of programs running when the crash
occurs let's just say it varies, but here is a list of those running at
start up:

System Idle Process
System
smss.exe \SystemRoot\System32\smss.exe
csrss.exe
winlogon.exe winlogon.exe
services.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
lsass.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
svchost.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost -k rpcss
svchost.exe C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe -k netsvcs
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
spoolsv.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
ati2evxx.exe C:\WINDOWS\System32\Ati2evxx.exe
CCEVTMGR.EXE "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec
Shared\ccEvtMgr.exe"
CTSVCCDA.EXE C:\WINDOWS\System32\CTsvcCDA.exe
DKService.exe "C:\Program Files\Executive
Software\DiskeeperWorkstation\DKService.exe"
GHOSTS~2.EXE C:\PROGRA~1\NORTON~1\NORTON~3\GHOSTS~2.EXE
inetinfo.exe C:\WINDOWS\System32\inetsrv\inetinfo.exe
ActivityDisk.exe "C:\PROGRA~1\Iomega\System32\ActivityDisk.exe"
mdm.exe "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft
Shared\VS7Debug\mdm.exe"
NAVAPSVC.EXE "C:\Program Files\Norton SystemWorks\Norton
AntiVirus\navapsvc.exe"
PDSched.exe "C:\Program Files\Raxco\PerfectDisk\PDSched.exe"
NOPDB.EXE C:\PROGRA~1\NORTON~1\SPEEDD~1\nopdb.exe
svchost.exe C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe -k imgsvc
ups.exe C:\WINDOWS\System32\ups.exe
vsmon.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\ZoneLabs\vsmon.exe -service
MsPMSPSv.exe C:\WINDOWS\System32\MsPMSPSv.exe
explorer.exe C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
atiptaxx.exe "C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI Control
Panel\atiptaxx.exe"
CTSysVol.exe "C:\Program Files\Creative\SBAudigy2\Surround
Mixer\CTSysVol.exe"
CTDVDDET.exe "C:\Program
Files\Creative\SBAudigy2\DVDAudio\CTDVDDet.EXE"
iTouch.exe "C:\Program Files\Logitech\iTouch\iTouch.exe"
Imgicon.exe "C:\Program Files\Iomega\DriveIcons\ImgIcon.exe"
ccApp.exe "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec
Shared\ccApp.exe"
zlclient.exe "C:\PROGRA~1\ZONELA~1\ZONEAL~1\zlclient.exe"
wintasks.exe "C:\Program Files\LIUtilities\WinTasks\wintasks.exe"
traybar
LaunchPd.exe "C:\Program Files\ATI Multimedia\main\LaunchPd.exe"
ATIX10.exe "C:\Program Files\ATI Multimedia\RemCtrl\ATIX10.exe"
RcMan.exe "C:\Program
Files\Creative\MediaSource\RemoteControl\RcMan.exe"
ctfmon.exe "C:\WINDOWS\System32\ctfmon.exe"
EM_EXEC.EXE "C:\Program Files\Logitech\MouseWare\system\em_exec.exe"
AD2KClient.exe "C:\Program Files\Iomega\AutoDisk\AD2KClient.exe"
SecCopy.exe "C:\Program Files\SecCopy\SecCopy.exe"
rundll32.exe C:\WINDOWS\System32\rundll32.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\ATIMUL~1\RemCtrl\x10net.dll,EntryPoint -Embedding
WCESCOMM.EXE "C:\Program Files\Microsoft ActiveSync\WCESCOMM.EXE"
Cacheman.exe "C:\PROGRA~1\Cacheman\Cacheman.exe"
The Weather Channel."C:\PROGRA~1\THEWEA~1\The Weather Channel.exe"
AtiSched.exe "C:\Program Files\ATI Multimedia\main\ATISched.EXE"
msmsgs.exe "C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe" -Embedding
acrotray.exe "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat
6.0\Distillr\acrotray.exe"
SonyTray.exe "C:\Program Files\Sony Corporation\Image
Transfer\SonyTray.exe"
____

If you notice something is this missive that may sound an alarm to you, then
please let me know. I have published this to various help groups like
Extreme Tech, Annoyances.org, WinXPNews.com, Computing.net and Hardware
Analysis.com (also the Abit and AMD support grounps too)! Others are having
this or a similair issue and I would like to get all our heads together in
nip this thing once and for all!

---John Corson---

 

[davetest]

LOTS OF DETAILS BELOW!!
<snip>

If you notice something is this missive that may sound an alarm to you, then
please let me know. I have published this to various help groups like
Extreme Tech, Annoyances.org, WinXPNews.com, Computing.net and Hardware
Analysis.com (also the Abit and AMD support grounps too)! Others are having
this or a similair issue and I would like to get all our heads together in
nip this thing once and for all!

---John Corson---

I'll say this . You have a ton of stuff runnning.
Did you install any software just prior to the problem occurring.
The general strategy would be to disable any optional software
and see if the problem stablizes. If it is stable at that point,
start adding stuff back one at a time, and retesting each time.

I don't think registered memory is necessary. But if the
cpu and/or FSB is currently over clocked, or you're running the
memory at a higher speed than it's specifications,
(for example cas3 running at cas 2) I would put it all back to
default for now.
Microsoft has a testing tool at:
http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp

Dave

 

[Malke]

LOTS OF DETAILS BELOW!!

At random times when trying to open a folder (directory), I receive
the
following popup: "Application Error: The instruction at "0x77f57ec4"
referenced memory at "0x00000067". The memory could not be "written".
A similar popup appears reading: "Application Error: The exception
unknown software exception (0xc015000f) occurred in the application at
location 0x77f6fca7."

When going to the event properties in the Administrative Tools, I see
under application events that the following
notation appears: "The shell stopped unexpectedly and explorer.exe was
restarted." It is a winlogon event with
event number 1002.

When this error occurs I have to click as many as three popup notices.
Following that, all icons on the desktop
disappear for a few seconds, the screen is refreshed, icons re-appear
and most applications running in the background (anti-virus, etc) do
not appear in the toolbar until logging off and back on.

I am suspecting one major area that I haven't tried -- Changing out
memory. Six weeks before I started having this issue I upgraded to
ABIT KD-7 RAID
m/b with Athlon XP2700+ CPU; 2048 mb DDR PC2700 ECC non buffered RAM.
Would
adding an extra wait from the cycle between memory and CPU help? I.e
using
Registered ECC RAM? Before I go to the added EXPENSE of getting
registered RAM I would like to have confirmation.

Other things I have done to try to correct the issue:
1) Running sfc/scannow to restore original .dll's, etc.
2) Re-installed SP1 (to restore possible corrupt explorer.exe file)
3) Flashed BIOS
4) Dropped down to 1024 mb and checked each memory module;
5) Tried various RAM settings withn the BIOS; and enabled Shadowing
and Caching;
6) Gone back to several system restore points (even before the last
four critical updates from Microsoft);
7) Uninstalled the various pieces of software that I added since the
time this issue started to occur.
___

Only one hardware update since this issue started and that is going
from a
2mb cache harddrive to an 8 -- same disc size, RPM, ATA-133, etc. Old
drive was imaged over to the new.
_____
For those techies needing a rundown of programs running when the crash
occurs let's just say it varies, but here is a list of those running
at start up:

System Idle Process
System
smss.exe \SystemRoot\System32\smss.exe
csrss.exe
winlogon.exe winlogon.exe
services.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
lsass.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
svchost.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost -k rpcss
svchost.exe C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe -k netsvcs
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
spoolsv.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
ati2evxx.exe C:\WINDOWS\System32\Ati2evxx.exe
CCEVTMGR.EXE "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec
Shared\ccEvtMgr.exe"
CTSVCCDA.EXE C:\WINDOWS\System32\CTsvcCDA.exe
DKService.exe "C:\Program Files\Executive
Software\DiskeeperWorkstation\DKService.exe"
GHOSTS~2.EXE C:\PROGRA~1\NORTON~1\NORTON~3\GHOSTS~2.EXE
inetinfo.exe C:\WINDOWS\System32\inetsrv\inetinfo.exe
ActivityDisk.exe "C:\PROGRA~1\Iomega\System32\ActivityDisk.exe"
mdm.exe "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft
Shared\VS7Debug\mdm.exe"
NAVAPSVC.EXE "C:\Program Files\Norton SystemWorks\Norton
AntiVirus\navapsvc.exe"
PDSched.exe "C:\Program Files\Raxco\PerfectDisk\PDSched.exe"
NOPDB.EXE C:\PROGRA~1\NORTON~1\SPEEDD~1\nopdb.exe
svchost.exe C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe -k imgsvc
ups.exe C:\WINDOWS\System32\ups.exe
vsmon.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\ZoneLabs\vsmon.exe -service
MsPMSPSv.exe C:\WINDOWS\System32\MsPMSPSv.exe
explorer.exe C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
atiptaxx.exe "C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI Control
Panel\atiptaxx.exe"
CTSysVol.exe "C:\Program Files\Creative\SBAudigy2\Surround
Mixer\CTSysVol.exe"
CTDVDDET.exe "C:\Program
Files\Creative\SBAudigy2\DVDAudio\CTDVDDet.EXE"
iTouch.exe "C:\Program Files\Logitech\iTouch\iTouch.exe"
Imgicon.exe "C:\Program Files\Iomega\DriveIcons\ImgIcon.exe"
ccApp.exe "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec
Shared\ccApp.exe"
zlclient.exe "C:\PROGRA~1\ZONELA~1\ZONEAL~1\zlclient.exe"
wintasks.exe "C:\Program
Files\LIUtilities\WinTasks\wintasks.exe" traybar
LaunchPd.exe "C:\Program Files\ATI
Multimedia\main\LaunchPd.exe"
ATIX10.exe "C:\Program Files\ATI
Multimedia\RemCtrl\ATIX10.exe"
RcMan.exe "C:\Program
Files\Creative\MediaSource\RemoteControl\RcMan.exe"
ctfmon.exe "C:\WINDOWS\System32\ctfmon.exe"
EM_EXEC.EXE "C:\Program
Files\Logitech\MouseWare\system\em_exec.exe"
AD2KClient.exe "C:\Program Files\Iomega\AutoDisk\AD2KClient.exe"
SecCopy.exe "C:\Program Files\SecCopy\SecCopy.exe"
rundll32.exe C:\WINDOWS\System32\rundll32.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\ATIMUL~1\RemCtrl\x10net.dll,EntryPoint -Embedding
WCESCOMM.EXE "C:\Program Files\Microsoft
ActiveSync\WCESCOMM.EXE"
Cacheman.exe "C:\PROGRA~1\Cacheman\Cacheman.exe"
The Weather Channel."C:\PROGRA~1\THEWEA~1\The Weather Channel.exe"
AtiSched.exe "C:\Program Files\ATI
Multimedia\main\ATISched.EXE"
msmsgs.exe "C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe" -Embedding
acrotray.exe "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat
6.0\Distillr\acrotray.exe"
SonyTray.exe "C:\Program Files\Sony Corporation\Image
Transfer\SonyTray.exe"
____

If you notice something is this missive that may sound an alarm to
you, then
please let me know. I have published this to various help groups like
Extreme Tech, Annoyances.org, WinXPNews.com, Computing.net and
Hardware
Analysis.com (also the Abit and AMD support grounps too)! Others are
having this or a similair issue and I would like to get all our heads
together in nip this thing once and for all!

---John Corson---

Absolutely great post! You do have a few unnecessary programs running,
but that shouldn't really make a difference. You say you've tested the
RAM - with what? I'd set the RAM to default settings and test overnight
with Memtest86. Certainly you don't need to get registered RAM. If the
RAM tests out OK, then it may be the processor is flaky, or the
motherboard. Unless you have some hardware testing equipment, in cases
like this it's usually worth taking the box in to a good local computer
repair shop (not a CompUSA or Best Buy type of store). Have them test
the processor.

Malke