Solved Almost all programs and processes crashing at launch!

[x3m]

Hi,

I've searched for a similar problem on the forum, and found nothing. Sorry if I missed... And this is also unlike anything I've ever had with Windows.

So after rebooting my computer (running Windows 7 Ultimate x64) a few days a go, I log in to my user, and after a minute I'm overwhelmed by around a dozen "X has stopped working" message boxes, all indicating to programs and processes that startup with the computer (Skype, Messenger, Google Update, Launchy...). The same message pops up for virtually any other program I try to open in the system. I haven't tried every single app I have installed, but browsers (IE [32-bit], Chrome and Firefox) and other main programs, crash and show the same message. It varies on how "early" on it crashes - for example, sometimes I get the message right after I try to open Firefox, others it will open the main window and try to charge my homepage, before crashing also. Background processes (such as COM Surrogate, Explorer...) also crash out of the blue (not doing any specific action before) and display the same message box.

The only programs I can get running are basic system ones (Notepad, Calculator...), Internet Explorer 64-bit (by default its open the x32, but if I select the x64 version it doesn't seem to be any problem) and maybe a few others. My Avast AV and ThreatFire also run (and I have scanned the system with both. It did find a threat [Yabector-B], which I excluded, but from what I read, it doesn't explain the problem on the computer). Also the 1st time, I had to open Avast manually, but in all reboots since, its has started normally.

Although I don't understand that much, I've analysed the system log under the Applications category. I can always find two common logs for each incidence: an "Error" and a "Informations" one. The Error shows the name and path of the program that crashed, and all say the Fail/Error Module is ntdll.dll . The Informations, labelled Windows Error Reporting, basically says "Sharing memory fail, type 0 / Event Name: APPCRASH". In all the ones I checked, this date is the same in the log.
I can post some example logs in XML if someone thinks that would be helpful.

[sorry if I got any specific Windows names for a certain thing, but I run Windows in a different language here]

The only thing that I can think of that was done before the reboot that started showing this problem, is an update to Skype and another to Avast. Because all the programs crash in the same way, it makes me think that its something wrong with a common file, in the registry or something... but that almost a guess.

Sorry if I gave to many details, I just want to give as much info possible in case someone can catch some peculiarity.
I thank any help very much!

 

[x3m]

Any ideas at all anyone?

Something new I noticed, that could mean a lot, is that for example: IE x32 won´t work, but IE x64 will. Photoshop x32 won´t, but Photoshop x64 does.
That could be a coinncidence, but together with the fact that native apps like Calculator also work fine, it makes me think that this is affecting onlt 32-bit based programs (aldo I can still see "*32" processes runnning in the task manager). Makes me think something wrong with some kind of 32-bit library, or maybe a virus that only affected x32 executables... but those are only guesses.

I thank anyone that can help or give some advice, thoughts...

 

[WartHog]

Have you tried disabling all of those programs that are trying to open/run @ startup?

Try going to your start menu, type msconfig, and hit enter. The pop up is for System Configuration. Click on the Startup tab and look there. It'll show a list of programs that begin on startup. Click off all the programs that are not essential to getting your machine booted up and running @ startup. Then when you've done this, re-boot and see what it does. If it boots good without the "Xs" then try starting a couple of those programs to see if you get the "X" then.

Hope this helps.

 

[Max Peck]

Hmm ... sounds like it could be network related. Is it a desktop system? If so, check to ensure that the network card is seated properly. From the list you gave it sounds like mostly connected applications that are crashing.

-Max

 

[x3m]

Have you tried disabling all of those programs that are trying to open/run @ startup?

Try going to your start menu, type msconfig, and hit enter. The pop up is for System Configuration. Click on the Startup tab and look there. It'll show a list of programs that begin on startup. Click off all the programs that are not essential to getting your machine booted up and running @ startup. Then when you've done this, re-boot and see what it does. If it boots good without the "Xs" then try starting a couple of those programs to see if you get the "X" then.

Hope this helps.

The problem happens with any program that I try to open at any point, not only at startup...
but I did try it, and no luck yet. The program persists...
thanks for trying!

 

[x3m]

Hmm ... sounds like it could be network related. Is it a desktop system? If so, check to ensure that the network card is seated properly. From the list you gave it sounds like mostly connected applications that are crashing.

-Max

Sorry if I didnt give enough examples, but this happens with just about all programs (it seems like 64-bit and native ones are the only ones that run ok), including Office, VLC, Windows Live Photo Gallery, Adobe Acrobat Reader and other...
But anyway, I did try unpluging the network cable and rebooting, but no change... thanks anyway!

 

[x3m]

I did notice one "new" fact: everything seems to work fine when booted in to Safe Mode. Whick makes me think the problem is not something that is damagef/corrupted... but no better ideas yet.
As time passes by Im leaning towards just having to clean install the OS...

Any other thoughts?
Thanks

 

[ickymay]

Hmm ... sounds like it could be network related. Is it a desktop system? If so, check to ensure that the network card is seated properly. From the list you gave it sounds like mostly connected applications that are crashing.

-Max

Sorry if I didnt give enough examples, but this happens with just about all programs (it seems like 64-bit and native ones are the only ones that run ok), including Office, VLC, Windows Live Photo Gallery, Adobe Acrobat Reader and other...
But anyway, I did try unpluging the network cable and rebooting, but no change... thanks anyway!

since you don't get the crashes in safe mode then boot back into windows and from the start orb search type msconfig and on the second tab shown as boot tick the base video box and reboot in VGA mode to eliminate the possibility that your graphics drivers are the issue ?

let us know how it goes ?

 

[x3m]

since you don't get the crashes in safe mode then boot back into windows and from the start orb search type msconfig and on the second tab shown as boot tick the base video box and reboot in VGA mode to eliminate the possibility that your graphics drivers are the issue ?

let us know how it goes ?

Thanks for the tip! I tried it, and at the beginning it did seem to change something, and I was able to use Chrome for the 1st time after this problem came up. But then it crashed and I wasn´t able to get any other programs opened, no matter how many re-tries/reboots I did.

I'm about to give up... any other ideas ? Thanks

 

[ickymay]

If your system stays stable long enough type reliability history from the search and click all exclamation and red X marks for some clues in the description ?

from properties tools on your O/S drive schedule a disk check (tick both boxes) then boot back to safe mode after the diskcheck has run and from an elevated command prompt run sfc /scannow

let us know how it goes

 

[x3m]

If your system stays stable long enough type reliability history from the search and click all exclamation and red X marks for some clues in the description ?

from properties tools on your O/S drive schedule a disk check (tick both boxes) then boot back to safe mode after the diskcheck has run and from an elevated command prompt run sfc /scannow

let us know how it goes

Thanks again for the help!

Anyway, I checked the Reliability Hist and as I had described before all the errors are described only as "APPCRASH" with almost all being a "ntdll.dll" fail, but some show a "StackHash_####" [followed by a 4 digit number/letter combination - different in each one] fail [Name of the failed module].
I did try doing a repair install, but that didn't change much. The only thing that I did notice, is that during the 1st boot after the repair install, a message saying that the .NET Framework was corrupted and it was fixing it, but like any other program, it would crash before it resolved anything. I also tried downloading the framework and installing it manually, but it doesn't work in Safe Mode and in normal it also crashes. But this got me thinking that maybe this whole thing is a issue with the .NET....
Although it already has run diskcheck once, I'll try what you suggested and post back here... Thanks

 

[x3m]

from properties tools on your O/S drive schedule a disk check (tick both boxes) then boot back to safe mode after the diskcheck has run and from an elevated command prompt run sfc /scannow

let us know how it goes

No luck...both came clean.
Seems harder and harder to find a solution for this...
but thanks for the help!

 

[ickymay]

np , at this stage I would systematically remove all installed programs one by one with system restore points and maybe take some educated guesses at whatever could be causing the problems ?

start by unninstalling Skype then Avast , replace with MSE or avira free ?

Do not run two AV at the same time as this could be the cause so remove Threatfire

If after working your way backwards on installs doesn't fix the problem then maybe try a repair install from within windows ?

keep us informed of progress

 

[x3m]

np , at this stage I would systematically remove all installed programs one by one with system restore points and maybe take some educated guesses at whatever could be causing the problems ?

start by unninstalling Skype then Avast , replace with MSE or avira free ?

Do not run two AV at the same time as this could be the cause so remove Threatfire

If after working your way backwards on installs doesn't fix the problem then maybe try a repair install from within windows ?

keep us informed of progress

Thank you very much for the help Ickymay. But I have already done a clean install of Windows - I just was loosing to much time trying to fix the issue (and didn't feel like I was getting closer), so I decided it was better just to do it and get ir over with (was about time anyway).
For now it seems to have done the job since everything seems to be running fine. Unfortunetly it didn't resolve other issues I had before, but at least now I can open apps with no problem. I´ll probably be back soon to try to resolve the issues still pending.

And on a side note: I don't think it was the AVs because I've been running both for years, and ThreatFire is made to run beside a normal AV. My main theory is a Virus (mainly think this because all the system restore points where gone...) or a bad program update, which must of have done something in a 32-bit registry, library, or whatever...

Thank you very much for the help again!

 

[ickymay]

a pleasure and glad you have it running happily again

 

[trico2000]

resolve problem

Hi guys,

I had the same problem. After I instal the driver for wacom cintiq, I was not able to run some app. like photoshop, after effects, vlc player, toon boom etc. I read this whole forum, but without any conclusion.
I though that the only way how to fix it, is to reinstal my OS. Fortunately I have found this link>
Windows 7 explorer.exe keeps crashing - ntdll.dll fault - Microsoft Answers
I folowed it (except that I didnt turn it back to normal mode) and after I disabled the startup app. except microsoft services I was able to run the crashing programs. Than
I looked to the list of startup app in SERVICES panel, and I found that there is a check box for tablet service pen, so I uncheck it. After reboot it´s seems that everything is ok. Now I´m going to uninstal everything that is connected to tablet and clean the registry for every case. Good luck.