The Conservative Cave

The Help Desk => Computer Related Discussions & Questions => Topic started by: CG6468 on December 03, 2011, 10:51:43 AM

Title: I'm Confused
Post by: CG6468 on December 03, 2011, 10:51:43 AM: Yesterday when I was on this site, suddenly the computer told me that Firefox had stopped responding and the screen got pale but didn't lose the image of the site. That much paler screen had happened before, with the same non-responses to mouse and keyboard, but those times (maybe 3) after I unplugged the machine and turned it back on everything seemed normal.

But yesterday it got worse; nothing would work at all, and I had to unplug the computer to turn it off. I tried several times to plug it in and turn it back on; it would load up OK and let me enter my password, but then at my desktop it'd accept no mouse clicks or keyboard strokes. I tried Safe Mode and the Restore utility, I couldn't open any program nor even open Windows Explorer. Restore couldn't find something it needed and failed. I tried everything I could think of to get things going again, but it was to no avail, so I was relegated to using my laptop.

I shut the desktop machine down for the night.

This morning it loaded up slowly, but I could at least run checks for malware, spyware, and viruses, all of which were negative. At one time this morning I clicked to go online and after about 10 minutes I got a message from Firefox saying something like, "Well this is embarrassing. Firefox cannot..." find something, but I didn't write it down. I have not upgraded to the latest version of Firefox.

Now it seems to be running like before yesterday's mysterious happenings.

Can anyone tell me what happened? :???: I really don't need these headaches. :(

EDIT: OH! BTW! This morning the speed test showed: Ping, 28; Download speed, 26.30; Upload speed 3.80.
Title: Re: I'm Confused
Post by: Chris_ on December 03, 2011, 12:12:44 PM: It happens when the explorer.exe process crashes and has to restart. You may want to run a full CCleaner scan on your system.
Title: Re: I'm Confused
Post by: CG6468 on December 03, 2011, 12:32:15 PM: Quote from: chris_ on December 03, 2011, 12:12:44 PM
It happens when the explorer.exe process crashes and has to restart. You may want to run a full CCleaner scan on your system.

I did the CCleaner thing.

Is Explorer.exe used with Firefox or the other engines, or does it just apply to Micorsoft?
Title: Re: I'm Confused
Post by: Chris_ on December 03, 2011, 12:35:46 PM: explorer.exe is the process that controls the Windows user interface and integrates it with the hardware abstraction layer that runs your keyboard, mouse, and other input devices.

How are your resources looking? Are you low on memory or maxing out your CPU? That would cause it. It usually happens to me at startup when I have a lot of services and TSRs loading and I try to do something like open Lotus Notes. It's a process and it can still be shut down and restarted if you can get to the Task Manager or command line.
Title: Re: I'm Confused
Post by: CG6468 on December 03, 2011, 02:13:37 PM: Quote from: chris_ on December 03, 2011, 12:35:46 PM
explorer.exe is the process that controls the Windows user interface and integrates it with the hardware abstraction layer that runs your keyboard, mouse, and other input devices.

How are your resources looking? Are you low on memory or maxing out your CPU? That would cause it. It usually happens to me at startup when I have a lot of services and TSRs loading and I try to do something like open Lotus Notes. It's a process and it can still be shut down and restarted if you can get to the Task Manager or command line.

No problems with available resources, Chris. Memory is fine, too. I could not get to the Task Manager.

Oh, well. One of those mysteries. I wonder how it corrected itself?
Title: Re: I'm Confused
Post by: marv on December 03, 2011, 03:47:56 PM: Quote from: CG6468 on December 03, 2011, 02:13:37 PM
One of those mysteries. I wonder how it corrected itself?
Did it?
Title: Re: I'm Confused
Post by: Chris_ on December 03, 2011, 03:52:04 PM: Quote from: CG6468 on December 03, 2011, 02:13:37 PM
I wonder how it corrected itself?
The process should have shut down and restarted itself after it initially stopped responding.
Title: Re: I'm Confused
Post by: CG6468 on December 04, 2011, 10:37:16 AM: Quote from: chris_ on December 03, 2011, 03:52:04 PM
The process should have shut down and restarted itself after it initially stopped responding.

Shoulda, woulda, coulda. Except for moi! :whatever:
Title: Re: I'm Confused
Post by: MrsSmith on December 04, 2011, 10:44:44 AM: Quote from: CG6468 on December 03, 2011, 02:13:37 PM
No problems with available resources, Chris. Memory is fine, too. I could not get to the Task Manager.

Oh, well. One of those mysteries. I wonder how it corrected itself?
If you still can't get to Task Manager, you still have problems.
Title: Re: I'm Confused
Post by: Chris_ on December 04, 2011, 10:45:57 AM: If it happens regularly, you might be able to use the System File Restore tool to reinstall a copy of the explorer.exe file to your hard drive. The only other option I can think of is to do a fresh install.

Have you checked your Event Viewer for what may be causing the crash?
Title: Re: I'm Confused
Post by: CG6468 on December 04, 2011, 12:46:21 PM: Quote from: chris_ on December 04, 2011, 10:45:57 AM
If it happens regularly, you might be able to use the System File Restore tool to reinstall a copy of the explorer.exe file to your hard drive. The only other option I can think of is to do a fresh install.

Have you checked your Event Viewer for what may be causing the crash?

I can get to Task Manager if I want to. Event Viewer? I don't know of that one.
Title: Re: I'm Confused
Post by: MrsSmith on December 04, 2011, 01:14:43 PM: Quote from: CG6468 on December 04, 2011, 12:46:21 PM
I can get to Task Manager if I want to. Event Viewer? I don't know of that one.
Good. The last infection I fought wiped out a lot of Windows programs, including Task Manager. I didn't have reinstallation discs, mine were
XP service pack 2 and they wouldn't reinstall on the later service packs. I eventually got everything to work except Windows Installer, but my daughter hasn't needed that for anything(whew), so is getting along fine. Missing any normal part of Windows is a very bad sign...
Title: Re: I'm Confused
Post by: CG6468 on December 04, 2011, 01:38:29 PM: It's just crazy. After these incidents, everything works properly. Two of them allowed me into Task Manager to restore things to a previous date, and VIOLA!

Computers are great - when they work properly. Thank you, Bill Gates, for putting out garbage that doesn't work like it should.
Title: Re: I'm Confused
Post by: franksolich on December 04, 2011, 01:41:28 PM: WARNING.

WARNING.

WARNING.

STUPID QUESTION ON THE WAY.

Quote from: chris_ on December 04, 2011, 10:45:57 AM
Have you checked your Event Viewer for what may be causing the crash?

What is the "event viewer"? Where does one find it?

Not that I need it or anything else at the moment--it continues to please God that this computer works like clockwork, exactly as well as it did when TVDOC set it up--but just to file back in the mind.
Title: Re: I'm Confused
Post by: CG6468 on December 06, 2011, 11:22:19 AM: Well the damned desktop machine is ****ed up again. Same bullshit. Should I just junk this new computer? I'm getting sick of this shit.
Title: Re: I'm Confused
Post by: Thor on December 06, 2011, 02:20:23 PM: Jeff, I doubt that it's the computer. You have something wrong in your software. Have you run malwarebytes & your antivirus in Safe mode? Sometimes, little buggers will hide except when in safe mode. Every once in a while, my Firefox will do that. It seems to be when the ISP is having problems.
Title: Re: I'm Confused
Post by: CG6468 on December 06, 2011, 02:35:43 PM: Quote from: Thor on December 06, 2011, 02:20:23 PM
Jeff, I doubt that it's the computer. You have something wrong in your software. Have you run malwarebytes & your antivirus in Safe mode? Sometimes, little buggers will hide except when in safe mode. Every once in a while, my Firefox will do that. It seems to be when the ISP is having problems.

By ISP, I assume you refer to my ISP. If so, the other machines (my laptop and my wife's laptop) have no problems during the failures on this machine.

Now it's back to "normal." I shut everything off for an hour, turned it back on, and it loaded a little slower at first but then resumed its normal operation.

I haven't run Malwarebytes or Avast in the Safe Mode. I'll give that a try.
Title: Re: I'm Confused
Post by: Chris_ on December 06, 2011, 02:42:27 PM: Press the F8 button after the POST beep at startup.
Title: Re: I'm Confused
Post by: CG6468 on December 06, 2011, 02:46:58 PM: Quote from: chris_ on December 06, 2011, 02:42:27 PM
Press the F8 button after the POST beep at startup.

Thanks, Chris. I didn't delete that question in time! :thatsright:
Title: Re: I'm Confused
Post by: Thor on December 06, 2011, 03:02:45 PM: I'd also suggest that you disable any add-ons to Firefox, if you have any. I've also upgraded to the newest FF out. It seems to be working flawlessly over the last 15 hours.
Title: Re: I'm Confused
Post by: CG6468 on December 06, 2011, 04:45:28 PM: Quote from: Thor on December 06, 2011, 03:02:45 PM
I'd also suggest that you disable any add-ons to Firefox, if you have any. I've also upgraded to the newest FF out. It seems to be working flawlessly over the last 15 hours.

No add-ons of which I'm aware.

Both of the scans were normal. No threats found.

What's FF out?
Title: Re: I'm Confused
Post by: Eupher on December 07, 2011, 12:22:17 PM: Quote from: CG6468 on December 06, 2011, 04:45:28 PM
No add-ons of which I'm aware.

Both of the scans were normal. No threats found.

What's FF out?

FF = Firefox. He means the newest version of FF that's available.
Title: Re: I'm Confused
Post by: CG6468 on December 07, 2011, 01:22:09 PM: Quote from: Eupher on December 07, 2011, 12:22:17 PM
FF = Firefox. He means the newest version of FF that's available.

So they've worked out the bugs that were giving people problems?
Title: Re: I'm Confused
Post by: Eupher on December 07, 2011, 03:53:30 PM: Quote from: CG6468 on December 07, 2011, 01:22:09 PM
So they've worked out the bugs that were giving people problems?

Well, I'm not sure what kind of bugs that people had problems with -- I use FF at home (no plug-ins or add-ons) and I've never had a problem with it.
Title: Re: I'm Confused
Post by: Thor on December 09, 2011, 11:50:58 PM: Once i n a while my Firefox will lock up temporarily. I usually have or six browser windows open when this happens. I just let the PC catch up & all is good. I'm sure it's one of the add ons giving me grief.
Title: Re: I'm Confused
Post by: CG6468 on December 10, 2011, 10:45:34 AM: Thor, how do I determine if any add-ons are included with FF? I got so frustrated that I started using Safari, but I dunno how to export my bookmarks from FF to Safari.
Title: Re: I'm Confused
Post by: CG6468 on December 10, 2011, 11:20:14 AM: Never mind..........
Title: Re: I'm Confused
Post by: CG6468 on December 22, 2011, 03:45:21 AM: Well, I dumped Firefox and am now using Google Chrome. Result? No runs, no drips, no hairs.

The FF problems were apparently related to FF.