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Author Topic: Illegal operations in safe mode.  (Read 9112 times)

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Gordon

  • Guest
Illegal operations in safe mode.
« on: December 11, 2005, 10:30:48 PM »
My computer problems are many and varied, but I will try to keep on one track here.

I have 2 old computers networked together through a linksys router and connected to the Internet via a cable modem.

One is an old Gateway with a 200 MHz processor and 16 MB of RAM that runs on Windows 98 SE, this computer runs along slow but sure.  The other, my problem computer, is a somewhat newer Dell Dimension, with a 400 MHz processor and 128 MB of ram with a 12 GB hard drive, 4 GB free, that runs Windows 98 first edition.

As part of my ongoing futile attempts to restore some manner of reliability to this computer I started running Norton Speed Disk.  The process was painfully slow so after 3 to 4 hours I stopped that and ran the Windows defrag program in “Safe Mode.”  This was much faster, but I began performing illegal acts and needed to shut the computer down and start over again.  This happened several times, and this is in “Safe Mode.”

A couple of these illegal operations were Explorer causing an invalid page frame fault in Kernel32.dll, and MSGSRV32 causing problems in Kernel 386.  There were others, but my knowledge is such that these mean little to me.

I use a Norton firewall and up to date virus protection, which I scan with on a weekly basis.  As a precaution I once had it scanned at the Norton website.  It took 13 hours to scan my 12 GB hard drive, and of course found nothing.

I’ve gone through the Windows Explorer troubleshooting guide on this site, I’ve ran the Explorer repair tool many times.  System file checker shows a few files missing, but they are NOT on the instillation Disk. .I’m hoping if I can find the cause of this, my other problems will go away too.

Any Ideas on where to look?

Dell4700

  • Guest
Re: Illegal operations in safe mode.
« Reply #1 on: December 12, 2005, 01:16:57 AM »
Your problem machine is in definite need of some help.

I have a slower machine with more RAM (Win98 SE, 300 MHz and 384 MB).  The boot drive is 80 GB and the slave is 120 GB.  Using Norton Utilities to defrag and speed disk normally takes less than 1-2 hrs. in the worst case for either drive.

Although these problems may not be yours, you can try them and see if it helps:

-  consider more RAM.  You can double what you have for $30-$50.  With nearly every application today trying to run their own background processes and the prevalence of bloatware, simply adding more RAM can mean a big increase in speed and reliability.

-  make sure the RAM you have installed is compatible/recommended for your system.  The Dell website will have all the info, trouble shooting guides and original drivers you need for download.  More often than not, I find that incorrect RAM is a leading cause for performance problems.

-  check to see that your drive(s) are set up properly for your system.  They should be set to DMA (Direct Memory Access) mode and proper drivers installed.  If your drives are set to PIO mode (default for some OS such as Win 2000), it can slow your system and transfer rates significantly.

-  remove unnecessary hardware (temporary) and support software/drivers/etc.  Reconnect/reconfigure them one at a time until you see a significant change in performance.  In fact, this would be a good time to reformat your drive(s) and reinstall your operating system.  If you choose to do this, then do it first.  Make sure you back up anything you want to protect.

-  check your background processes.  They can eat up performance quickly.  Disable Office, Norton, etc. to see if there is significant improvement.

If you want more detail in troubleshooting, you should tell us what you are using (PC model, peripherals, software, etc.) and any recent changes, mods, or other problems you may have had.

Dell

GX1_Man

  • Guest
Re: Illegal operations in safe mode.
« Reply #2 on: December 12, 2005, 04:16:38 AM »
And do you have a Windows CD to reinstall if you need to? That is the best bet for older systems that have run the same copy of Windows for a long time. It won't fix bad hardware, but it will fix a lot of other snafus!

Gordon Thompson

  • Guest
Re: Illegal operations in safe mode.
« Reply #3 on: December 12, 2005, 01:14:07 PM »
Quote
Your problem machine is in definite need of some help.

I have a slower machine with more RAM (Win98 SE, 300 MHz and 384 MB).  The boot drive is 80 GB and the slave is 120 GB.  Using Norton Utilities to defrag and speed disk normally takes less than 1-2 hrs. in the worst case for either drive.

Although these problems may not be yours, you can try them and see if it helps:

-  consider more RAM.  You can double what you have for $30-$50.  With nearly every application today trying to run their own background processes and the prevalence of bloatware, simply adding more RAM can mean a big increase in speed and reliability.

-  make sure the RAM you have installed is compatible/recommended for your system.  The Dell website will have all the info, trouble shooting guides and original drivers you need for download.  More often than not, I find that incorrect RAM is a leading cause for performance problems.

-  check to see that your drive(s) are set up properly for your system.  They should be set to DMA (Direct Memory Access) mode and proper drivers installed.  If your drives are set to PIO mode (default for some OS such as Win 2000), it can slow your system and transfer rates significantly.

-  remove unnecessary hardware (temporary) and support software/drivers/etc.  Reconnect/reconfigure them one at a time until you see a significant change in performance.  In fact, this would be a good time to reformat your drive(s) and reinstall your operating system.  If you choose to do this, then do it first.  Make sure you back up anything you want to protect.

-  check your background processes.  They can eat up performance quickly.  Disable Office, Norton, etc. to see if there is significant improvement.

If you want more detail in troubleshooting, you should tell us what you are using (PC model, peripherals, software, etc.) and any recent changes, mods, or other problems you may have had.

Dell


Gordon

  • Guest
Re: Illegal operations in safe mode.
« Reply #4 on: December 12, 2005, 01:29:46 PM »
I wrote a big long reply to this and what I wrote did not show up, I screwed something up.  I'll cut and paste your message into word and try again.

Gordon

  • Guest
Re: Illegal operations in safe mode.
« Reply #5 on: December 12, 2005, 11:53:54 PM »
Your problem machine is in definite need of some help.

You/re telling me, this is only one problem area.

I have a slower machine with more RAM (Win98 SE, 300 MHz and 384 MB). The boot drive is 80 GB and the slave is 120 GB. Using Norton Utilities to defrag and speed disk normally takes less than 1-2 hrs. in the worst case for either drive.

Although these problems may not be yours, you can try them and see if it helps:

- consider more RAM. You can double what you have for $30-$50. With nearly every application today trying to run their own background processes and the prevalence of bloatware, simply adding more RAM can mean a big increase in speed and reliability.

I installed additional RAM in this machine myself.  (Up from 16 MB)  I was told by the RAM store that I am now maxed out for the type of memory that this machine uses.

- make sure the RAM you have installed is compatible/recommended for your system. The Dell website will have all the info, trouble shooting guides and original drivers you need for download. More often than not, I find that incorrect RAM is a leading cause for performance problems.

- check to see that your drive(s) are set up properly for your system.
They should be set to DMA (Direct Memory Access) mode and proper drivers installed. If your drives are set to PIO mode (default for some OS such as Win 2000), it can slow your system and transfer rates significantly.

They are set up for DMA.

-remove unnecessary hardware (temporary) and support software/drivers/etc. Reconnect/reconfigure them one at a time until you see a significant change in performance. In fact, this would be a good time to reformat your drive(s) and reinstall your operating system. If you choose to do this, then do it first. Make sure you back up anything you want to protect.

I’ve been working at this, sometimes accidentally.  My scanner is no longer working, I think I’ve removed something as the computer no longer recognizes that the scanner is attached.  (Plug and play)

- check your background processes. They can eat up performance quickly. Disable Office, Norton, etc. to see if there is significant improvement.

I’ve been doing some of this too.  I’ve disabled the screen saver, task manager, and instant messenger, and sometimes don’t log onto my home network, all to no avail.   I’m reluctant to disable the firewall and virus protection.  I do the alt + control + delete thing every once in a while just to see what is running but am not familiar with what the display is telling me.

If you want more detail in troubleshooting, you should tell us what you are using (PC model, peripherals, software, etc.) and any recent changes, mods, or other problems you may have had.

It’s a Dell XPS R400 with as I said 128K of RAM.  I have an Epson Perfection 1650 scanner and a HP DeskJet 1220C printer.  I run 2 versions of AOL, 4.0 and 9.0.  The 4.0 is a backup because the 9.0 sometimes crashes.  I have both AIM and MS Messenger but don’t open them unless I want to use them.

My main use of the computer is in working on my genealogy.  I scan pictures and documents, print items to add to my files, download and upload information to web sites, and share information with anyone who requests it.

I bought it from a friend of my son who used to record music.  He has installed a HP CD Writer Plus, the unit’s second CD drive.  There is some Turtle Beach and ZZ Top software that I am scared to mess with, but would like it removed.

It has not always behaved badly, it came on slowly, starting with Windows Explorer getting slower the more I used it until a reboot restored it for a bit.  I suspect I have made things worse by trying to solve this problem myself.


Dell


Dell4700

  • Guest
Re: Illegal operations in safe mode.
« Reply #6 on: December 13, 2005, 01:29:30 AM »
Here's some more advice based on what you said:

-  disabling your virus protection and firewall is only temporary inorder to test your system.  Turn them back on when you're finished or need to go back online.

-  all of your instant messaging applications should be disabled.  As a default, they will run in the background and eat up your PC's resources.  You can easily start them when you need them, but don't let them run in the background if not needed.

- running two versions of AOL is probably a very bad idea.

Send me a list of your startup processes:  Start>Programs>Accessories>System Info>Tools>Sys Configuration Utility>Startup (checked boxes only)

and a list of your running processes after normal startup:  Cntrl+Alt+Delete

This will give me a good idea of where your resources are going.

Dell

Gordon

  • Guest
Re: Illegal operations in safe mode.
« Reply #7 on: December 13, 2005, 10:56:31 AM »
Stercus Accidit

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here's some more advice based on what you said:

-  disabling your virus protection and firewall is only temporary inorder to test your system.  Turn them back on when you're finished or need to go back online.

- all of your instant messaging applications should be disabled.  As a default, they will run in the background and eat up your PC's resources.  You can easily start them when you need them, but don't let them run in the background if not needed.

That is done.

- running two versions of AOL is probably a very bad idea.

If we fix the computer, I can remove the backup version 4.0.  It’s only there because 9.0 crashes.

Send me a list of your startup processes:  Start>Programs>Accessories>System Info>Tools>Sys Configuration Utility>Startup (checked boxes only)

Taskbar Display Controls
ScanRegistry
TaskMonitor
SystemTray
LoadPowerProfile
Adaptec Direct CD
CriticalUpdate
NPROTECT
StillmageMonitor
LoadQM
Symantec Core LC
CcApp
Quick Time Task
ViewMgr
QD Fast And Safe
LoadPowerProfile
NPROTECT
CSINJECT.EXE
SynTray – Norton SystemWorks
CcEvntMgr
CcSetMgr
NPFMntr
KB89l7ll
V128llD
AolAcsDaemon1
Microsoft Find Fast
Office Startup
Anerica Online 9.0 Tray Icon






and a list of your running processes after normal startup:  Cntrl+Alt+Delete

Explorer
Ccapp
Viewmgr
Osa
Rundll
Loadqm
Directcd
Stimon
Systray
Nprotect
Csinject




This will give me a good idea of where your resources are going.

Dell

If this goes nowhere, I can relate some of the other problems I have.

Dell4700

  • Guest
Re: Illegal operations in safe mode.
« Reply #8 on: December 13, 2005, 04:17:04 PM »
Here is an analysis of your startup activities:

Note:      
* "Y" - Normally leave to run at start-up (these are not listed below to save space)
* "N" - Not required - typically infrequently used tasks that can be started manually if necessary
* "U" - User's choice - depends whether a user deems it necessary
* "X" - Definitely not required - typically viruses, spyware, adware and "resource hogs"
* "?" - Unknown

Taskbar Display Controls      N      RunDLL deskcp16.dll, QUICKRES_RUNDLLENTRY      Only appears in MSCONFIG if you have a Display Settings icon in the System Tray allowing resolution changes on the fly. Can also be disabled under Control Panel -> Display -> Settings -> Advanced -> General. Also appears if you have Win95 with the QuickRes "Powertoy" installed

TaskMonitor           U  (but, recommended)

SystemTray            U  (but, recommended)

LoadPowerProfile   U      Rundll32.exe powrprof.dll      Power management specifics such as monitor shut-off, system standby, etc. Associated with power management and is listed twice. Loads your selected power scheme. May not be required - depends upon whether you modify the default Control Panel -> Power Options settings

Adaptec Direct CD   U  (recommended if you use Direct CD frequently)

CriticalUpdate          N      Wucrtupd.exe      MS Windows Critical Update Notification. If you want to keep Windows up-to-date, check the Windows Update site

NPROTECT      U      nprotect.exe      Norton Protected Recycle Bin from Norton Utilities. Adds an extra layer of safety before you remove deleted files from the Recycled Bin. Can be listed twice which is valid.

StillImageMonitor      U      Stimon.exe      Stimon.exe enables a USB still-image device (such as a scanner) to initiate data transfer to a program. For example, if your scanning device has a scan button, it may start a program and begin scanning when you press it. Create a shortcut and start it manually when needed if your scanner otherwise fails to scan. May be required for your USB scanner to work - including all HP scanners and some of their SCSI scanners

LoadQM      U      loadqm.exe      Installed with MSN Explorer and loads the MSN Queue Manager. Required to enable the WU AutoUpdate feature. Note that disabling this can sometimes prevent internet sharing working on Win2K Pro SP2. Reports also suggest that removing it will re-enable internet access - hence the "users choice" recommendation. If you have problems leave it, otherwise I recommend you disable it

QuickTime Task      N      Qttask.exe      System Tray access to Apple's "Quick Time" viewer from version 5 onwards

ViewMgr      N      ViewMgr.exe      Viewpoint Manager - automatic updates for ViewPoint products such as ViewPoint Media Player (as bundled with AOL, AOL Instant Messenger, Compuserve, etc). Can be run manually via Start -> Settings -> Control Panel by enabling auto-updates temporarily, re-booting and then disabling again

QD FastAndSafe      N      QDCSFS.exe      Automatically runs Fast & Safe clean-up from Norton/Quarterdeck Cleansweep. Deletes safe to remove files such as Temporary Internet Files (cache). Recommended you run it manually

CSINJECT.EXE      U      CSINJECT.EXE      Part of Quarterdeck/Norton CleanSweep. Csinject must be loaded in order for Smart Sweep to automatically monitor installations and properly track registry changes.

SymTray - Norton SystemWorks      U      SYMTRAY.EXE      Keeps all System Tray icons for Norton SystemWorks together to reduce clutter. SystemWorks includes Norton Anti-Virus, Norton Utilities and Norton CleanSweep

NPFMonitor      ?      NPFMntor.exe      Norton AntiVirus Firewall Install Monitor.

Microsoft Find Fast      X      Findfast.exe      Complete utter waste of space! Part of MS Office - searches disk drives for Office file types and creates an index to make opening them easier

Microsoft Office Startup      N      Osa.exe      Application which launches common MS Office components to help speed up the launch of Office programs. It's somewhat of a resource hog, and some users claim there's no difference with or without it but it usually isn't required. Note - if you make use of the Microsoft Office Shortcut Bar outside an office program this application will need to be enabled for it to show

America Online *.* Tray Icon      N      aoltray.exe      Puts AOL icon in System Tray (*.* denotes version if present). Connect to AOL via the desktop shortcut or Start -> Programs

Disabling many of the above (N, X, U) will take care of background processes that are eating your resources.

Some of the startup and background processes can be spoofed by malware/trojans, etc.  Make sure you run good scanners for these.  Most of the best free scanners are listed here:  http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000578.htm

Hope this helps!  I'm sure you will see a difference in performance if you follow the above recommendations.

Dell

patio

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Re: Illegal operations in safe mode.
« Reply #9 on: December 13, 2005, 08:06:15 PM »
Nice Work, Dell.
" Anyone who goes to a psychiatrist should have his head examined. "

Dell4700

  • Guest
Re: Illegal operations in safe mode.
« Reply #10 on: December 14, 2005, 01:21:20 AM »
Well, thanks!

I can't take credit for it though.  The descriptions and processes are found on the excellent site:  http://www.sysinfo.org/startuplist.php

I just pasted what I thought applied.  And, did a little research.

Okay, I'll take some credit, especially if it helps solve some of the problems, lol.

Dell

patio

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Re: Illegal operations in safe mode.
« Reply #11 on: December 14, 2005, 09:22:52 AM »
It still takes time and effort...
" Anyone who goes to a psychiatrist should have his head examined. "

Gordon

  • Guest
Re: Illegal operations in safe mode.
« Reply #12 on: December 15, 2005, 07:39:00 AM »
This is great, I have not seen this information before, too bad It’s so hard to find.

I went crazy and unchecked a bunch of things and now alt+control+delete only shows about seven things running.

I have left the computer running through two nights now as I usually do, and it has not locked up yet.  It’s been months since I could do that.  I had to reboot just to get a couple of hours of use out of it.

I have unchecked something useful as I have lost the ability to display some small Icons, such as smileys in AOL e-mail, but I probably will just not worry about it as I am so happy just to have the computer not lock up on me.

Thanks for your help; your check is in the mail.

patio

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Re: Illegal operations in safe mode.
« Reply #13 on: December 15, 2005, 08:43:00 AM »
If you like send me a P.M. and we'll get you set up with a GMail acct and you can dump that nasty AOL stuff...
" Anyone who goes to a psychiatrist should have his head examined. "

Gordon

  • Guest
Re: Illegal operations in safe mode.
« Reply #14 on: December 15, 2005, 11:53:13 AM »

You've got me again there.  As an ex Volkswagen mechanic, I know my MPC, AFC, and CIS, all different typs of fuel injection.  What is a PM and G Mail?  I never thought AOL was that bad, I've had it for many years.  Is that a case of ignorance is bliss?