Help - Windows crashes after installing upgrade today....

[LizMosaic2]

Hi,

System:                Windows XP, 2002, Service Pack 3 (not sure how to tell if 32 bit or 64 bit?  My graphics are 64-bit, I think)
Computer:          Dell Inspiron 530
Processor:           Intel Core 2 Duo CPU
Graphics card:   ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT
Browser 1:          Firefox 3.6.14 (upgraded today)
Browser 2:          IE 8.0.6001.18702
Flash:                    10.2.152.32 (installed today)
Antivirus:            Norton Internet Security 17.8.0.5
Firewall:               Motorola SBG900 (mentioning only because it has caused me other issues in the past)Tried upgrading Firefox and Flash (for Firefox) today as requested. Everything installed fine. Tried to watch a video clip on CNN.com and got the blue screen and crash.I uninstalled both, and reinstalled. Crashed again.I then tried uninstalling both again, and downloaded the Flash for IE, to see if it was a Flash issue or a Firefox issue. This version crashed too - blue screen with error message.A friend thought it might be a RAM issue, and asked me to clean up my msconfig - which I did. No fix.I then went to the Display manager, found the graphics card, and looked for updated to the device driver. Alas, the system thinks I have latest and greatest.That’s about the extent of my computer knowledge. I don’t know how to disable my Norton, and frankly, not sure it’s a great idea, as it has my software firewall in it….  Not sure how/why/if that would even help?Here’s the bottom part of the error message I got one of the time I got the blue screen crash (in case it helps)….***STOP: 0x0000008E (0xE0000001, 0xBA490925, 0xA880D820, 0x00000000)
***watchdog.sys - Address BA490925, base at BA90000, Date stamp 480254abSimplest fix for me would be if there was a way to get the old version of Flash back… but there doesn’t seem to be an older version archived that I can find….Can someone help/offer solutions that a non-computer geek might be able to follow (and not mess up other stuff on the computer)?  Thanks!  🙂  It's been 4 hours and counting spent on this so far....  Any help would be greatly appreciated.Much thanks!
Liz

[Guest]

Hi, you can go to this site and right click on the Flash logo, Settings, Display Settings. UNcheck the hardware acceleration.

http://www.adobe.com/software/flash/about/
See if this helps.

Updating Flash Player and Firefox in the same day, may have caused a conflict/glitch. Flash Player works thru the browser.

Look in the Firefox plugins for a Shockwave Flash plugin. Make sure it is Enabled.

Using IE, go to Tools, Manage addons and under "Show"(very light text) look for Shockwave Flash Object. Make sure that is Enabled.

I noticed that you have Norton and a Firewall-Motorola. I have not heard of that Firewall before. However, Norton has a Firewall and most of the time would disable any other Firewall on the computer. Check and see if both of those Firewalls are running. If so, disable one. These Firewalls may be your greater problem.

Do you use a Router?

I would also disable any Norton addons/Toolbars that are in your browsers. Once we find out what the issues are you can always enable them again. They are not needed for protection, but they can conflict.

Flash Player can't cause a BSOD, but some of those other combos might. It usually is a system issue. But we'll see.

Thanks,

eidnolb

[LizMosaic2]

Thanks for the quick reply.

1) When I go to the website you gave me and right click on the Flash logo, the menu says "View Image, copy image, copy image location, save image as, send image, set as desktop background, block images from adobe.com, view image info, stumble upon photo blog it and web developer." No "settings"  Under Web developer, no settings either. I'm stumped....  Should I have downloaded the software again first?  I'm getting tired of the BSOD, so am a bit leery to re-install....

2) I think the browser update was coincidental, as I tested that theory by uninstalling the browser and downloading Flash for IE. It went to BSOD there too whenever I tried to launch a video.

3) Where are Firefox plugins?  Where do I look?

4) Do I need to re-download Flash in order to see the "Show" in IE under tools?  Not seeing it anywhere.

5) Regarding the firewalls, one is a hardware firwall and one is a sofware firewall. The Norton one is software. Th Motorola one is part of my cable modem.  Cable goes into the SBG900 and then into the computer. It manages the security of teh port on the system, I believe, and I've had some software where I've had to go in and specifically open various ports so it could work. But again, I'm not a computer geek, so that's about all I know on that.  Here's the link to the Motorola site that tells you about it: http://www.motorola.com/consumers/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=df5d1322c8ebd110VgnVCM1000008806b00aRCRD&vgnextchannel=dbd392d8cb5ca110VgnVCM1000008406b00aRCRD

6) I do have a wireless internet set up in my house, but pretty sure it goes through the SBG900 cable modem.

7) Don't see any Norton toolbars but will look again. I do have a tray icon for Norton, and it is always running in the background.....

Flash Player is actually causing the BSOD - as it only started happening when I downloaded the upgrade.... I do agree that it might be an incompatibility -- I'm actually thinking it's with my graphics card.  Have any of the other folks who have been reporting the same issue gotten it fixed yet?  If yes, what did they do?  Note that I have removed Flash from the system and everything works fine - except I can't see videos. I was hoping maybe the next upgrade would solve these problems and be more stable, if I can't get this one to work.....

Can you answer my questions above so I can try to implement the fixes you suggested?

Thanks so much for your assistance. I'm really impressed by the quick response.

Liz

[LizMosaic2]

Add-on to message above... Found the Norton toolbar. How do I disable that?

Thanks,

Liz

[Evian_Ycnan · Accepted solution]

Liz,

STOP!  Do not undo toolbars, do not uninstall codes.

Start your computer.  After all is quiet, open: http://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/

place cursor on the flash window, right click, choose settings, look for "hardware acceleratio" and UNCHECK it.

They will try to tell you, it's your driver, but some adobe-wingnut has an unchecked buffer in his code.

Anyway, it will get fixed in the next release.

[LizMosaic2]

Thanks!  Too busy with work today to get to this 'til tonight.

BUT - I must not be too smart... I go to the window you mention and it says "to view this experience you need Javascript enabled and the laatest Adobe Flash Player installed" and then there is a place I can click to download Flash (again). Do I need to do that first?  (I suspect yes? as right now - no Flash on my system, as I'm petrified of crashing during the work day)....

If I right click ANYWHERE in that top box, I get the menu items I mentioned perviously (all things about downloading the image, etc) - no "Settings"  I have right clicked all over the page and can't find a "settings" anywhere.  What am I doing wrong?

Thanks,

Liz

[Guest]

Hi, In my opinion you have a lot of issues. I'm not sure what browser you were using on the Adobe test site. I've never seen what you described and as far as I know, no one else has.

Go to C:\Windows\System32\Macromed\Flash  Open Flash and post back all files listed. The NPSWF files you will need to right click on and then click on Properties to obtain the version numbers.

If you don't have Flash Player Installed correctly along with the required addon in each browser, then anything else doesn't matter at this point.

Thanks,

eidnolb

[LizMosaic2]

THANKS Everyone!!!!

After work today I re-installed Flash. Before trying anything else, I went to the Test Site and right clicked -- like magic -- "settings" was there this time.

So just as a heads up if anyone else asks - if you have uninstalled Flash from your system out of frustration, you CAN'T go to the test site and right click on the logo - as all you will see is the page that asks you to download Flash, and right clicking on that page just gets you image info....

Long story short - I unchecked the hardware acceleration - and like magic - now Flash works.

Thanks again everyone, and sorry I was so thick yesterday.

Liz 

[Guest]

Hi, Well I'm certainly glad that your re-install worked for you. I didn't realize you didn't have any version of Flash Player Installed, LOL No wonder you got that message at the test site:-)  Thanks for explaining that!!

Unchecking the h.a. helped too, I'm sure.

I bet you are relieved everything is now working as it should. Thanks for explaining and marking your thread as answered

Regards,

eidnolb

[LizMosaic2]

Welllll, I just found another problem. When I go to the iTunes store, I see something for a brief second - then it all fades to a blank white screen. Any thoughts on that?  Should I start another thread with that question?

Thanks,

Liz 

[Evian_Ycnan]

Liz,

1) Under START, PROGRAMS, DELL ACCESSORIES... find Dell Service code... click it.  Write down the service tag (looks like "5DF78SnS")

2) Go to "Dell Drivers & Downloads"

3) Figure where to put the service code... and click okay.

What you will see is a list of drivers for YOUR specific computer- these are the lastest drivers and some MAY already be installed.

At the very least

1) Update the BIOS

2) Update the Video Drivers.

They all come with very clearly written instructions.

Then consider repairing your browser again.

You might then want to update the "Dell Recommends...".  Let it scan your computer.

Turn off your computer.

Turn on a hot bath.

Throw the computer in it.

Use postcards to communicate with your friends and CDs to listen to music.

[Guest]

Hey Evian_Ycnan, Hopefully Liz will know which of your suggestions to "not" do, LOL

eidnolb

[Guest]

Hi, no you don't need to start another thread, all of your info is here. Give me a few minutes, trying to catch up.

Thanks,

eidnolb

[LizMosaic2]

Hmmm, I like the hot bath idea.  😉

I'll play with the computer over the weekend and see what I can do. Thanks again for all your help.

Liz