Crazy Software behaviour/Windows 7

wernersp45 · Nov 16, 2013

Hi all and please help.

Recently reinstalled my OS7 on PC after close encounter with virus. Now programs like VLC, Winrar etc installers crash all the time - most of the time the same message appears - Not a valid win32 application, blah blah blah.

I checked, they are correct. The work on my laptop with XP, but for some reason immediately crash upon opening in Windows 732bit.

I have checked all drives for damaged sectors with Paragon Partition manager and all good. Even did a malware swipe and still the same issue.

Did 3 swipes with antivirus to

I have even gone as far to reinstall on complete new drive, but problem remains. Solid programs crash immediately upon running in O7 from Stick.

Did a memory check with windows built in tool and zero errors.

Various programs work then don't work after a while, from installation to running. For some reason my pc can't see my XP disc or on stick, so I can't downgrade to XP and further troubleshoot.

I'm at a complete loss and don't know what else to do or have any understanding whats plotting. Could be a virus stuck somewhere but can't seem to find it.

Help appreciated.

RaDiKaL_ · Nov 16, 2013

How are you transferring those installers from your pc to your laptop? have you already tried to download again those installers?

The windows built in memory test is not something reliable, try with memtest86.

Really a weird situation, could even be a mobo issue on its sata connectors causing corruption on data (assuming the memory test goes ok).

wernersp45 · Nov 18, 2013

Hi Radikal.

These installers I download straight from their respective sites. I even test them on my laptop and work, but immediately crash in os7.

Finally got to install xp. It's slightly better, but still major program failures like WInrar is installed, but won't run.

Forgot to mention, I did a check with Memtest86 and it found no errors whatsoever. This is something completely bizarre.

I'm gonna see if I got a spare MOBO, CHIP and Memory stashed somewhere and see if the problem is eliminated.

I have never encountered such behavior before and it's starting to really piss me off. My Asus Board, chip and memory is just over a 1 + 1/2 years old now.

I'm gonna try another MOBO (Intel) and check to see if there is a difference.

RaDiKaL_ · Nov 18, 2013

A hardware failure indeed, stress test the cpu with prime95 for a couple of hours(leave it overnight if you can), also verify all values are correct on idle and under load. (stock settings, voltage levels, temps.)

wernersp45 · Nov 19, 2013

RaDiKaL_ :

Thanks Radkikal, I will try that for sure. The more I think about it it deffo looks like a hardware issue of some kind. I will check the CPU and will update.

wernersp45 · Nov 19, 2013

Hola,

Well, she's dead, PC that is.

Booted her back up this afernoon, no MOBO Bootup screen, no Video input received, but HDD, fans etc powering up.

MOBO or CPU?

Mmm, this question may have been asked before...

Any suggestions while I read up?

RaDiKaL_ · Nov 19, 2013

Usually is a grounding issue, if you moved parts around there's a chance you pushed the mobo somehow and it's now grounding somewhere (sometimes the back panel of the GPU is the culprit).

If you still haven't moved anything however, maybe some part has died, in any case, try the bread-boarding test (take out mobo from case and test it on a cardboard like the mobo box with only one ram module, cpu and gpu).

Depending on the beep or codes on the mobo you'll find out the issue.

wernersp45 · Nov 19, 2013

Update.

For thaught I removed power and Cmos battery and denergized the case for 20 minutes.

Pc got back online, Bootup menu on ram test displayed memory failure. Configured Bios and started Windows ~ error loading windows files, windows corrupt.

Reinstalling xp for start to do system check.

wernersp45 · Nov 19, 2013

Well, got xp installed, but the same if not worse. Basic component drivers install/some and on reboot no device software~ audio card, graphics etc.

F*ck*d is an understatement.

Gonna strip hardware, install spares, do bread board test as mentioned.

wernersp45 · Nov 21, 2013

No Go.

I don't have spares to troubleshoot. PC is barely running, Highly unstable.

Can't seem to pinpoint the issue, CPU, MOBO or MEMORY.

Going to strip hardware, reassemble and test on 1 HDD only and go from there.

Any tips for this venture?

RaDiKaL_ · Nov 21, 2013

Still wondering about cpu/ram clock rates, temps and voltages, there could be some wrong value on them.

Also, you got to test the cpu with prime95?

wernersp45 · Nov 21, 2013

I will do a Memory and CPU check this afternoon and will list all the required info.

wernersp45 · Nov 22, 2013

Update.

I observed a pattern - After shutting down the PC, it wont reboot. I have to remove the CMOS battery and de-energize the board before she will boot up again.

I ran a CPU test all night and results are as follows:

[Tue Jan 01 01:25:11 2008]
M1061 completed P-1, B1=1000000, B2=100000000, E=12, Wd1: 06272351
[Tue Jan 01 01:41:32 2008]
Self-test 1024K passed!
Self-test 1024K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 01:57:01 2008]
Self-test 8K passed!
Self-test 8K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 02:12:16 2008]
Self-test 10K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 02:20:36 2008]
Self-test 10K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 02:28:30 2008]
Self-test 896K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 02:42:02 2008]
Self-test 896K passed!
Self-test 768K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 03:01:23 2008]
Self-test 12K passed!
Self-test 768K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 03:16:31 2008]
Self-test 14K passed!
Self-test 12K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 03:32:58 2008]
Self-test 640K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 03:38:00 2008]
Self-test 14K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 03:49:41 2008]
Self-test 512K passed!
Self-test 640K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 04:05:31 2008]
Self-test 16K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 04:18:47 2008]
Self-test 512K passed!
Self-test 20K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 04:33:50 2008]
Self-test 16K passed!
Self-test 448K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 04:49:00 2008]
Self-test 20K passed!
Self-test 384K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 05:08:45 2008]
Self-test 24K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 05:23:52 2008]
Self-test 28K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 05:38:55 2008]
Self-test 320K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 05:54:49 2008]
Self-test 256K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 06:02:16 2008]
Self-test 448K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 06:10:09 2008]
Self-test 32K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 06:25:48 2008]
Self-test 40K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 06:41:18 2008]
Self-test 224K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 06:57:39 2008]
Self-test 192K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 07:05:05 2008]
Self-test 384K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 07:13:42 2008]
Self-test 48K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 07:29:55 2008]
Self-test 56K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 07:45:14 2008]
Self-test 160K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 07:57:36 2008]
Self-test 24K passed!
Self-test 128K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 08:13:20 2008]
Self-test 28K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 08:19:37 2008]
Self-test 64K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 08:28:32 2008]
Self-test 320K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 08:41:42 2008]
Self-test 80K passed!
Self-test 256K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 08:59:42 2008]
Self-test 32K passed!
Self-test 112K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 09:15:30 2008]
Self-test 40K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 09:21:01 2008]
Self-test 96K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 09:31:30 2008]
Self-test 224K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 09:39:16 2008]
Self-test 1280K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 09:46:45 2008]
Self-test 192K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 09:58:06 2008]
Self-test 1536K passed!
Self-test 48K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 10:16:34 2008]
Self-test 1792K passed!
Self-test 56K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 10:35:06 2008]
Self-test 160K passed!
Self-test 2048K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 10:51:55 2008]
Self-test 128K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 10:57:30 2008]
Self-test 2560K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 11:06:56 2008]
Self-test 64K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 11:18:43 2008]
Self-test 3072K passed!
Self-test 80K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 11:37:27 2008]
Self-test 112K passed!
Self-test 3584K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 11:54:09 2008]
Self-test 96K passed!
[Tue Jan 01 11:59:38 2008]
Self-test 4096K passed!

OldCpuSpeed=2700
ComputerGUID=894723423d087a26a1f26b1464be4d15
RollingHash=0
RollingCompleteTime=0
SelfTest1024Passed=1
SelfTest8Passed=1
SelfTest10Passed=1
SelfTest896Passed=1
SelfTest768Passed=1
SelfTest12Passed=1
SelfTest14Passed=1
SelfTest640Passed=1
SelfTest512Passed=1
SelfTest16Passed=1
SelfTest20Passed=1
SelfTest448Passed=1
SelfTest384Passed=1
SelfTest24Passed=1
SelfTest28Passed=1
SelfTest320Passed=1
SelfTest256Passed=1
SelfTest32Passed=1
SelfTest40Passed=1
SelfTest224Passed=1
SelfTest192Passed=1
SelfTest48Passed=1
RollingStartTime=1199168618
RollingAverage=1000
SelfTest56Passed=1
SelfTest160Passed=1
SelfTest128Passed=1
SelfTest64Passed=1
SelfTest80Passed=1
SelfTest112Passed=1
SelfTest96Passed=1
SelfTest1280Passed=1
SelfTest1536Passed=1
SelfTest1792Passed=1
SelfTest2048Passed=1
SelfTest2560Passed=1
SelfTest3072Passed=1
SelfTest3584Passed=1
SelfTest4096Passed=1

The memory test shows no errors and it looks like the MOBO is at fault, seeing as I gotta remove the clear the CMOS for her to boot up.

In that case this is the 2nd ASUS MOBO I have had that has failed me within 2 years. No more ASUS again if I have to Upgrade this time.

Any suggestions RaDikaL?

RaDiKaL_ · Nov 22, 2013

hmm mobo could be the one to blame as you say, 2nd mobo in 2 years, same PSU on both? if so, before changing mobo check the PSU voltages with AIDA64 on idle and on load, values should be pretty close to its assigned value (say +12V = +12.18V)

And ofc if it's possible to test cpu, ram and PSU with a borrowed mobo go ahead, but if PSU readings look ok then it seems like you have correctly found out that mobo was the issue.

wernersp45 · Nov 22, 2013

Howzit.

Na different PSU on both boards. What I will do is to check my PSU AIDA64 as you have suggested and do a hard test with my voltmeter to confirm results.

I am taking the board in on Tuesday to have it looked at from where I purchased it. Funny thing is the last 2 times I brought a board in they worked, to my disbelief. But turned out the self protection on the boards kicked in and only had to De-energize the board for 12hrs.

But I will test and give an update around Monday before I send it in.

wernersp45 · Dec 9, 2013

Update.

Well I had the board taken in. They updated Bios as they said it was way too old. New thermal paste too. Tested and they say it's working fine.

Put the MOBO back, same shit, no difference! can't install MOBO drivers at all, crash immediately. VLC, WInrar install but crash after reboot. Don't work at all. Most programs don't register on the installed programs list - WTF?

Taking the whole bloody PC in this time so they can see for themselves what's plotting. Their fault report doesn't list MOBO driver stability. They simply tested on spare HDD with basic programs. Cost me $30 for that.

wernersp45 · Dec 9, 2013

No Go.

Supplier can't help me - They tested with their own HDD and most of the apps tend to work - Half the stuff they didn't test which I asked them to.

Anyway the MOBO and components work, by the looks. Gonna try a new install of OS7 on spare HDD I found with fresh new drivers downloaded from ASUS. Also gonna use new SATA cables as well

RaDiKaL_ · Dec 9, 2013

Hope you get it to work

wernersp45 · Dec 29, 2013

Update:

Got hold of spare HDD - 160GB Seagate, installed with new CLip-On SATA lead, installed OS7, Created Restore point and before staring MOBO driver install.

Noticed partial software package failure install for ATI CPU and GPU drivers - Microsoft Visual 2010 C++ Redistributable Package - Never had this issue before. Report simply states driver install failed - no reason.

Downloaded new 2010 package from Microsoft and ran, can't as current version installed is the latest? Tried to look for updated version, only version for visual 2012. I'm not sure if this is required as I'm not running OS8. Any comments on this slight issue?

However all drivers installed, APPs installed, VLC, Mediaplayer, WInrar, WInamp and runs fine after reboot, shutdowns as normal before I continued.

SO fare nothing has failed yet. I'm tempted to start installing my Production SOftware - Had major run fails on Ableton 9.

Only variables are new SATA connector, Spare HDD - never used in this current PC, simplified cable management on Power leads for 5HDD's.

Any recommendations for tasks to due before continuing?

wernersp45 · Jan 20, 2014

Well...

After replacing SATA cables with the same issues - she got stable on herself!

All drivers have been installed and none have failed yet. Catalyst Control hasn't failed either, first time ever I've had this. So for now everything is running stable.

This seems to be a repercussion of a reality shitty virus that was running amok in the system.

However, last week my 2TB WD HDD started having bad sector issues on it - Struggling to back up what i can, Especially my 1TB of music on it.

Crazy Software behaviour/Windows 7

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