SALEM586
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Adobe Acrobat and Lime Wire Freezes even afrer fresh XP Installation
Adobe Acrobat 8 and Lime Wire 4.16 or so were installed on my PC running Windows XP Professional. Perhaps due to glut of software and other operating system problems both of these software started freezing one by one and numerous attempts to get them working proved futile. I had dual booting with Vista on the same computer on which both the softwares worked fine. Due to some other problems as well I formatted the hard disks containing both the windows XP and Vista. To my suprise even after formatting and and a fresh install of Windows XP twice both the softwares freeze even after up grading Acrobat to 9 Extended. The Acrobat Reader also freezes.Previously the XP was installed on the motherboard's on board SCSI chipset AIC 7902 and now it was installed on Adaptec SCSI Card 39160. Windows Vista was already on the SCSI card and previously also it was not giving any problems. What on earth is causing the problem ? Do I have to change the motherboard?
Good chance you have faulty RAM. Test with memtest86 from www.memtest86.com. Anything red indicates a fault. Often a system with failing RAM will operate OK when it is not doing much then fail if stressed.
Chris B
Chris B
ASKER
I have a pre vintage Vista motherboard with embedded SCSI support in the shape of AIC 7902 on which Windows XP Professional was installed. Windows Vista could not be installed inspite of installing the latest vista drivers for the embedded SCSI AIC 7902.
So I installed an external SCSI Adaptec 39160 card and Windows Vista was installed on it . Therefore to access Windows XP I had to change the SCSI order in favour of AIC 7902 chip and to access Windows Vista I had to change the SCSI settings in the bios to the Adaptec SCSI .This was not true dual boot up. I tried Acronis True Image Echo Work Station to create an image of the Windows XP installed on AIC 7902 twice and on both attempts the software did not work. In the first attempt I manage to salvage both the windows however in the second attempt I could not salvage Windows Vista. In the mean time Windows XP after installation of four years suddenly could not read PDF files as Adobe Acrobat froze and even Lime Wire stopped working but it was not the fact in Windows Vista which I installed about two months ago.
So in light of all these reasons and in utter frustration I formatted both the disks containing the respective windows and I was successful in having a true dual boot as first I installed Windows XP and then Windows Vista on the SCSI Card Adaptec only. In my first installation of Windows XP I did not use the Windows Driver built in but an updated driver from Adaptec website Ultra 160 SP5 S4 for Windows XP/2003 which Windows Installation said was not WHQL. So when Adobe & Lime Wire did not work I thought that this non WHQL driver might be the culprit. I had already activated Windows XP luckily not Windows Vista. So I once again formatted and this time used the Windows driver for installing Windows XP but unfortunately with the same result. This time I happily did not activate the Windows. Since this also did not work so why not use the updated driver for Windows XP. So I again formatted and reinstalled Windows XP with the up dated driver and Vista. Again Adobe and Lime Wire did not work. All this explanation for my revered genius Nobus. I am going to go for memory testing and shall post the results.
So I installed an external SCSI Adaptec 39160 card and Windows Vista was installed on it . Therefore to access Windows XP I had to change the SCSI order in favour of AIC 7902 chip and to access Windows Vista I had to change the SCSI settings in the bios to the Adaptec SCSI .This was not true dual boot up. I tried Acronis True Image Echo Work Station to create an image of the Windows XP installed on AIC 7902 twice and on both attempts the software did not work. In the first attempt I manage to salvage both the windows however in the second attempt I could not salvage Windows Vista. In the mean time Windows XP after installation of four years suddenly could not read PDF files as Adobe Acrobat froze and even Lime Wire stopped working but it was not the fact in Windows Vista which I installed about two months ago.
So in light of all these reasons and in utter frustration I formatted both the disks containing the respective windows and I was successful in having a true dual boot as first I installed Windows XP and then Windows Vista on the SCSI Card Adaptec only. In my first installation of Windows XP I did not use the Windows Driver built in but an updated driver from Adaptec website Ultra 160 SP5 S4 for Windows XP/2003 which Windows Installation said was not WHQL. So when Adobe & Lime Wire did not work I thought that this non WHQL driver might be the culprit. I had already activated Windows XP luckily not Windows Vista. So I once again formatted and this time used the Windows driver for installing Windows XP but unfortunately with the same result. This time I happily did not activate the Windows. Since this also did not work so why not use the updated driver for Windows XP. So I again formatted and reinstalled Windows XP with the up dated driver and Vista. Again Adobe and Lime Wire did not work. All this explanation for my revered genius Nobus. I am going to go for memory testing and shall post the results.
i am humbled >> All this explanation for my revered genius Nobus. lol - i go ask a raise...
but it is not what i asked the Hardware setup - though some points and parts are listed.
i wanted to know : mobo, disk models, ram, cpu etc ... general hard setup and connection types (not too detailed )
now - with your issue, burrcm posted a good start, testing the ram
you can also test your disk : http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=287
then we are sure about the basics at least
but it is not what i asked the Hardware setup - though some points and parts are listed.
i wanted to know : mobo, disk models, ram, cpu etc ... general hard setup and connection types (not too detailed )
now - with your issue, burrcm posted a good start, testing the ram
you can also test your disk : http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=287
then we are sure about the basics at least
ASKER
I performed the memory test as suggested by burrcm but found no errors in the memory.It took considerable time. Now I shall perform the test as suggested by Nobus soon. The motherboard is GA-8KNXP disks(1) are SeaGate Cheetah ST3146807LW on which Windows XP Prof is installed. In my zealousness I did a low level format of it using the SCSI Card utilities not ever performed such a task before.(2) On SeaGate Cheetah ST373307LW Windows Vista Ultimate is installed(3). SeaGate Cheetah ST373207LW for image. (4). Two Sata Drives ST3500320AS for data. There are four Kingston memory modules of 1 GB each of DDR-1 400. The processor is Intel Pentium 4 3.2. The AGP Card is Nividia Ge Force 6800 GT. Sound Card is Creative SB Audigy 2 ZS.
Is it not very strange all other software run properly except for Adobe and Lime Ware on Windows XP . These soft ware ran on windows Vista previously smoothly lets see when I install on Vista once again if they continue to run.
Is it not very strange all other software run properly except for Adobe and Lime Ware on Windows XP . These soft ware ran on windows Vista previously smoothly lets see when I install on Vista once again if they continue to run.
>> There are four Kingston memory modules << if it still crashes, test with 2 or 3 modules this can be the cause...
ASKER
SeaTools for Windows gave a fatal error on running but SeaTool Enterprise ran out of three SCSI hards drives, the SCSI Hard drive ST3146807LW on which Window XP is installed gave no error, ST37330LW on which Windows Vista is installed also gave no error however the third SCSI disk ST373207LW on which no operating system is installed and which I keep for images gave an error" With A Failure In A Test". However I think this disk is immaterial because no operating system is installed and nor any data is stored. The SCSI disk which gave an error was not new as the other two SCSI disks were purchased new. The SATA disks which could not be diagnosed but again no operating system is installed on them and they only contain data and they were purchased both new.
So where do we go from here. I know that I have relatively speaking a rather outdated motherboard but motherboards even older than that also are functioning without Adobe and Lime Wire freezing.My friends advise me with the sort of equipment I have and the heavy softwares I have installed I am better off with a Server motherboard but they are very expensive with Xeon Processors and all that. But this Adobe and Lime Wire freezing should be sorted out.
So where do we go from here. I know that I have relatively speaking a rather outdated motherboard but motherboards even older than that also are functioning without Adobe and Lime Wire freezing.My friends advise me with the sort of equipment I have and the heavy softwares I have installed I am better off with a Server motherboard but they are very expensive with Xeon Processors and all that. But this Adobe and Lime Wire freezing should be sorted out.
ASKER
You mean to say that I should take any two Kingston modules out of the motherboard and test the remaining two?
ASKER
I also ran Windows Memory Diagnostic Tools which is present at the boot of Windows Vista. That test did not give any error on the memory. So two tests on memory give no errors.
>> gave an error" With A Failure In A Test". << disconnect this disk - it may be the cause of the problems
if you test it, connect it separately
>> take any two Kingston modules out of the motherboard and test the remaining two? << Yes, test them in pairs
>> Windows Memory Diagnostic Tools << i suggest not testing from within Windows, use memtest86+ as suggested; there's a good reason...
if you test it, connect it separately
>> take any two Kingston modules out of the motherboard and test the remaining two? << Yes, test them in pairs
>> Windows Memory Diagnostic Tools << i suggest not testing from within Windows, use memtest86+ as suggested; there's a good reason...
ASKER
The SCSI disk ST373207 which gave errors I did verification from the SCSI Utilities and it gave me block errors. I tried to fo a low level format but it took too much time so I disconnected and it gave a medium error. Strangely by disconnecting I was not able to boot Windows XP and so did Windows XP again. The dual boot has gone so Windows Vista will have to be reinstalled also or perhaps a repair from windows Vista CD may do. I again used the memtest and used the Kingston modules in pairs for testing. Again there was no errors in memory. Is it not strange that using the same environment and hardware Windows Vista is able to use Adobe Acrobat 9 and LimeWire whereas in Windows XP both the soft ware freezes.If the memory modules do not contain any errors there is little point in upgrading to ECC memory which here costs three times as much per module. I am in search for replacement of my error driven SCSI disk. want a 10 000rpm one but here the stockist for SeaGate only has the 147 GB 15,000 rpm one which is pretty costly and rotating a SCSI disk at such a high speed I wonder if my system can take it? So my peers what is wrong what is the bug?
>> Is it not strange that using the same environment and hardware Windows Vista is able to use Adobe Acrobat 9 and LimeWire whereas in Windows XP both the soft ware freezes. << no- since they use different ram and disk sections; also the handling of the OS is completely different.
before replacing the disk, i suggest testing both separately, to be sure it is not the controller, or cable causing it.
Also the termination can be an issue
before replacing the disk, i suggest testing both separately, to be sure it is not the controller, or cable causing it.
Also the termination can be an issue
ASKER
Why just only two programs freeze viz Adobe Acrobat & LimeWire on Windows XP Professional why not the other mutiple programs I had installed? They only started freezing just three months ago and I have Windows XP for years. These two programs also froze when Windows XP was installed on the embedded motherboard SCSI AIC 7902. Window Vista was installed on the Adaptec Card 39160 about two months ago. Windows XP is now also installed on the external SCSI Card Adaptec 39160 just a week ago and still these two problems freeze. Previously it could be thought that other software may be freezing them but now since it is a fresh installation chances of other software clash is minimal. Windows XP is installed on Channel A of the Card and Window Vista on B. So there are two SCSI Cables. A look at the cables result in a seemingly good condition but the SCSI cable on which Windows XP is can be replaced as a last resort. It is a dilemena a catch 22 situation.
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I have now Windows XP and Windows Vista on the same channel A and I am using only one cable as the third SCSI Drive is not useable now. Had to do a Vista repair from the Vista CD to get the Vista back. In Vista the Vista operating system is shown as installed on Disk G and Windows XP as on Disk C. Whereas in Windows XP the XP operating system is shown as installed on Disk D and Vista installed on C. Is there any way to remove this ambiguity besides reinstalling Vista afresh on Disk C in Windows XP?
I shall be obliged if I am enlightened about that what is so special about Adobe Acrobat and LimeWire that they freeze and the other remaining odd thirty plus softwares do not including Azurus Adobe Photoshop, DreamWeaver OmniPage etc etc.
I shall be obliged if I am enlightened about that what is so special about Adobe Acrobat and LimeWire that they freeze and the other remaining odd thirty plus softwares do not including Azurus Adobe Photoshop, DreamWeaver OmniPage etc etc.
ASKER
Obviously a first hand physical examination of the PC its hardware and software is the best solution but when that is not available this forum does help with suggestions and specially from people with impressive profiles and dossiers
i don't know where the discrepancy in the drives comes from between vista and XP - it is probably cause dby a dual boot system setup.
that is why it is hand y to do it with a good boot manager; it gives you completely independent OS'es.
here the best : bootit-ng : www.terabyteunlimited.com/
that is why it is hand y to do it with a good boot manager; it gives you completely independent OS'es.
here the best : bootit-ng : www.terabyteunlimited.com/
ASKER
I managed to get hold of a Sea Gate 73 GB 15,000 rpm which is almost half the price of a 146 GB 15000 rpm. I installed Window XP on it but it again gave the same problems of Adobe Acrobat freezing. There is definately wrong some where. Athough the motherboard is outdated it is the third piece of the same model which I purchased in December 2007 so it has not been much used. However ultimately I will replace the motherboard with a recent one which means changing of the processor, memory and video card due to compatibility reasons. In the mean time Nobus kindly suggest a software besides Adobe which can open PDF files so I can try that out. I wanted to retain Windows XP for some legacy software which Windows Vista does not operate otherwise I have Windows Vista in which Adobe and Lime Wire do not freeze. Now I must close and award Nobus for his patience. I may revisit this question if there is any progress made.
i'm thinking that the motnerboard is not fully compatible, with vista.
did you check the hcl list? http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc749479.aspx
did you check the hcl list? http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc749479.aspx
post your setup please, to clarify