Vista x64 sometimes locks up after application crash

[Guest KeithXP]

I find Vista pretty stable all in all, but occasionally applications will

crash, and I have experienced regular system-wide lockups following

application crashes. These have occured in a few different apps, but I do not

understand why a faulting application should cause Vista to completely hang.

The only thing that works is the cursor, sometimes I can get Task Manager up,

which shows CPU usage at over 90% idle and nothing untoward going on.

 

I generally resort to a hard reset after watching my inanimate screen for 5

mins or so.

 

Why is this happening? (Why does Vista let it happen?)

[Guest Colin Barnhorst]

Re: Vista x64 sometimes locks up after application crash

 

You don't say what applications do this so who knows?

 

"KeithXP" <KeithXP@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:528B445F-880A-4DE6-AC7C-33552FCD2D05@microsoft.com...

>I find Vista pretty stable all in all, but occasionally applications will

> crash, and I have experienced regular system-wide lockups following

> application crashes. These have occured in a few different apps, but I do

> not

> understand why a faulting application should cause Vista to completely

> hang.

> The only thing that works is the cursor, sometimes I can get Task Manager

> up,

> which shows CPU usage at over 90% idle and nothing untoward going on.

>

> I generally resort to a hard reset after watching my inanimate screen for

> 5

> mins or so.

>

> Why is this happening? (Why does Vista let it happen?)

[Guest KeithXP]

Re: Vista x64 sometimes locks up after application crash

 

Just after posting I thought I should have put something in about that. The

last time it happened I was modifying a shortcut on ObjectDock (the 64bit

Vista version). But it has happened to me with different apps - I will try

and keep a record.

 

BUT, my point is that I am surprised Vista can be completely incapacitated

by an application crashing. That rarely happened even in XP (crashing was

more frequent perhaps, but the OS recovered). I don't expect to be forced

use the hardware reset button very often...

 

 

 

 

"Colin Barnhorst" wrote:

> You don't say what applications do this so who knows?

>

> "KeithXP" <KeithXP@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

> news:528B445F-880A-4DE6-AC7C-33552FCD2D05@microsoft.com...

> >I find Vista pretty stable all in all, but occasionally applications will

> > crash, and I have experienced regular system-wide lockups following

> > application crashes. These have occured in a few different apps, but I do

> > not

> > understand why a faulting application should cause Vista to completely

> > hang.

> > The only thing that works is the cursor, sometimes I can get Task Manager

> > up,

> > which shows CPU usage at over 90% idle and nothing untoward going on.

> >

> > I generally resort to a hard reset after watching my inanimate screen for

> > 5

> > mins or so.

> >

> > Why is this happening? (Why does Vista let it happen?)

>

[Guest Colin Barnhorst]

Re: Vista x64 sometimes locks up after application crash

 

If you have anything in the Problem Reports and Solutions Center you may

have links to updates for drivers and software that are giving you problems.

Also check the Event Viewer\Windows Logs, both System and Applications for

highlighted events with bangs or stops.

 

A program can be poorly written for Vista and programs for XP can be

correctly written for XP but cause lockups in Vista, especially if you

upgraded to Vista rather than a fresh installation. Obviously something is

causing contention for resources and you are on the right track keeping

track of what you are doing when something happens.

 

"KeithXP" <KeithXP@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

news:36C2F85A-FA9B-4C3B-9163-09F1A6611AE8@microsoft.com...

> Just after posting I thought I should have put something in about that.

> The

> last time it happened I was modifying a shortcut on ObjectDock (the 64bit

> Vista version). But it has happened to me with different apps - I will try

> and keep a record.

>

> BUT, my point is that I am surprised Vista can be completely incapacitated

> by an application crashing. That rarely happened even in XP (crashing was

> more frequent perhaps, but the OS recovered). I don't expect to be forced

> use the hardware reset button very often...

>

>

>

>

> "Colin Barnhorst" wrote:

>

>> You don't say what applications do this so who knows?

>>

>> "KeithXP" <KeithXP@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

>> news:528B445F-880A-4DE6-AC7C-33552FCD2D05@microsoft.com...

>> >I find Vista pretty stable all in all, but occasionally applications

>> >will

>> > crash, and I have experienced regular system-wide lockups following

>> > application crashes. These have occured in a few different apps, but I

>> > do

>> > not

>> > understand why a faulting application should cause Vista to completely

>> > hang.

>> > The only thing that works is the cursor, sometimes I can get Task

>> > Manager

>> > up,

>> > which shows CPU usage at over 90% idle and nothing untoward going on.

>> >

>> > I generally resort to a hard reset after watching my inanimate screen

>> > for

>> > 5

>> > mins or so.

>> >

>> > Why is this happening? (Why does Vista let it happen?)

>>

[Guest Colin Barnhorst]

Re: Vista x64 sometimes locks up after application crash

 

Additional note: Here is an example of just how specific and helpful the

Problem Report and Solutions Center messages can get. This is one I have on

my system now.

 

"Download updates for Sid Meiers Railroads

This problem was caused by Sid Meiers Railroads. Sid Meiers Railroads was

created by Firaxis Games Inc..

 

Solution

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

A newer version of Sid Meiers Railroads is available for download that will

address this problem. Firaxis Games Inc. recommends updating to the latest

version of Sid Meiers Railroads to take advantage of security and stability

improvements.

 

Go to the Firaxis Games Inc. website and install the latest version of Sid

Meiers Railroads:

 

Firaxis Games Inc."

 

A nice, plain English message to get off my lazy butt and check out the

manufacturer's website for a fix.

 

"Colin Barnhorst" <c.barnhorst@comcast.net> wrote in message

news:E5ACC8EE-9577-4198-BAD8-12EFD9A63D51@microsoft.com...

> You don't say what applications do this so who knows?

>

> "KeithXP" <KeithXP@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

> news:528B445F-880A-4DE6-AC7C-33552FCD2D05@microsoft.com...

>>I find Vista pretty stable all in all, but occasionally applications will

>> crash, and I have experienced regular system-wide lockups following

>> application crashes. These have occured in a few different apps, but I do

>> not

>> understand why a faulting application should cause Vista to completely

>> hang.

>> The only thing that works is the cursor, sometimes I can get Task Manager

>> up,

>> which shows CPU usage at over 90% idle and nothing untoward going on.

>>

>> I generally resort to a hard reset after watching my inanimate screen for

>> 5

>> mins or so.

>>

>> Why is this happening? (Why does Vista let it happen?)

>

[Guest KeithXP]

Re: Vista x64 sometimes locks up after application crash

 

I do make a bit of an effort! I am used to consulting the Event Log, I always

check I have latest releases of drivers etc. Sometimes errors are logged

sometimes not. Sorry to repeat myself, but my point relates to Vistas

handling of exceptions. I suppose if my experience is atypical, maybe there

is something common at the root of it all, even though the faulting

application may be different.

 

Incidentally, this is not an upgraded OS. It is a relatively new machine

(3months) and is generally reliable. Just when it crashes, it really crashes!

 

"Colin Barnhorst" wrote:

> If you have anything in the Problem Reports and Solutions Center you may

> have links to updates for drivers and software that are giving you problems.

> Also check the Event Viewer\Windows Logs, both System and Applications for

> highlighted events with bangs or stops.

>

> A program can be poorly written for Vista and programs for XP can be

> correctly written for XP but cause lockups in Vista, especially if you

> upgraded to Vista rather than a fresh installation. Obviously something is

> causing contention for resources and you are on the right track keeping

> track of what you are doing when something happens.

>

> "KeithXP" <KeithXP@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

> news:36C2F85A-FA9B-4C3B-9163-09F1A6611AE8@microsoft.com...

> > Just after posting I thought I should have put something in about that.

> > The

> > last time it happened I was modifying a shortcut on ObjectDock (the 64bit

> > Vista version). But it has happened to me with different apps - I will try

> > and keep a record.

> >

> > BUT, my point is that I am surprised Vista can be completely incapacitated

> > by an application crashing. That rarely happened even in XP (crashing was

> > more frequent perhaps, but the OS recovered). I don't expect to be forced

> > use the hardware reset button very often...

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > "Colin Barnhorst" wrote:

> >

> >> You don't say what applications do this so who knows?

> >>

> >> "KeithXP" <KeithXP@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message

> >> news:528B445F-880A-4DE6-AC7C-33552FCD2D05@microsoft.com...

> >> >I find Vista pretty stable all in all, but occasionally applications

> >> >will

> >> > crash, and I have experienced regular system-wide lockups following

> >> > application crashes. These have occured in a few different apps, but I

> >> > do

> >> > not

> >> > understand why a faulting application should cause Vista to completely

> >> > hang.

> >> > The only thing that works is the cursor, sometimes I can get Task

> >> > Manager

> >> > up,

> >> > which shows CPU usage at over 90% idle and nothing untoward going on.

> >> >

> >> > I generally resort to a hard reset after watching my inanimate screen

> >> > for

> >> > 5

> >> > mins or so.

> >> >

> >> > Why is this happening? (Why does Vista let it happen?)

> >>

>