MAJOR problems (computers dying)

[Raydr]

Ok, I have this really bad problem.
I wrote a program that is downloaded quite a bit. However, I've gotten several reports of this:

User downloads program, and installs my program, which also includes the vb6 runtimes, comdlg32.ocx,mscomctl.ocx,msflxgrd.ocx, and wininet.dll.

The installation program asks user to restart windows. User restarts windows, and right when windows is loading, *CRASH*.

Explorer.exe dies.

Safe mode doesn't work, Normal mode doesn't work, and reinstalling windows doesn't work.

After reinstalling, regsvr32.exe crashes at startup instead of explorer.exe.

At this point, the only thing the user can do is reformat! But most of the people who download this program don't know what they're doing! Any suggestions on what I can do? It's very hard to get in contact with any of the "victims", so i can't walk them through the process or try anything out.

If anyone has a "test computer" they might want to try and install this program on, let me know and I'll send you a link to download the program. If anyone knows a way to reverse the changes of the installation program in DOS, let me know.

(It seems like people who already have the vb6 runtime files don't have this program. I'm not sure, like I said I don't have access to any of these computers, so please, any ideas?)

[Zaf Khan]

Hey, I have a spare PC here, so send me the link,

Its the secondary hope the spec is okay:
266Mhz 64Mb 3.2Gb


DocZaf
{;->

Outa curiosity, what is the function of your app, what does it do?

[Sal]

Now that's scary. I am a newbie to VB6, but am very interested in finding out what your solution will be. Please keep me posted. ([email protected]) I am developing a program, although a long and arduos process, that I will eventually sell.

Good Luck!

[Raydr]

Zaf Khan, the program is designed for AOL 4.0+ members (although you obviously do not need AOL to actually install the program).

It is a "scrambler", which has become kind of popular on AOL, which is why this is so bad. I get a couple of hundred visits to my site a day from people looking to download this program. For full details on what the program does, please go here:
http://www.electronerdz.com/Raydr/docs/rs2k/

Like I said, the problem isn't the program itself, it's the installation of it.

WARNING: For those who volunteer to try and figure out what the program is, you are risking causing damage to your installation of Windows, so PLEASE do not do this unless you really want to have to REFORMAT if you cannot figure out how to fix the problem.

I will respond in like 10 minutes with a link to download the program. (Recompiling and recreating the setup program).

[Edited by Raydr on 04-30-2000 at 07:15 PM]

[Zaf Khan]

Just one Question!

Tell me the download is just a plain old download, and not one of them internet setup things

[Raydr]

P.S: I've also tried putting up the program without the ocxs and dlls, but then I get people telling me the program won't run because of missing files...

So I'm stuck

[Raydr]

Khan: I hate internet download crap. It isn't. You'll need winzip though.

[Zaf Khan]

OKay, I got all the the other stuff so here goes
]see you all shortly

{;->

[ravcam]

I don't know much about computers but I think all of those symtoms can be tied to changes in the directory, that is if your program even uses it?

[Raydr]

Khan: I haven't given you the link yet.
Ifyou try and download it from my site, you'll get the version without all the ocxs and runtimes, which won't help at all!

I'm uploading the setup program with the ocxs and stuff. I'm not on cable anymore (=() so it'll be another 6 or 7 minutes.

[Zaf Khan]

Hi, I'm still here, i just evaded an attack of the popup windows how i hate those things.

{;->

[Zaf Khan]

Okay send me the link...
I may have the run times and ocx's but send me the link anyway


Zaf

[Raydr]

http://members.xoom.com/Raydr/badrs2k.zip

There's the link!

[Zaf Khan]

You still there?

[Zaf Khan]

Hi i got booted, back again and resumed d/load

[Zaf Khan]

Hey Ray You Here?
Obviously not, so anyway here's my results:

Step 1: - ok
I downloaded the file BadRs2k.Zip onto this PC, then used winzip to span it over two floppies.

Step 2: - ok
Took the floppies ove to the other PC and did a normal install from within winzip.

Step 3: - ok
Came out of the installation normally and opted to restart the pc

Step 4: - okayish to a bit iffy
When coming into windows after restarting, was givien message explorer.exe has performed illegal something or other

Step 5: - definately something fishy
Rebooted the pc into safe mode, and it appears that the floppy drive was being displayed twice and the software whatever it was called in the c:\program files folder had been automatically moved to the recyle-bin

Step 6:
I'm now going to replace your files one at a time back with the original files which were on the pc in the first place

Note:
Whatever it is it cant be that serious, as THERE IS NO NEED TO REFORMAT THE HARDDRIVE, it seems to me at first glance that one of your OLE dynamic link libraries or control files are corrupt.

Will keep you informed, got to log off line for tonight, and you can stop fretting as it seems to me that one (or more) of your files are corrupted.

DocZaf
{;->

[Edited by Zaf Khan on 04-30-2000 at 09:45 PM]

[Raydr]

I love you man! =)
Let me know what you find out. I'd do this myself, but I can't because:
1.) I no longer have multiple pcs to work on
2.) It doesn't crash my computer because it's the computer the files are coming from.

I really appreciate what you're doing.

[Raydr]

Oh, one small problem though.
One of the people that I talked to with this problem said he was unable to get into Safe Mode, (safe mode crashed too).

Maybe that was just HIS case. Anyways...

[da_silvy]

does your program "mess" with any of windows settings?
have you tried creating a setup program on someone else's copy of vb?

[da_silvy]

they should try to use command line prompt
then the instance of your program is disallowed from running
then you might be able to find a way to get rid of it.
I know how to fix problems from dos, but do not have a spare computer

[Raydr]

I probably wouldn't mind having someone else create the setup program for me, but I've put many many many hours into this program, and I don't want the source code out there, if you know what I mean.

There isn't really anyone I know very well that programs in VB, and I no longer have spare computers to work on either.

I want a new computer. Anyone want to donate a few hundred dollars?

[da_silvy]

sorry

[Pallex]

just an idea...i`m not testing this code or anything, but if you press escape when windows is loading (during the blue cloudy windows screen) you`ll clear the picture and be able to see whatever dos is saying, in case theres a message for you there...

also, if its dying early, are you getting any beeps from the bios? may be a clue there too.

just thought this was worth mentioning...good luck!

a.

[Zaf Khan]

Hi guys back again:

Ok from what i can gather its s configuration/compatability error, and its causes window explorer to throw a wobbly, it must be one of (or more) link libraries that IT loads.

And yep that includes the vb6 runtime.

DocZaf

[Zaf Khan]

TADAAAAAAAAAA

Okay I'm back,

I never did get round to actually putting my finger EXACTLY on the problem...as the kids kept moaning about there PC being down....BUT

{;->
The problem is emanating from your (file-version) file Wininet.dll

Depending ont the version of Internet explorer that the user is using, together with which version of windows OS he/she is using, MS has a list of files which shows the files lengths and file versions according to OS and IE version.

And your file (i take it Win2K and IE5.xx)is obviously newer than most peoples, mine included.

I use Win 95 with IE5.5 and all updates.

So unless you require features which are only available in the newer version wininet.dll don't include it in the set up or alternatively, try it with an older win inet file.

Just to complicate matters, thers the registry which stores the version info so cannot just replace a dll.


DocZaf
{;->

If your still suffering problems email me.

[da_silvy]

so what doies this program do anyway?