All my laptop installs have gone kaput!

[Rami]

Good morning,

Hey...all of my installs stopped working all at once this morning, and I am not sure why. Let me explain the symptoms.

1) When I launch any install of the program, either standard mode or mission builder mode, the program will not load.

2) When I review the task manager screen, the rundll32.exe kicks on and then within seconds jumps to consume 100% of the CPU activity, freezing the laptop.

Things were working fine yesterday, and to borrow from Grizzly50, I haven't visited any midget chicken porn sites recently.

My OS is Windows 7, 64-bit.

I know this is likely a simple fix, but it eludes me at the moment. Any ideas?

[Shessi]

Andrew,

Prob/poss either a Windows update yesterday/first thing, or antivirus update. If you've not installed or uninstalled anything and it was running AOK yesterday then little it can be.

Check when last MS updates installed on your pc. If yesterday/this morning, you could try uninstalling them and see. Or try disabling your AV to see if it will let your installs run.

It could just possible be an errant CFS2 file, have a think if you added/changed/removed any component file ie DLL's, exe's, and make sure they're in the correct place. Don't forget your MB is linked to one of your installs, so if that install is corrupt etc then the MB won't work.

You must have a complete vanilla or current CFS2 back-up install either on an external HDD/DVD or mem stick, try running one of those. If it doesn't run then something is blocking the exe from running (run in Admin mode), if it does then you know it's something wrong with your install (narrows it down a bit).

Cheers

Shessi

[misson]

I had also the rundll32 overload processor. And i had it for a long turning of in with system admin window.

One day i had noticed was lacking my panel nvidia, so i re installed drivers of my video card and problems gone!

Hope this help,

Mario

[Rami]

Shessi,

Thanks for the suggestions. I haven't done my laptop and desktop's annual monthly "Come to Jesus" meeting yet; updates usually don't post until about noon, I left my house about 6:25am. The only thing I can think of is an anti-virus update...I'll have to look at the .dll folder against my desktop when I get home.

Both my laptop and desktop use the same identical A/V program, so if those also go tits-up when I try to run them, I'll know for sure. This has happened once before.

[Rami]

I had also the rundll32 overload processor. And i had it for a long turning of in with system admin window.

one day i had noticed was lacking my panel nvidia, so i re installed drivers of my video card and problems gone!
Hope this help.

Mario

Mario,

For my desktop, I also use NVIDIA. I have not been having issues there. I think my laptop used Intel-based software. It might be integrated graphics, but it does a damned nice job.

[Rami]

Andrew,

Prob/poss either a Windows update yesterday/first thing, or antivirus update. If you've not installed or uninstalled anything and it was running AOK yesterday then little it can be.

Check when last MS updates installed on your pc. If yesterday/this morning, you could try uninstalling them and see. Or try disabling your AV to see if it will let your installs run.

It could just possible be an errant CFS2 file, have a think if you added/changed/removed any component file ie DLL's, exe's, and make sure they're in the correct place. Don't forget your MB is linked to one of your installs, so if that install is corrupt etc then the MB won't work.

You must have a complete vanilla or current CFS2 back-up install either on an external HDD/DVD or mem stick, try running one of those. If it doesn't run then something is blocking the exe from running (run in Admin mode), if it does then you know it's something wrong with your install (narrows it down a bit).

Cheers

Shessi

Mark,

This is affecting all seven of my laptop installs. It's not isolated to one.

[Rami]

Hi again,

Here is an update...my installs DO run in safe mode, no problem. Both the main program and mission builder.

So, what to do now?

[Devildog73]

In safe mode copy and paste them all onto an external backup HD.

If they all run in safe mode, it is most likely a driver that is the problem.

It could be malware, "not from a midget p site"......lol.

I run malwarebytes anti-malware on all of my computers in addition to my anti-virus software.
Used to use the free version, but liked it so much I finally bought the full version.

[Rami]

In safe mode copy and paste them all onto an external backup HD.

Devildog,

I always keep all seven of my installs on my backup HD, updating them every two weeks. I was actually planning on replacing the installs I have on my laptop with the ones on my desktop. However, I am compelled to find out why this happened, all of a sudden.

[Devildog73]

Let me fire up mine and see if Windows or anyone else updated last night.

[Devildog73]

All my installs are running fine.
Must not have been a Windows update.

[Shadow Wolf 07]

Rami:

Mine loaded fine. I only tried my ETO Early install but it loaded without difficulty. We have similar systems - HP laptops but mine has an i7 processor and a Nvidia Geforce GT740M built in video "card." I don't recall any updates for Win& coming down the pike yesterday or so far today... hmmm.

[Devildog73]

That CPU activity sounds like malware, not any kind of update.

[Shessi]

Rami,

Have you tried running the backed-up versions from the other HDD. If this is an internal HDD, then probably they won't work either. If you can try a totally external version, as said, from an extrenal HDD/DVD or mem stick, see what happens.

Your AV still could be the prob as it shouldn't have loaded in safe mode, and as your installs work in safe mode then...

I tend to think though it possibly is a video driver error or resolution setting, as in safe mode Windows is using basic settings and drivers.

Try going into safe mode and with one of your installs re-set the graphics/resolution settings back to a very low/basic settings, also what graphics card does the sim report as using, is this correct?

Then re-boot into normal mode and see.

Also, is everything else running ok? Other games/sims etc?

As far as high CPU actvity is concerned it could be that your AV is seeing CFS2.exe or other CFS2 file as a false positive, so is working harder to prevent it running.

Shessi

[Allen]

Get Sysinternals Process Explorer and find out what rundll32.exe is doing. As pointed out the NVidia control panel found on the right side of the start bar will use rundll32.exe. It dose this on my old XP.

rundll32.exe is used by Creative Technology Ltd. I think this is for part of my sound card for Win7 and I can kill rundll32.exe on my Win7 and XP just fine and it will run CFS2 on both.

[Rami]

Hey guys,

My desktop survived Windows Update, so it is not my anti-virus (both identical) or Windows Update, something went kashickzta on my laptop. I tried a system restore which just made it worse. I'm going to swat flies with nuclear weapons here...blow it up and start over. Luckily I have all my installs saved on my desktop and backup external. And, the files are in the same place, so I can plop them in tickety-boo and even copy over the shortcuts, and everything will work right out of the gate.

I set my laptop up with CFS2 originally the same way.

[jcoke]

Adding to this old thread to see if anyone has updated info. I just did a clean install of Win7 64-bit and then added CFS2. When I run it (having set up Admin permissions, turned off folder read-only security, and other best practices), the cursor goes busy and then nothing happens. Tried with and without Win XP compatibility. But in every case the Rundll32 process persists after the appcrash eating up 25-75% of my CPU and has to be killed via Task Manager. I tried running CFS2 under Safe Mode with Networking and it fails there also, although there is no Rundll32 running afterward in that scenario. ???????

[Allen]

Is the PC connected to the internet yet? Win 7 has Game Explorer that will cause some games not run unless the computer is on the internet. I got hit by it on my Laptop and Tower with CFS2.

[Rami]

Jcoke,

I have the same issue, especially on my laptop. It has become par for the course to always have task manager running in the background, and whenever I load up the sim, I have to click the icon twice. I then end that rundll32 process, and in doing so it shuts down the second sim. It's become so routine for me, I don't even really think about it anymore, but I know exactly what you are referencing.

[jcoke]

Jcoke,

I have the same issue, especially on my laptop. It has become par for the course to always have task manager running in the background, and whenever I load up the sim, I have to click the icon twice. I then end that rundll32 process, and in doing so it shuts down the second sim. It's become so routine for me, I don't even really think about it anymore, but I know exactly what you are referencing.

Thanks for the wisdom guys. No matter how many times I try to start CFS2, it always results in an appcrash with rundll32 out of control. Appcrash Exception Code c0000005 refers to a memory access violation. Whatever causes it, this was a recent development for me as CFS2 was running fine until a few weeks ago.

[rince33]

The 2nd rundll32 process is caused by the games explorer attempting to search for online content for the game you are running. I managed to fix the rundll32 problem on my pc, check post #8 on this link.https://www.sevenforums.com/performance-maintenance/37891-windows-7-rundll32-exe-50-cpu-load.html

and this link:https://social.technet.microsoft.com...w7itprogeneral

[MaskRider]

Does Windows8 have any thing similar to Games Explorer?

MR

[The B24 Guy]

Hi MaskRider,
It seems Win8 has it.
Do a search for Games Explorer and then run it.

Regards,
B24Guy

[Allen]

On Win7 I remove or rename the GameUX.dll in C:Windows/SysWOW64 and C:Windows/System32 and this killed Games Explorer and its phone home BS.

[Rami]

Rince33,

Your fix suggestion worked beautifully. Thanks for the tip, I never would have known had I not responded!