I'm Grounded! (ot)

[Nash]

First of all - I apologize for posting this here. I also posted in the Tech forum... it's just that I'm kinda desperate, and I know there's a better chance of this being seen by someone who might have gone through this as well here in the General forum...

The problem....

Out of the blue, when I boot up the computer, I get an error message just as it gets to my desktop that says "msgserv caused an exception 10H in module devcon32.dll"... then a complete freeze.

At work I searched the net and found out it was related to my sound card (SoundBlaster Live). What they say to do on the Creative website is: Start in safe mode, disable sound card in the device manager, reboot, reinstall sound software, reboot, activate the card in the device manager and reboot again.

I've done this now I don't know how many times (and it's a loooong process). No joy. So I yank out alla my sound software, then re-installed Windows (grrr), then re-installed my sound software. When I enable it in the device manager, it starts up and works, and I can hear sound... but when I reboot with the card activated, I get that damned error message again. So I reboot in safe mode, disable the sound card, reboot again, get on the net, get an updated driver from creative and install it, then reboot with the card activated.....and I get that FREAKING ERROR MESSAGE AGAIN.... then freeze.

Add to this that I can't use my joystick without the sound card being activated. Nor can I seem to run AH with sound off due to it's connection with RW.

I'm hooped!

Has anyone run into this? I've completely exhasuted everything I can think of to do. If you've got *any* suggestion of what might help I'd be grateful.... like I said, I'm stumped.

And grounded...

[PakRat]

Maybe stupid questions, but did you do anything to the system before this happened? Install anything, software, etc? Did the system ever work properly with the SB Live? Was there any kind of event that might have precipitated this? A blue screen of death, etc?

You say out of the blue so I think the answer will be no, but even surfing the web software can get installed if you have security turned down and hit a site that runs ActiveX, Shockwave, etc. Do you run a virus program? Sometimes viruses will freak computers a little as they imbed themselves. When you reinstalled Windows, was that a reformat and reinstall or just a reinstall over existing software?

Another possibility is that there is something physically wrong with the card itself - either just failure or induced failure through static. Anything that connects to the outside world is vulnerable to static shock. With this being winter and there being lots of static around generally, could you have shocked it through your joystick?

Bummer though.

------------------
Rape, pillage, then burn...

[TheWobble]

try removing the card physically and of course all the software, also delete that file name form the regestry. then reboot and see if you have error, if not it must be:
A: a regestry entry that got fudged on ya.
B: an actual hardware problem (i doubt it)

Just try to rid the regestry of EVERYTHING sound blaster related and reinstall, I dont know if you have tried it but just in case.

other than that I would run "msconfig" on the run menu and then select the "startup" tab, uncheck everything accept "explorer" and "systemtray" if the error goes away, you can for sure assume that there is a messed up soundblaster regestry entry, the regestry can be a real pill though. let me know what turns up, im kinda interested to know, I have the same card.

[Nash]

Thanks PakRat  

Well, that error message started to pop up occasionally about 3 days prior to it totally setting in.

That is to say, it started to happen randomly, but on the next reboot it would be gone. Now it's a permanent fixture.

The card did work fine prior to this.

I did a reinstall over the old system... I dread doing an entire reformatting... but maybe...

I doubt static is the cause, as I *am* able to get sound through it if I enable it (just can't reboot with it enabled). The only way my stick is recognized is if the sound card is enabled while rebooted... so that's out too.

I haven't installed anything to my knowledge that would cause this problem... and Norton anti-virus showed no viruses.

[Nash]

Thanks Wobble - will do right now and let ya know.

[Tac]

Try what I posted in the tech forum. If it still doesnt work (before you format though) try this:

restart system in MSDOS MODE.

Type scanreg /restore press enter

Select the date in which you know your computer worked ok. Press enter

Restart

Try it then.

If the restore fails then try the next date... continue until you find one that works and that dates before your system got messed up.

If not, format time!

[This message has been edited by Tac (edited 01-16-2001).]

[Ice]

First, never install windows over windows. There are many issues that will show up at a later time. You had best re-format and do a clean install.

If the soundcard issue continues, buy a new one...I have wasted soooo much time over the years trying to solve issues just to find out that my hardware had puked. If that doesn't fix it, then return the soundcard.

I suspect that this is a Windows problem and will be remedied after you re-format

Ice