This started several weeks ago, this message keeps popping up from time to time and when it does it freezes my computer and I have to shut down and most of the time I have to shut down from the plug in the wall. I have anti virus, adaware, spybot, and zonelabs firewall. I have tried several anti virus programs but they all say NO Virus. Can anyone help on this one as its doing my head in. (Pic below)

Thanks for any help.

Regards Tony

Screen.bmp

This error is caused by the program which runs Windows services (svchost.exe) crashing, this program runs all the Windows services and this screenshot doesn't tell you which one has the problem. I would try to find out which service(s) are having the problem so you know what to do about it.

The Windows error report (available to view when you press "click here" on that error dialog box) probably has the info you need but if your computer is locked you won't be able to read it.

Have a look at the Event Viewer (in XP/2000: right-click My Computer, select Manage, select System Tools->Event Viewer->System), look for any error listings around the time of the latest crash, double click them and see what the messages say.

This error is caused by the program which runs Windows services (svchost.exe) crashing, this program runs all the Windows services and this screenshot doesn't tell you which one has the problem. I would try to find out which service(s) are having the problem so you know what to do about it.

The Windows error report (available to view when you press "click here" on that error dialog box) probably has the info you need but if your computer is locked you won't be able to read it.

Have a look at the Event Viewer (in XP/2000: right-click My Computer, select Manage, select System Tools->Event Viewer->System), look for any error listings around the time of the latest crash, double click them and see what the messages say.

Thanks for that the message says>>> "The server {73E709EA-5D93-4B2E-BBB0-99B7938DA9E4} did not register with DCOM within the required timeout.

Could this have anything to do with my ADSL modem? How to fix this problem?

Thanks Tony

A couple more questions:

The Event Viewer message for the error should have an Event ID - what is it?

Is this the only error at the time of the crash? Have a look at the other event log tabs too.

Do you have any reason to believe it is related to the ADSL modem?

Have you tried reinstalling Windows?

Have you tried reinstalling Windows?

The computer has crashed twice since my last post????

The event ID 10010

The only reason I thought it might be the modem is this problem seemed to start around the time I started to use ADSL. I have now changed back to dial up to see if it still happens.

No I havnt reinstalled windows, could this be the problem?

Thanks Tony

You can always re-install Windows if you want to, that should fix it!

I will check the error a bit further, but in the meantime an easy thing to try is to disable DCOM and see there is any change. I can't tell you this will resolve the problem but it won't harm your system, and in fact it will improve security.

You can use GRC's DCOMbobulator to safely disable it, it can also re-enable it if you want to, although for most people there is no need to, mine is disabled. You can get it here:

http://grc.com/dcom/

You can always re-install Windows if you want to, that should fix it!

I will check the error a bit further, but in the meantime an easy thing to try is to disable DCOM and see there is any change. I can't tell you this will resolve the problem but it won't harm your system, and in fact it will improve security.

You can use GRC's DCOMbobulator to safely disable it, it can also re-enable it if you want to, although for most people there is no need to, mine is disabled. You can get it here:

http://grc.com/dcom/

I have disabled DCOM and I will see how that goes I will also reinstall windows just in case.

Thanks for your help and I will let you know how I go.

Regards Tony