SVCHost.exe problems

Hello all of you, and while still able, wishing you all a Happy Holiday Season.

I am new to this BBS, after working with computers for over 20 years.

A am willing to freely admit, I need help. Maybe, it is my age that causes me to slow down to the point, where Ginko does not even help any more?

I have been using this computer for quite a while. (Self-built) Pentium IV, 3.2 MHz, 1 MB RAM, Windows XP Pro Sp 2; Norton Antivirus. All set to automatic update.

For the past few days I have received upon boot-up the following double message:

Flag 1;

SVCHost.exe Application error
The instruction at "0x745F2780" referenced memory at "0x00000000 "
The memory could not be "read "

Flag 2;

Generic Host Process for WIN32 services has encountered a problem and needs to close.

Simultaneously with the two messages, the computer started to act in an unpredictable erratic way, including freeze-ups. Some of the programs come and go, some appear to work well.

On this machine I have seven harddrives, over 600 GB storage, with no substantial backups. (I do have 2 DVD recorders installed, /one is a two-sided/ but I guess I am too laisy to do backups. )

System Restore to any prior Restore point results in a negativ message (unable to restore, no restoration done) By the way, is clearing Recycle-bin causing this?

I have used AOL on this system (among many other programs, close to 100 various programs are installed)

A few days ago, it seemed to me, that an AOL update has insisted on updating my system. I had no avaialble choice to turn the reminder off or cancel. It seems, most of my problems have started about that time.

After uninstalling AOL, the problems remained.

I bought and installed Registryfix software. It found over 200 issues, corrected them, but my problems remain.

I attempted to download - install and run the REGCURE Software. After installing it, I could not run it. Message: RegCure Application has encountered a problem and needs to close.

I ran all Norton Utilities etc to no avail.

So, here I stand --- or sit --- exhausted after several days of going around in circles and

Will you help me please?

Thanks,

Leslie (that is Mr)

 

Hi, Mr. Leslie. Welcome to Windows BBS!

First, I suspect that might not have been an AOL update. Since you did not have an option to decline/cancel the "update ", I suspect malware might be the culprit.

Please download HijackThis! (HJT) and unzip it to a FOLDER on your hard drive (not to your desktop) such as C:\HJT. Then run hijackthis.exe and paste your HJT log here so we can look at it to see if we recognize any signs of malware. Do NOT have HJT "fix" anything without carefully following guidance from an anti-malware expert.

EDIT: Pete beat me to the punch with his follow-up. Looks like I might be paranoid about malware and his suggestion may be helpful instead.

 

Leslie Eloed--

Possibly your Norton AntiVirus is causing this.
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/sharedtech.nsf/pfdocs/2005113009323013

 

Hello Leslie Eloed,

Because the symptoms are erratic, I would also look into the hardware.

Have you run chkdsk on the boot drive? Or used the HD's manufacturer's disk diagnostic?

Checked the RAM? http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp

For software cause's, besides persuing Pete's lead, I would take mailman's suggestion to check for malware - whenever I see AOL, I cringe

And the following, while hard to do, might isolate a cause - starting with a minimum startup, add the apps you normally use one at a time and see what happens.

Regards - Charles

 

SVCHOST.EXE appears to be resolved

Thank you to all, Pete C, Mailman, Armestier, Charlesvar...

The quoted help procedure did work and resolved my problem. It was right on the mark. I have now reinstalled my AOL (not without some hesitation, but I have gotten used to the thing in approx. 20 years, and if you are careful, it has its benefits, and drawbacks: unauthorized censorship.)

One of the hidden benefits of not knowing what to do about things like SVCHost.Exe is that while going around in circles, we end up doing a lot of cleanup, registry-checks etc. So in a way, it is not lost time. And when we are through with all that and stand there like a dumb calf in front of a newly built gate, you wonderful guys are coming in with the help and solutions.
I want to thank all of you, and wish you the most beautiful Holiday Season.

Leslie

 

Hi, Leslie.

Thanks for following up with your solution. Yep, it's nice to have a cleaner, leaner system after such issues.

Thanks for your warm gratitude and Holiday wishes. I wish you and everyone the best this Holiday Season as well!

 

The ghost returned. SVCHost.EXE returned....

Hello, and I wish a better morning...

I thought my SVCHost.Exe issue cleared up after the suggested procedure.

Well, guess what? After a clear day, this morning upon turning on my system, it was back.

My Windows download and install may still have a problem, that recreates this? Is there anything more that I could check?

I followed the suggested procedure completely. Turned off auto-update, restarted the computer, went to the windows download center, checked for all awailable updates, downloaded them and installed them, turned auto update back on, and restarted the system several times thereafter.

I reinstalled my Norton Systemswork and AOL 9.0 Optimized programs.

I went to bed.
And then this morning the SVCHOST.EXE greeted me again.

I welcome any more new suggestions.

Just now, while writing this memo, the SVCHOST.EXE flag came up again out of nowhere. Quite annoying.

Should I give up? Thanks,

Leslie Eloed

 

Hello Leslie,

Did you look into hardware as a cause?

Run chkdsk? http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/chkdsk.mspx?mfr=true

Tested RAM? http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp

Regards - Charles

 

See if the information in Windows Update Broke My Machine (svchost.exe -- application error), and How to Fix It is any help.