Eraser Causes freeze of XP when right clicking

cmdrx3 - thanks, I'll try your method. Did you try it omitting step 2 and not installing the security update until after the Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 SP1 Redistributable Package (x86) update was installed? The security update does say that it's for SP1, or is installing the security update before the Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 SP1 Redistributable Package (x86) update and then re-installing the security update after the SP1 install what for some reason made everything work?
 
Re: Problem: Explorer-crashing Eraser still in distribution

Kapow - I can back up what Joel says. I have one computer that works fine with 5.8.7 installed and another that crashes at the most inopportune moments with 5.8.7 installed. Works on most, doesn't work on some makes it very difficult for the developer; especially, when the computers he has access to work just fine.

You might want to try the method suggested today by by CmdrX3 (Sat Sep 19, 2009 1:08 pm) with the thread that Joel referred to above (http://bbs.heidi.ie/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5616). I haven't tried it yet, but plan to.
 
calintexas said:
cmdrx3 - thanks, I'll try your method. Did you try it omitting step 2 and not installing the security update until after the Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 SP1 Redistributable Package (x86) update was installed?
Click to expand...

I did try it, and I had the freezing problem when I did it that way, I HAD to install the ATL security update BEFORE SP1 otherwise I had the freezing. That is why I tested and included Step 4 to repair the security update. I know it seems totally bizarre, and I'm not a programmer so I really have no idea why it works, I just know that for me it does work. I have installed and uninstalled those redists practically all day, and this was the only way I could do it.

Incidently - I could also use Eraser fine with nothing but 4148 ATL update installed, but I wasn't 100% sure if other programs on peoples systems use the other bits as well so I wanted to have all the redists installed and Eraser working. I know Logitech setpoint required the 2005 runtimes and wouldn't work with just the 2008 runtimes installed.

Programming was never my strong point in school (yes I'm that old I went to school at a time when we had to write programs in BASIC for our exams) so I don't know which bits of the runtimes are required by what and when. I'm more hardware orientated.
 
I followed CmdrX3's method, and after several hours and many right clicks including erasing files from the recycle Bin using the right click menu, I've had no issues. I'm using Eraser version 5.8.7.

So, thank you CmdrX3. You obviously went through a lot of iterations and testing to arrive at your successful method. Don't be concerned about your age. My first programing experience involved keypunch cards, Fortran IV, and results the next day. I'm far from an expert in either software or hardware.

For the record, my specs are as follows:
Hardware: Dell I600M laptop (2004 vintage), Centrino 1.8, 1.5 GB ram, Mobility Radeon 9000 graphics card w/64 MB video memory.
Software: XP SP3 Pro (32 Bit), Norton 360V3.5, Malwarebytes (paid), WinPatrol (paid), Secunia PSI 1.5, Intel PROSet/Wireless 11.1, Eraser 5.8.7
 
Hi,
I too have been having Right-Click context menu causing my Windows Explorer interface to mostly hang. -- though sometimes it allows me to drag the windows around, giving an etch-a-sketch kind of cool visual effect :lol: .... ;)

My response to those freezes has been : Ctr-Alt-Del (since rt-click on task bar fails...) to bring up Task Manager, then Quit the one or two Explorer processes, then wait 5 seconds, then start a New Task Run Explorer. And things are usually good ... for a while ... till next time of freezing ...

I have used Nirsoft wonderful ShellExView to disable a number of things, but had not disabled Eraser...
Mostly, it had gotten so irksome I decided to modify my 'user experience' to start using keyboard shortcuts whenever possible instead of right-clicking things.
I will try the uninstall of 5.8.7, try running a bit without it, and then later plan to fresh install 588.b1.

Update : Eraser 5.8.7 uninstalled. Rebooted. So far,(short time tho), no hangups or freezing...

Computer environment: Sony Vaio RS530G minitower, 2GB RAM, re-loaded with:
- Windows XP Pro, (32bit), SP3, up-to-date with all of MS officially recommended updates
- Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable and 2008 SP1 (needed for some other sw I have installed - I'm not a developer (any more...)
- Avira Antivir 9.0.408
- no Windows Defender on this one,
- WinPatrol 16.2009.5 is running in background (love that it alerts me to unexpected services and processes starting... )
- other things usually running all the time: FastStone Capture 5.3, MacDrive 7.2.6.1, SearchEverything 1.2.1.371, Sunbelt Personal Firewall 4.6.1856 (which may be causing other non-Context-menu-related issues... but that's another story)

Just FYI... (sorry for long post, but since issue seems tricky, thought I'd put in all the details)
 
For those of you who have seemed to resolve the problem using CmrX3's method could I trouble you guys to try the latest (SVN trunk) binaries which are built with the latest updates -- the old betas and RC's contain the old runtime and I want to see if v6 is affected in the same manner.

Thanks!

Joel
 
Joel, I'm running v 5.8.7 now. What you want us to do is install V6 RC5, right? Do I need to uninstall v 5.8.7 and/or any of the MS Visual C++ 2008 Redistributables first?

I'm traveling now, and my Internet access is a bit dodgy. I'll do what you've requested after I've returned home (9/29).
 
Sure thing, one you're ready drop me an email (see my profile) and then I'll email you a copy of the latest binaries from SVN.

Joel
 
Win 7, RC. Latest stable Eraser. Explorer crashes on first right click of Recycle bin. Explorer usually (not always) crashes on right click desktop. Explorer sometimes crashes on right click of filename in explorer file list. After explorer restarts the above right clicks usually work fine - tho they do seem rather slow.
Haven't tried a fix - have uninstalled. Suspect that will work.
 
Please try the workaround proposed and see if that solves the problem.

Joel
 
CharlesKane said:
Win 7, RC. Latest stable Eraser. Explorer crashes on first right click of Recycle bin. Explorer usually (not always) crashes on right click desktop. Explorer sometimes crashes on right click of filename in explorer file list. After explorer restarts the above right clicks usually work fine - tho they do seem rather slow.
Haven't tried a fix - have uninstalled. Suspect that will work.
Click to expand...

Uninstalling Eraser does solve the problem. Alternatively, the workaround that Joel recommended that you try is in about the middle of page 3 of this thread. It is: Postby CmdrX3 » Sat Sep 19, 2009 1:08 pm. He developed it through several hours of trial and error. It worked for me.
 
I have followed with a great deal of interest the exchange of ideas on this forum since offering my suggestion in my Sept 2 2009 posting that the Microsoft Visual C++2008 Redistributable update may have been at least part of, if not the cause to this problem.
Thanks to the time and effort contributed to the forum by CmdX3 for picking up the issue from that point and coming up with a workaround to overcome this glitch. I'm delighted to report that having followed the workaround he has developed, the right click freezing of my system while using Eraser 5.8.7 has been resolved!! Great work CmdX3!!
Again, many thanks for your time and interest.
TVS
 
Hi there,

same problems with right clicking and freezing here. And quite interesting workaround-suggestions. But I have to confess that I am not willing to mess around with any workaround if I can not be sure that this wouldn't cause problems with other software over the long haul.

Eraser is an extremely useful tool and I don't think that there is a better alternative for free / with donation out there, but hey, it is still a tiny tool that simply should function properly without (re-)installing any C++-stuff or even the whole OS (while experimenting). And since there seem to be hardly any other(?) programs that are affected by this C++-Problem, Heidi should solve it and not obligate the users to hack their systems.

So the most important first step should be to put a warning on your download-page since this problem might affect a lot of people and a warning will help preventing lots of trouble for them, because in many cases it takes time and efforts even to find out that Eraser causes the problem. As it was in my case. Heidis reputation might also suffer if this bug will be hushed up furthermore.

Good luck and thanks for the brilliant work,
guzolany

(Sorry for my bumpy English - no native speaker...)
 
Bugreport
To reproduce: Use Windows XP 32 bit. Install Avast version 4.8.1351 or 4.8.1356. Install Eraser 5.8.7. Right-clicking should now course a chrash.

I have used virtual PC's and even different physical PC's and still get the same result. Either uninstalling Avast or reverting to Eraser 5.8.6 solved the problem.

I appreciate the work done by the developers of Eraser so I hope this information will be helpful.
 
I am using Win XP SP2 as the OS. I have the same problem of Eraser 4.8.7 and Avast 4.8 not able to coexist together . Removing either one solves the right click problem. I like both programs and hope there is a solution . I might try an earlier version of Eraser to test out its compatibility with Avast.
 
I've managed to (finally) reproduce the bug in my virtual machine. I've also went to dump the output so it can be used for more debugging. My preliminary analysis finds that:

  • Explorer hangs because it is in a deadlock (technically, a loader lock deadlock)
  • Explorer hangs because the loader lock is held while calling SendMessage from within the lock - the process will not be able to respond to the message request
  • Subsequent threads hang while waiting for the lock to be released

The reason why removing the runtime seems to solve the problem is because the DLL code seemed to have changed between versions of the runtime. I compared the source code for MFC vs. the disassembled output and the instructions seem to differ. I'll see if there's anyway to find out more.

Joel
 
Hi I just wanted to come in this one too. I recently installed windows 7 and ultimately ended up reinstalling about 7 times (to the extent I was wondering if that was why it was called windows 7). I had a problem with the bonjour service which caused the first couple of failures but ultimately I kept on having the exact problem described in this thread, and it has taken me about 10 days to get to this stage and find out what it was, with lots of searching on forums and a day by day reinstallation until I homed in on the problem. I too am running Avast 4.8 and when I install Eraser explorer starts crashing and the system becomes unuasable. If I remove eraser all is well again.

I appreciate eraser is free and have several years of reliable service from it. I would hate to lose having eraser and hope that you can solve the problem.

regards
S
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top