Please Help Because Microsoft Can't

[furious at microsoft]

This is long, so I want to warn you now.

I built a PC last year with Vista Ultimate 64 bit. When I connected it to the internet for the first 2 months, everything was fine. Slowly I began having problems connecting to the internet. Had to reset my network adapter and things like that until it eventually would not get on line. At one point, I did a restore and that was a temporary fix until things slowly getting worse again.

I eventually rebuilt the machine, formated the drive, reloaded everything and it ran fine once again. I re-registered my OS, did the updates....eventually things started to get screwed with the internet again. Network adapter resets, router resets....The same problem was reocurring. My system was showing data packets being sent and recieved, but I couldn't connect. This all began a few days ago.

Two days ago, I overclocked my machine. It's a Q6700 processor, 2GB of PC-4200, 250 gb sata drive and an Asus P5N-32 e sli motherboard. I've got the same Vista Ultimate 64-bit running. It's running at 3.175 ghz with the stock CPU cooler. Once I found this to be the stable speed, I began running some programs. This is where things got very strange.

My internet explorer would not connect even though I'm showing local and internet connectivity on my network icon. Firefox won't work either. I tried some of my programs that access the internet and they cannot connect. They run normally, but when I close them, I get application error--unknown software exception (0xc0000005) occurred in application at---(then it lists the particular location of each program here). Programs that don't connect to the internet do not give me this error. This all started after I overclocked my rig. But even when I bring it back to factory settings, I'm still getting this error.

So I check to see what's going on with the icon that I've been using for months. I delete it and go to create another from an icon that works. When I check my start menu, I now see 2 internet explorer icons. One says "Internet Explorer", the other says "Internet Explorer (64-bit)" The regular internet explorer which used to work for months no longer does. The 64-bit icon connects immediately. The problem is--all of my programs that connect to the internet seem to want to point to the internet connection that does not work-IE or Firefox. And when I close them, I get the error mentioned above.

I traced the path of the icons. One goes to C\program files\internet exploer\iexplore. The Other goes to C\program files (x86)\internet explorer\iexplore. The latter of the 2 is the one that won't work-placed in the (x86) for 32-bit----correct? This is the icon that I had been using for two months and now it won't work. The one in the regular program files works just fine. I also found one traced to C\windows\winsxs\wow_64-microsoft-microsoftie..349Ay28.....This will not work either. But I am on the computer right now typing this post with the "64-bit" icon!!!!!!!!!!!

I spent FIVE HOURS on my CELL PHONE with Microsoft yesterday. I spoke with 6 techs, none of which knew what to do. WTF is that??!!!! Six Microsoft techs and none could fix my problem?!! Is it a 64-bit / 32-bit emmulation issue? Where did this other icon come from? Microsoft says I should only have a normal internet explorer icon. Then again, they didn't do a thing to help, so what do they know?

I have one other problem. I've been playing Ghost recon AW2 recently. Everything was patched to be current and running fine. After I overclocked my system I got some allocated memory error. So I re-installed the program. If I try the 1.0 version out of the box, everything runs perfectly(except for the internet problem). As soon as I patch it, I get this memory error. Any ideas? I've tried backing the system down for that too, but all it does is change the numbers in the memory error.

I need someone to help me because I don't want to deal with Moronsoft again. I don't think I can take another couple of hours doing nothing with them. These problems all began after I overclocked my machine. What software glitch does it sound like I need to fix? Please give me some ideas.

Thanks a lot for your help and advice in advance.

 

[Apokalipse]

First off, I'd recommend you try a different web browser.
I, and a lot of users here, use Firefox (I'd also recommend an extension called Adblock Plus, to go with it)

Secondly, I'd guess your PC might have accumulated spyware.
I'd suggest you run an anti spyware program such as Ad-Aware, or Spy Sweeper

HijackThis is also a powerful tool, though you need to know what you're removing when you use it.
You can run HijackThis and post a log in a new thread here, and somebody there will tell you what you should remove.

 

[carnageX]

First off, I'd recommend you try a different web browser.
I, and a lot of users here, use Firefox (I'd also recommend an extension called Adblock Plus, to go with it)

He said in his post that he uses FF . Just thought I'd point that out; seems you missed that little detail =).

 

[Baez]

Try Opera. My favourite browser. Tons of plug-ins for it as well.

 

[KSoD]

Well my first suggestion...stop overclockign till you can get a decent cooler. The stock cooler can not handle the extra heat that the CPU is putting out and that could be the reason why you are now getting all these access errors.

2nd spyware...go to the Virus area and scan your system with Osiris's guide.

3rd just to explain a bit. There is both versions of IE on your system. Being 64 bit yes you do have both version. There is no issue emulating 32 bit or anything like that. From the sounds of it the 32 Bit is either corrupt or full of spyware. You have 2 program folders installed by default. The Regular one which is your 64 Bit stuff and then the Program Files (x86) which is the 32 Bit versions. This is all by default.

4th have you ever tried to do a system restore or reinstall the OS at all thru all of this?

 

[atomic tofu]

and don't complain unless you don't oc, hehe
that's like buying a car, speeding around town at 100mph ALL the time, hitting pot holes and speedbumps...and then complaining about some engine noise that you think shouldn't be there....when you cause the problem

I think I might build a 64bit specific machine in a month or 2....or start making a list for it.

 

[furious at microsoft]

Thanks for the replies. Here are my answers.

1. Heat is definitely not the issue. Originally I had placed an improper amount of paste on the processor,but after removing the cooler and applying the correct amount, my temps are stable board is around 40 degrees celcius. Main processor temp is around 50 degrees celcius with each core operating at slightly different temps. I've ran about 5 or 6 apps at once. These were win media player, spybot, adaware, nod32 antivirus, defrag and original ghost recon. None of these caused my system to even blip. Reports of all scans came out clean. But some of my definitions are out of date. And I can't connect to download new updates because it's routing through this dead internet connection (whether it be IE or Firefox).

2. As stated above, I've got a lot of antivirus, spyware, adware programs, but nothing seems to detect any problems. But with the definitions out of date, maybe that's the issue. I'm thinking of picking up a copy of spysweeper. I've heard that's pretty good stuff. I'm also wondering if spyware is the issue because when I was online playing GRAW2, while in between screens, my HD light was running and running and after taking a while someone asked another person what was taking so long and he replied "just honing my skills " Being that my GRAW2 has these memory crash issues after the patch---which adresses internet issues---maybe one of those clowns got me.

3. I have not tried a system restore this time around because I'm worried it will eventually have the same problems again. I will try it as a last resort, but I'd rather confront the code problem directly and fix it, no matter what it takes or how long.

Either way, this is a software issue--not a hardware issue. Is anyone able to give me some info on the application error code that I listed in my original post? All programs that have issues with the internet are throwing this code. And I understand what you mean about complaining after overclocking. It is much like cars in that they are built to be reliable from the factory. As soon as you change cams, injectors, timing, CPU settings...you have a much less reliable and stable machine. But all of my other apps run great, the machine boots and shuts down with no probs. Multi-tasking is no problem...I just have to fix this one bug. It's killing me.

Thanks again for the input. If you have any other ideas, please post them.

 

[KSoD]

HAve you run MemtTest86 to make sure your RAM is all good. That is a Access Violation. Which means that the program is having trouble accessing that part of the RAM. It can be from any of hte following items:

This can be caused by anything from faulty RAM, an incorrect/corrupt device driver, poorly written/updated software and more commonly under Windows XP Service pack 2, malware/adware installations.

So again i suggest a visit to the virus section to rule out the spyware. Also check your device manager to make sure you have not hardware conflicts and to make sure you have the most up to date drivers.

 

[furious at microsoft]

Devices have no issues in the manager. The memory is basically brand new. It all worked fine before overclocking. Someone just told me that because I have the memory linked automatically, that may be the issue with GRAW2. But why would version 1.0 out of the box work flawlessly, and the patched versions have issues? And why does the origianl GRAW run flawlessly with all patches? It's older software. I'll have to post the exact memory error listed. I think it actually throws one of two. I'll check into the programs that you all have mentioned as well. Thanks again.

 

[KSoD]

It could be that the game doesnt like the OC'ing. It could be soemthing in the patches. It could also be that the game is not updated for Vista as well. That is something to ask the people over at the GRAW sites. They should know more about that than anyone.