Thorium

[AstroSkipper]

@Dave-H For solving browser or other software problems related to drivers and/or services, you can use third-party tools. For example, the DriverView v1.51 tool from NirSoft to easily identify all third-party drivers. However, this tool can only list all drivers but doesn't let you delete or modify any of them. But you get an informative and quick overview. Contrary to it, the Service Manager 4.6 tool from foxplanet.de let you manage and delete all drivers and services. The latter is simply a great piece of software. You can list services and/or drivers in different ways to get a better overview. Try it and you will see yourself!  Unfortunately, I hadn't installed it in my secondary, problematic Windows XP partition but only in my primary one. It would have been very helpful if I had consulted it regarding my Thorium issue. 

Edited August 16, 2024 by AstroSkipper
Update of content

[AstroSkipper]

6 hours ago, Dave-H said:

The other is that the problem goes away in Safe Mode.
That to me would indicate that it's something that's running on the system which is causing the issue.
I've already (I hope) eliminated Malwarebytes from blame, as the problem still happens with it shut down.
In light of the previous conversation, I'm now scouring my System32\Drivers folders for unwanted obsolete driver files!
Nothing found yet.

I will carry on experimenting.

If Thorium works properly in Safe Mode, then your issue is definitely related to a driver or a service as only absolutely necessary drivers and services are loaded in this mode. Switch off first all drivers and services one by one starting with the third-party ones, and check in each case whether the issue has been solved! At least, I would do so.  TBH, the Microsoft ones only need to be checked for proper function via the Event Viewer. They are rarely responsible for problems.  And I have many Microsoft services started in my Windows XP installations without any problems.

Edited August 16, 2024 by AstroSkipper
Update of content

[Dave-H]

I did try DefaultBrowser 1.8, I reported back here that it didn't fix the problem.

I've just spent the whole afternoon trying to track this problem down by process of elimination, which was very tedious!

Finally, I've determined that it's due to the ancient 16 bit 'Run' program that I use as a program launcher.
I never managed to get Thorium to run from it, and now I know why!
360Chrome won't run from it directly, but it will run from it using Launcher.exe to run its shortcut, but that doesn't work with Thorium.

I have two 16 bit programs running on XP, the 'Run' program launcher, and an on-screen clock.
I discovered that if they weren't launched, the problem went away and links from e-mails launched fine in Thorium.
Running them brought the problem back.

It now appears that I can run them, but the links only work from my e-mail program if I don't run it from the launcher.
Running it from the launcher, which I've been doing for years, appears OK, but links then crash Thorium.

Why this is happening, I have absolutely no idea!

Just as an aside, how did you change the icon in the Thorium launcher program?
I've tried doing it with Resource Hacker, but it won't work.
I can replace the resource, but I can't then compile it or save it, everything is greyed out.
Making other changes are fine, but not changing the icon.

[AstroSkipper]

1 hour ago, Dave-H said:

I did try DefaultBrowser 1.8, I reported back here that it didn't fix the problem.

That's strange. Default Browser 1.8 did its job fine here. A good tool in my eyes!  And everything it does can also be undone.

1 hour ago, Dave-H said:

Just as an aside, how did you change the icon in the Thorium launcher program?
I've tried doing it with Resource Hacker, but it won't work.
I can replace the resource, but I can't then compile it or save it, everything is greyed out.
Making other changes are fine, but not changing the icon.

The 360Loader and now ThoriumLoader is UPX-compressed. You have to decompress it first, as the last XP-compatible version Resource Hacker 5.1.8 can't do that. And without decompressing, the replacing of the Icon Group fails. It's as simple as that. 

In the screenshot, you can see that the file size is almost the old one, as I have again UPX-compressed it after replacing the Icon Group.

Edited August 16, 2024 by AstroSkipper
Update of content

[Dave-H]

I thought DefaultBrowser 1.8 was a good program too, I mentioned that the single click undo button particularly was good.
Unfortunately, it didn't sort out my particular problem.

Thanks for the information about the loader file, that explains it!
I will try to do it with the latest Resource Hacker in Windows 10.

[AstroSkipper]

4 minutes ago, Dave-H said:

Thanks for the information about the loader file, that explains it!
I will try to do it with the latest Resource Hacker in Windows 10.

You can also do it with the UPX tool under Windows XP. The UPX tool can compress (different levels) and decompress, of course. 

[AstroSkipper]

8 minutes ago, Dave-H said:

I thought DefaultBrowser 1.8 was a good program too, I mentioned that the single click undo button particularly was good.
Unfortunately, it didn't sort out my particular problem.

However, this tool cannot be blamed for the fact that its results are not visible when you use 16-bit programmes that cause interference. 

[AstroSkipper]

16 hours ago, AstroSkipper said:

The 360Loader and now ThoriumLoader is UPX-compressed. You have to decompress it first, as the last XP-compatible version Resource Hacker 5.1.8 can't do that. And without decompressing, the replacing of the Icon Group fails. It's as simple as that. 

In the screenshot, you can see that the file size is almost the old one, as I have again UPX-compressed it after replacing the Icon Group.

15 hours ago, AstroSkipper said:

You can also do it with the UPX tool under Windows XP. The UPX tool can compress (different levels) and decompress, of course. 

@Dave-H When you open the original, unmodified loader in Resource Hacker 5.1.8, you will see that its content is listed in italics. This is a sign that you only have restricted access which occurrs if, for example, the file is UPX-compressed. BTW, there is a tool that can process the file immediately under Windows XP without a prior, separate decompression by the user. The tool is called Resource Tuner, but it is a commercial programme.  But TBH, Resource Hacker 5.1.8 in combination with the UPX tool is totally sufficient. 

Edited August 17, 2024 by AstroSkipper
Update of content

[Dave-H]

Sorry for the delay, still been working on this!

The trial version of Resource Tuner fixed the icons, thanks very much.

I think I now have everything configured as it should be.
Thorium is the default browser on XP, and seems to be performing fine.

[AstroSkipper]

14 hours ago, Dave-H said:

Sorry for the delay, still been working on this!

The trial version of Resource Tuner fixed the icons, thanks very much.

I think I now have everything configured as it should be.
Thorium is the default browser on XP, and seems to be performing fine.

Glad to hear that all is now working for you! 

[AstroSkipper]

Inductive conclusion and generalisation of my empirically acquired data regarding sudden Thorium (Chrome) browser crashes: 

After all the measures, investigations and my proof, I described in detail in previous posts, I have come to the conclusion that spontaneous, recurring crashes of Chrome browsers, as, for example, Thorium, can be caused first and foremost by drivers or driver corpses, but also by services or programmes, running in the background responsible for interference, among other things like hardware defects and so on, of course. The so-called filter drivers deserve special mention at this point.  Many of the Chrome browser crashes that have been numerously reported in different Internet forums, are probably due to this. But without a thorough investigation, such issues can't be clarified, and their real cause was therefore very often never discovered. 
So, my advice at this point. If such crashes happen, check first the Windows\System32\drivers folder for drivers or driver remnants that could be the causer (in most cases rather drivers from third-party providers), even if they are loaded correctly and do not produce any error messages! Problematic drivers can of course be loaded from other locations than the Windows\System32\drivers folder, too, especially when it comes to third-party drivers, all depending on the respective system, of course. 

Edited August 20, 2024 by AstroSkipper
Update of content

[Dave-H]

My copy of Thorium has now started running out of memory when scrolling on sites like Facebook and Instagram.
It didn't use to do this, it was much better than Supermium in that respect, and it's been fine for months.
Anyone any idea why it would suddenly start doing this, I haven't knowingly changed anything which might have caused it?
Of course, the sites themselves may have changed, but any changes made haven't caused any obvious visual changes in them.

[Dixel]

17 hours ago, Dave-H said:

My copy of Thorium has now started running out of memory when scrolling on sites like Facebook and Instagram.

I had those right from the start with all ported forks of Chrome that came out after v.111. I found a good China made fork which doesn't have any of those problems, but it doesn't run on XP, otherwise I'd given it to you a long time ago.

Unfortunately, I can't be of help since I'm on a very long vacation. And making a further research is not so convenient from an iPad. As a quick fix, try to use the below command.

https://msfn.org/board/topic/186133-thorium/?do=findComment&comment=1270805

[NotHereToPlayGames]

5 hours ago, Dixel said:

As a quick fix, try to use the below command.

I had the illusion of success with that command.  But additional testing turned me against it.  I concede that this was in Win10 and not in XP.

That seems to have been AstroSkipper's experience also (in XP) - https://msfn.org/board/topic/186133-thorium/?do=findComment&comment=1270824

Only your own testing (Dave-H) will dictate if this command is right for you or not.

Edited September 2, 2024 by NotHereToPlayGames

[NotHereToPlayGames]

With that command enabled is on the left.  Without command is on the right.

There is one 2.79 MB additional process without the command.  So that is "something".  Both Supermium most-recent on XP with only 1 GB RAM.

Edited September 2, 2024 by NotHereToPlayGames