Running Win98SE w/ all known updates/patches installed. Qfecheck clean.

Two applications I have been running for quite some time without error have now begun to cause BSODs every time -- with no known system changes made since the last time they were both run perfectly. The apps are Batch File Renamer 2.51 (cerebralsynergy.com) and CabExtract (pcmag.com) -- and there may be others I have not yet come across. I do not know what functions and/or OS access needs may be common to these programs.

The exact BSOD error message is: "A fatal exception error OE has occurred at 0028:C02BB4A8 in VXD IFSMGR (04) + 00012BBC"

I can find no info on these exact error codes. If anyone can provide any insight I'd be grateful, as I have come to rely on these apps frequently.

All suggestions outside of "update to XP" and "reinstall" gratefully appreciated. THX JLJ

Scandisk the hard drive (do a full surface scan).

IFSMGR is the file system driver.

The HDD may be failing.

Thanks for the suggestion, but: my one physical HD is divided into three partitions (one primary) and each has passed an NDD thorough surface test with zero errors. My system has passed a Norton WinDoctor scan, my own jv16 PowerTools checkup, no known registry errors. While I realize drives can fail at any time, my very strong hunch is that this is a software glitch, that these apps are looking for something they either can't find or aren't allowed to access. (But that is the upper limits of my geekdom.) In general the system behaves perfectly.

The only thought I have is that maybe -- MAYBE -- there is a cause to be found in a problem running WU recently: KB837009 was installed when first released (date?), but repeatedly flagged as still needed (not installed) by WU on subsequent visits, even though it is present in the registry correctly. Each time it appeared after the WU scan, I allowed it to install. Four or five times the result was a "failed installation" error, so I manually uninstalled it (IIRC) and then reran WU. At that point, KB837009 installed correctly.

It is possible that these apps began crashing after the final, recent successful [re]install of KB837009. Again IIRC, that updates IFSMGR.VXD from 4.10.2223 to 4.10.2225, my current version. To test this, I replaced v 2225 with a copy of v 2223, but the apps still crashed, so I reverted back to the later file.

That's the only clue I have, other than the fact that in my experience it is unusual for two apps to cause BSODs with the exact, identical error coding -- if someone could decode it, the solution might be found.

Eternal gratitude for, oh, twenty minutes, easily, for anyone who can decipher the code. JLJ

This can be caused by a virus or other malware as well.